Seek for red foot diet

[wiery]

I want to know how people determine if the food given to terrapins is reasonable？

Previously I fed my red foot daughter a lot of tortoise food based（Mazuri）, random lettuce veggies and fruits, which led to some protein overload for her.（a little pyramiding back and little obese）and she dislikes pasture powder .
So I want to improve her diet . Increase green vegetables and fruits and calcium supplementation, reduce tortoise food. Now I torn on veggies she can eat for a long time.

For example, some recipes suggest giving turtles okra, but some say to eat it sparingly, some say to try not to eat cabbage, and some recommend it. It's maddening.
The picture below is what I've been feeding her lately.

 

[wellington]

Tortoises do not pyramid over diet. Lack of humidity is the cause of pyramiding and the use of decimating bulbs like mercury and halogen.
They also can't get fat, if they have the proper room for roaming that they need.
An adult RF needs a room size enclosure not an aquarium or prefabbed tortoise house.
As for diet, @ZEROPILOT can help you more with that.

 

[wiery]

Tortoises do not pyramid over diet. Lack of humidity is the cause of pyramiding and the use of decimating bulbs like mercury and halogen.
They also can't get fat, if they have the proper room for roaming that they need.
An adult RF needs a room size enclosure not an aquarium or prefabbed tortoise house.
As for diet, @ZEROPILOT can help you more with that.

What does it take to be an adult? My RF is about 6 inchs 7 or 8 years old. How often is it appropriate to feed a RF of this size, and how much is appropriate to feed at one time?
I feed her every other day now, and she finishes it every time, with some small snacks on the day in between.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello!
Here is the page with "diet plans" (what and when to feed) suitable for Redfoots: (Link).

Redfoots can eat almost anything (if it's not fried or dripping with poison). But they can be very picky about what to eat (and the picture you posted illustrates that). All new food could be introduced gradually, mixed or mashed with something they already love.

Basicaly, you can provide 30-60% fruit (it could vary between seasons and fruit are not only "red and sweet"). About 10% could be low-fat animal protein (invertebrates, boiled chicken fillet or eggs, top-grade cat/dog food, fish or shrimps). 20-40% percent or more should be leafy greens. And 10-20% could be plant-based protein (mushrooms, Mazuri and such). All mentioned sums to more than 100%, you can balance the proportions.

The most difficult is to ensure variety and to make your tortoise eat "plate of the day". I don't mix tasty things with greens for that reason -chances that tortoise choose mulberry leaves over banana are near zero. Sometimes hand-feeding helps to introduce new things.

The plan you outlined in your post is a good one. Mazuri should be fed maybe once a week (or in a limited amount mashed with greens). You don't need calcium supplements - proper diet + Mazuri + cuttlefish bone should be enough.

Information about tortoise feeding is always conflicting. But most of the stuff can be fed to Redfoots if it's part of a varying diet. Even pothos plant leaves are okay.

Good things to try are: papaya, hibiscus and grape leaves, endive. If you look around on this forum you will find a lot of edible plants.

Now I'll be waiting for Zeropilot to chime in (as proper diet is still a bit mystery for me)

 

[wiery]

Hello!
Here is the page with "diet plans" (what and when to feed) suitable for Redfoots: (Link).

Redfoots can eat almost anything (if it's not fried or dripping with poison). But they can be very picky about what to eat (and the picture you posted illustrates that). All new food could be introduced gradually, mixed or mashed with something they already love.

Basicaly, you can provide 30-60% fruit (it could vary between seasons and fruit are not only "red and sweet"). About 10% could be low-fat animal protein (invertebrates, boiled chicken fillet or eggs, top-grade cat/dog food, fish or shrimps). 20-40% percent or more should be leafy greens. And 10-20% could be plant-based protein (mushrooms, Mazuri and such). All mentioned sums to more than 100%, you can balance the proportions.

The most difficult is to ensure variety and to make your tortoise eat "plate of the day". I don't mix tasty things with greens for that reason -chances that tortoise choose mulberry leaves over banana are near zero. Sometimes hand-feeding helps to introduce new things.

The plan you outlined in your post is a good one. Mazuri should be fed maybe once a week (or in a limited amount mashed with greens). You don't need calcium supplements - proper diet + Mazuri + cuttlefish bone should be enough.

Information about tortoise feeding is always conflicting. But most of the stuff can be fed to Redfoots if it's part of a varying diet. Even pothos plant leaves are okay.

Good things to try are: papaya, hibiscus and grape leaves, endive. If you look around on this forum you will find a lot of edible plants.

Now I'll be waiting for Zeropilot to chime in (as proper diet is still a bit mystery for me)

Thanks for the reply! I'll make some references.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

What does it take to be an adult? My RF is about 6 inchs 7 or 8 years old. How often is it appropriate to feed a RF of this size, and how much is appropriate to feed at one time?
I feed her every other day now, and she finishes it every time, with some small snacks on the day in between.

7-8 years is an adult tortoise.
You can feed it every day and leave a food bowl for the whole day. If it's not full bowl of Mazuri or bananas your tortoise would know when to stop.
How much to feed - depends on her appetite. By the end of the day only a few pieces should left.

 

[wiery]

Tortoises do not pyramid over diet. Lack of humidity is the cause of pyramiding and the use of decimating bulbs like mercury and halogen.
They also can't get fat, if they have the proper room for roaming that they need.
An adult RF needs a room size enclosure not an aquarium or prefabbed tortoise house.
As for diet, @ZEROPILOT can help you more with that.

I think my RF enclosure is small for her(80*40*40), and glass doors aren't good for her. She often wanted to run away.(Looks heartbreaking.) But my finances won't allow me to get her into a bigger environment for a while, and the weather is starting to get cold already. I'll be looking into creating a better enclosure for her as soon as I can.

 

[wiery]

Tortoises do not pyramid over diet. Lack of humidity is the cause of pyramiding and the use of decimating bulbs like mercury and halogen.
They also can't get fat, if they have the proper room for roaming that they need.
An adult RF needs a room size enclosure not an aquarium or prefabbed tortoise house.
As for diet, @ZEROPILOT can help you more with that.

When it's warm and sunny in the house, I'll let her out for a walk.

 

[wiery]

7-8 years is an adult tortoise.
You can feed it every day and leave a food bowl for the whole day. If it's not full bowl of Mazuri or bananas your tortoise would know when to stop.
How much to feed - depends on her appetite. By the end of the day only a few pieces should left.

I'm glad to hear that she's now an adult tortoise, she's always had a strong appetite, but I was surprised at her dislike of blueberries and pitaya, I always thought they had an insatiable appetite for sweets. I don't feed her much bananas because they're too sugary.

 

[wellington]

When it's warm and sunny in the house, I'll let her out for a walk.

They should never roam the floors of your home. Many dangers and we seen a lot of them on this forum.

 

[wiery]

They should never roam the floors of your home. Many dangers and we seen a lot of them on this forum.

Well, thank you. I'll take your advice and I'll pay attention to it.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I think my RF enclosure is small for her(80*40*40), and glass doors aren't good for her. She often wanted to run away.(Looks heartbreaking.) But my finances won't allow me to get her into a bigger environment for a while, and the weather is starting to get cold already. I'll be looking into creating a better enclosure for her as soon as I can.

80x40 is indeed too small. And don't know what temperarures you have now, but on a clear sunny day you can let her do "quick run" on a balcony under the sun. Be sure to watch closely, once she begin to slow down - take her back.

Just to mention - big enclosure doesn't have to be expensive (take an old bookcase, do some tweaks and you are good to go).

Agree with wellignton - don't let her roam in the living space.

 

[wiery]

80x40 is indeed too small. And don't know what temperarures you have now, but on a clear sunny day you can let her do "quick run" on a balcony under the sun. Be sure to watch closely, once she begin to slow down - take her back.

Just to mention - big enclosure doesn't have to be expensive (take an old bookcase, do some tweaks and you are good to go).

Agree with wellignton - don't let her roam in the living space.

Thanks for the advice. Right now we're still averaging 78-80 in the morning here with the sun, but not after a while, and in the winter she can't be let out of the box at all, even with a heater in the house.
And in addition to temperature, humidity is also a big issue, currently the indoor humidity is just around 50-60.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Really short walks (for 10-15 minutes) are still possible with temperatures of 62-64F and bright warm sun. After the "run" you can give it warm soak and put back in the enclosure.

Given your current conditions you have to balance between temperature/humidity and exercise. It would be still better than to keep her 100% of the time in a small tank

 

[wiery]

Really short walks (for 10-15 minutes) are still possible with temperatures of 62-64F and bright warm sun. After the "run" you can give it warm soak and put back in the enclosure.

Given your current conditions you have to balance between temperature/humidity and exercise. It would be still better than to keep her 100% of the time in a small tank

Thanks I'll take your advice.

 

[wellington]

A pop up green house can be bought for around 50 bucks. Put a tarp under it and some tweaking and you have nice, 3x9 or 3x12 Foot enclosure. I don't think a book case is big enough for an adult RF.
I will post a pic of the type of green house I'm suggesting.

 

[wellington]

Ones shaped like this come in at least 9 and 12 foot long.

 

[wiery]

Ones shaped like this come in at least 9 and 12 foot long.

Ok I'll look into this type of simple greenhouse, before that I've seen this type of mini greenhouse suggested as an enclosure on the forums

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hello!
Here is the page with "diet plans" (what and when to feed) suitable for Redfoots: (Link).

Redfoots can eat almost anything (if it's not fried or dripping with poison). But they can be very picky about what to eat (and the picture you posted illustrates that). All new food could be introduced gradually, mixed or mashed with something they already love.

Basicaly, you can provide 30-60% fruit (it could vary between seasons and fruit are not only "red and sweet"). About 10% could be low-fat animal protein (invertebrates, boiled chicken fillet or eggs, top-grade cat/dog food, fish or shrimps). 20-40% percent or more should be leafy greens. And 10-20% could be plant-based protein (mushrooms, Mazuri and such). All mentioned sums to more than 100%, you can balance the proportions.

The most difficult is to ensure variety and to make your tortoise eat "plate of the day". I don't mix tasty things with greens for that reason -chances that tortoise choose mulberry leaves over banana are near zero. Sometimes hand-feeding helps to introduce new things.

The plan you outlined in your post is a good one. Mazuri should be fed maybe once a week (or in a limited amount mashed with greens). You don't need calcium supplements - proper diet + Mazuri + cuttlefish bone should be enough.

Information about tortoise feeding is always conflicting. But most of the stuff can be fed to Redfoots if it's part of a varying diet. Even pothos plant leaves are okay.

Good things to try are: papaya, hibiscus and grape leaves, endive. If you look around on this forum you will find a lot of edible plants.

Now I'll be waiting for Zeropilot to chime in (as proper diet is still a bit mystery for me)

Actually @Alex and the Redfoot you did a fantastic job there.
Baby or just young tortoises can be pickier than adults. Just like humans. But a hungry Redfoot will eat whatever you offer it. They will not starve. Honestly. They'll give in.
They can eat any fresh, non processed meat protein. Vegetable matter. Flowers. Fruit. Cactus. Mushrooms. Commercially prepared pellets such as MAZURI 5M21 and almost anything that you and your family eat.
They have an absolutely huge menu of food items. So, offer a variety.
The best news is that adult Redfoot just eat whatever you give them. Most adults don't pick and choose.
Also, feed him every day. And try to feed at around the same time every day. They will start to know when it's time to eat.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

A pop up green house can be bought for around 50 bucks. Put a tarp under it and some tweaking and you have nice, 3x9 or 3x12 Foot enclosure. I don't think a book case is big enough for an adult RF.
I will post a pic of the type of green house I'm suggesting.

I LOVE that idea.
If I had to keep my RF indoors, I'd have one