I often share pictures of the meals I make for the tortoises that I live with, and although they're pretty (I think), the pictures of the meals only tell a part of the story.
Because I live in New Hampshire and none of my tortoises are native to the area, and because much of their diet comes from the supermarket (especially in the cold months) and lacks variety (and fiber), I supplement their diet with a couple of different things.
I have an organic dried herb, flower, and seaweed mix that I shake a tablespoon or so of over their food 1-2 times a week... it increases nutritional content and variety, brings some color to their meals (which can stimulate their feeding response), and adds fiber to a diet that can be lacking in it otherwise.
I also dust their meals 1-2 times a week with an Icelandic kelp powder and a Mexican cactus powder. These two supplements add vitamins and minerals that could otherwise be lacking in the diets I'm able to provide.
I decided to use these supplements instead of buying a multivitamin powder specifically designed for reptiles for a couple of reasons:
1) fewer ingredients
2) higher quality ingredients
3) increased fiber content over just vitamin/mineral powder
4) cheaper per ounce than reptile supplements
This last point is a bit of a reach because I initially bought a bunch of organic plant products, which aren't free, but if you wanted to cut the initial cost down, you could reduce the number of things you supplement with... I'd get:
Calendula flowers
Rose petals
Kelp powder
Cactus powder
I'm certainly not saying this is the only, or even the best, way to supplement... just the way I do it.
Jamie
Because I live in New Hampshire and none of my tortoises are native to the area, and because much of their diet comes from the supermarket (especially in the cold months) and lacks variety (and fiber), I supplement their diet with a couple of different things.
I have an organic dried herb, flower, and seaweed mix that I shake a tablespoon or so of over their food 1-2 times a week... it increases nutritional content and variety, brings some color to their meals (which can stimulate their feeding response), and adds fiber to a diet that can be lacking in it otherwise.
I also dust their meals 1-2 times a week with an Icelandic kelp powder and a Mexican cactus powder. These two supplements add vitamins and minerals that could otherwise be lacking in the diets I'm able to provide.
I decided to use these supplements instead of buying a multivitamin powder specifically designed for reptiles for a couple of reasons:
1) fewer ingredients
2) higher quality ingredients
3) increased fiber content over just vitamin/mineral powder
4) cheaper per ounce than reptile supplements
This last point is a bit of a reach because I initially bought a bunch of organic plant products, which aren't free, but if you wanted to cut the initial cost down, you could reduce the number of things you supplement with... I'd get:
Calendula flowers
Rose petals
Kelp powder
Cactus powder
I'm certainly not saying this is the only, or even the best, way to supplement... just the way I do it.
Jamie
