seems like there's some contradiction to certain foods that can be eaten or not eaten according to the tortoise app vs stuff you read on the internet does anybody know about which are myths and which aren't when it comes to feeding your tortoise
Tortoise food app
- Thread starter Cleopatra 2020
- Start date
ZenHerper
Well-Known Member
Well. If you write an app or site intended for General Traffic, you might tend to be more strict than not. That is, you won't know if your audience is feeding a varied, balanced diet. You won't know if an intended pet has a health issue, or some other dietary restriction.
You will also likely be receiving and compiling information from sources that report issues or reactions that may or may not be widespread, or that vary by species. So you have to decide if you are going to include user data that contradicts things you have experienced personally, or not.
It gets very complicated when you consider you may be talking to someone inexperienced, or who will misunderstand how bodies grow, develop, and maintain themselves. Not all animals are kept properly, or even minimally, hydrated. Or in optimal heat gradients. Or are being fed spinach all day, every day because it's easy. And on, and on...
As you begin your research, stick with plants and habits that are obviously Healthful (balanced nutrients, optimal hydration & heat gradients), and consider sources carefully and critically when adding new items.
well I fed her a good amount of carrots graded one day and she ate all of it gobbled it down which later I heard they should have sparingly also I read today after the fact that any part of the squash should be fed in moderation and the fruits particularly only if it's a red foot but I said her to whole yellow squash blossoms today would she completely devoured I'm taking she likes it... LOL and then Tom was saying that he feeds his hatchlings onions sometimes and I read those are toxic for them until it's all very confusing they say cactus pad is fine but if used too much can be like a laxative which her poops were a little runny but for the most part not too bad I still feed it to her a couple small portions a day
It sure is confusing! Many people point to a site called The Tortoise Table. It has a lot of good information but they are very conservative; some say their science is not always applicable to tortoises.. But for a new owner, it’s a good idea to be cautious. There are plenty of safe foods they describe that you can feel good about.
We contradict ourselves all the time here, which doesn’t help new owners! But if you look for the opinions of the members who have been here the longest, or have been breeding healthy tortoises, that’s where I look for advice. They know what they are talking about. The one thing they will all say is that a varied diet is the best thing, not that any one food is the “best” food or one is the “worst.”
It’s okay to go slow. Your tortoise will probably outlive you so you don’t need to figure it all out at once.
Another thing we will agree on is that a lot of carrot, or anything high in sugar, is not good for your tortoise; she isn’t built to digest it. Of course she loved it; it’s candy to her! But truly, high sugars will mess with her gut.
Again, go slow. We were all beginners once and we all made some mistakes. You will too, but over time you will get more confident in what you feed.
We contradict ourselves all the time here, which doesn’t help new owners! But if you look for the opinions of the members who have been here the longest, or have been breeding healthy tortoises, that’s where I look for advice. They know what they are talking about. The one thing they will all say is that a varied diet is the best thing, not that any one food is the “best” food or one is the “worst.”
It’s okay to go slow. Your tortoise will probably outlive you so you don’t need to figure it all out at once.
Another thing we will agree on is that a lot of carrot, or anything high in sugar, is not good for your tortoise; she isn’t built to digest it. Of course she loved it; it’s candy to her! But truly, high sugars will mess with her gut.
Again, go slow. We were all beginners once and we all made some mistakes. You will too, but over time you will get more confident in what you feed.
