Treats...protein...how often is "rarely?

[Rue]

Just so I have something to use as a rule of thumb...

If you can feed your Hermann's a bit of a treat...that is too high in sugar or protein...how much/often is considered 'rarely' or 'occasionally'?

Can I give my baby one pea (a single pea from a sugar pea pod for example) a week? How about a bite of strawberry a week?

I won't overdo it...but just to add variety...micronutrients...etc.

 

[Yvonne G]

one strawberry once every two weeks or so. If you end up giving your tortoise a daily treat, that's too often.

 

[Rue]

Thanks! I need to get a feel for this. I had my snake feeding all figured out - and was in my comfort zone. Now I'm in a totally different ballpark! Full of weeds ...not rats!

 

[jaizei]

I think of it more in terms of how much of the diet it comprises versus how often. As long as it comprises a small amount of the diet, I don't see every other day as a problem.

 

[Madkins007]

We give and eat treats for humans mostly for variety. Tortoises really don't need that kind of variety if they are getting a healthy, varied diet. In fact, the wrong kinds of treats are as bad for torts as Twinkies and Peeps are for people.

Herbivorous torts, like Hermanns, do best on a high-fiber, low carb, low protein diet. This can feel really boring to us since there are comparatively few things we can just grab at the store and offer, but there ARE options that make good 'snacks' you can consider that are actually good for them. Things like edible flowers, for example (from a grocery store fresh herb section, or your garden- not a florists shop or possibly sprayed source) are great.

 

[Rue]

Thank you!

I am trying to open my mind (and eyes) to potentials -

It looks like we will be having a early spring (*knock on wood*). Our yard produces an overabundance of purslane and pigweed...and a host of others...so hopefully I can start Goosefoot on some of that soon too!

 

[enchilada]

i feed my radiata Reptomin water turtle sticks once a week

 

[Rue]

I will have to look those up!