Vet's Advice On Diet

[Sydneu]

I took my russian tortoise to the vet because I thought he had a respiratory infection and was given some advice on his care. It's very different from anything I've ever been told, but this is my first reptile so I wanted to see if I was crazy.

Currently my russian eats a mix of greens I can get at the grocery store (kale, radicchio, mustard greens, dandelion greens, no spinach, etc)

This vet told me to swap that out with the following:

15% - Tofu or soak beans and legumes
10% - Fruit
15% - Carrots, squash, and other orange vegetables (specifically orange???)
60% - A mix of greens and pellet food

Am I crazy?? I feel like I shouldn't be giving my tortoise tofu?????? I've read that mushrooms have too much protein for them, but this dude is saying tofu is the way to go????? He said he had kept tortoises for 50 years..........

 

[_The_Beast_]

I took my russian tortoise to the vet because I thought he had a respiratory infection and was given some advice on his care. It's very different from anything I've ever been told, but this is my first reptile so I wanted to see if I was crazy.

Currently my russian eats a mix of greens I can get at the grocery store (kale, radicchio, mustard greens, dandelion greens, no spinach, etc)

This vet told me to swap that out with the following:

15% - Tofu or soak beans and legumes
10% - Fruit
15% - Carrots, squash, and other orange vegetables (specifically orange???)
60% - A mix of greens and pellet food

Am I crazy?? I feel like I shouldn't be giving my tortoise tofu?????? I've read that mushrooms have too much protein for them, but this dude is saying tofu is the way to go????? He said he had kept tortoises for 50 years..........

Sooooo many red flags. This vet is providing unethical medical advice for your tortoise. Definitely time to find a different vet, if there are any in your area capable of providing appropriate care.

Folks on the forum may be able to provide you with advice to help address a potential respiratory infection if you're able to share lots of info about your tort's current enclosure (heat, lights, humidity, substrate, etc.).

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Noooo absolutely not! That is a wild diet suggestion for a Russian! No tofu, no fruit, no bean, the odd bit of grated carrot won’t hurt, but no squash, and no orange! Citrus fruits like that aren’t even recommended for fruit eaters so that’s honestly crazy! I dread to think what other kind of ‘advice’ that vet is giving out

 

[jaizei]

Noooo absolutely not! That is a wild diet suggestion for a Russian! No tofu, no fruit, no bean, the odd bit of grated carrot won’t hurt, but no squash, and no orange! Citrus fruits like that aren’t even recommended for fruit eaters so that’s honestly crazy! I dread to think what other kind of ‘advice’ that vet is giving out

I may be wrong, but I think the specifically orange was referring to color and not citrus. Years ago, orange fleshed vegetables, often including kabocha squash, were part of popular iguana diets. And I think it just got added to tortoise diets along the way.

 

[SinLA]

I have been going to the same vet for almost 20 years - he is amazing. I would trust him with all of my dog's (and prior cats) lives. When I first got Fezzik I happened to be there for something else and mentioned I got a tortoise and they told me he has lots of tortoise clients. I brought Fezzik in (got a fecal done, so that was worthwhile) but literally everything else he told me was rubbish. Lots of vets talk a good game but really do not know tortoises.

 

[wellington]

OMG, your vet is a nut and do not use him again. Vets have no clue how to care for tortoises. Many don't even know how to treat them.
Stick to the info on this forum for proper care and diet.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

OMG, your vet is a nut and do not use him again. Vets have no clue how to care for tortoises. Many don't even know how to treat them.
Stick to the info on this forum for proper care and diet.

Tell us how you really feel! lololol

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Get another vet
This one is learning at your expense. And your tortoise is in danger

 

[wellington]

Tell us how you really feel! lololol

I can't, this is a family friendly forum lol

 

[Tim Carlisle]

I can't, this is a family friendly forum lol

I can "hear" you now.....

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I may be wrong, but I think the specifically orange was referring to color and not citrus. Years ago, orange fleshed vegetables, often including kabocha squash, were part of popular iguana diets. And I think it just got added to tortoise diets along the way.

You’re right, might have misunderstood, either way doesn’t sound like the vet knows tortoises very well

 

[Tom]

I took my russian tortoise to the vet because I thought he had a respiratory infection and was given some advice on his care. It's very different from anything I've ever been told, but this is my first reptile so I wanted to see if I was crazy.

Currently my russian eats a mix of greens I can get at the grocery store (kale, radicchio, mustard greens, dandelion greens, no spinach, etc)

This vet told me to swap that out with the following:

15% - Tofu or soak beans and legumes
10% - Fruit
15% - Carrots, squash, and other orange vegetables (specifically orange???)
60% - A mix of greens and pellet food

Am I crazy?? I feel like I shouldn't be giving my tortoise tofu?????? I've read that mushrooms have too much protein for them, but this dude is saying tofu is the way to go????? He said he had kept tortoises for 50 years..........

Tortoise diets are all so debatable. In theory, we should be trying to duplicate the low protein, low nutrient, high calcium, high fiber diets that our tortoise would be eating in the wild. Broadleaf weeds of a wide variety should be your tortoise's primary foods. In practice, we know that there is a wide margin of error, and a wide variety of captive diet combinations can yield positive results.

An adult fully grown tortoise does not need that much protein. You could argue 10-15% of the diet be higher protein foods for a growing baby, but not for an adult. Here is the danger: Urates are the by-product of protein digestion. More protein equals more urate formation. As long as you are keeping the tortoise well hydrated and soaking two or there times a week, I don't think this level of protein would harm and adult or a growing baby or juvenile. Start skipping soaks, let humidity drop, or otherwise fall short on maintaining hydration, and bladder stone formation becomes more likely in a tortoise fed these types of higher protein foods.

I disagree on the fruit. This species doesn't eat sugary fruits in the wild, and grocery store fruits can wreak havoc with their GI tract. Fruit should be skipped. Having said that, some people feed fruit to their tortoises and their tortoise go on living. This is that margin of error I spoke of. It is wide.

I'd lump carrots in with fruits. Too sugary. Other orange colored items like peppers or grated pumpkin, or grated yams, are okay in moderation in my experience.

Mix of greens sounds good. Some pellets are good. But which pellets? Which greens. What about adding in calcium powder, dried leaf mix-ins, or something for fiber?

No you are not crazy. This vet sounds like a kook that has not kept up on his CE. CE is continuing education. Vet are supposed to do a bunch of that annually to maintain their license. Maybe this vet does his CE on dogs and cats.

 

[Tinkerbellsmummy]

I took my russian tortoise to the vet because I thought he had a respiratory infection and was given some advice on his care. It's very different from anything I've ever been told, but this is my first reptile so I wanted to see if I was crazy.

Currently my russian eats a mix of greens I can get at the grocery store (kale, radicchio, mustard greens, dandelion greens, no spinach, etc)

This vet told me to swap that out with the following:

15% - Tofu or soak beans and legumes
10% - Fruit
15% - Carrots, squash, and other orange vegetables (specifically orange???)
60% - A mix of greens and pellet food

Am I crazy?? I feel like I shouldn't be giving my tortoise tofu?????? I've read that mushrooms have too much protein for them, but this dude is saying tofu is the way to go????? He said he had kept tortoises for 50 years..........

Completely wrong advice you are right. That diet would suit a I think a red foot or sulcata tortoise but not horsfield. Unfortunately vets government out general advice bit unless they specialised in a species they wouldn't have a clue. There's so many species out there its impossible to know and remember which one needs what so never listen to general tortoise advice, just keep doing what you're doing.

 

[Tom]

...That diet would suit a I think a red foot or sulcata tortoise but not horsfield.

Not a good diet for a sulcata. They are grass eaters and need even more fiber and less nutrition than a Russian. I agree with you about the red foots.

 

[Big Charlie]

Completely wrong advice you are right. That diet would suit a I think a red foot or sulcata tortoise but not horsfield. Unfortunately vets government out general advice bit unless they specialised in a species they wouldn't have a clue. There's so many species out there its impossible to know and remember which one needs what so never listen to general tortoise advice, just keep doing what you're doing.

It would not suit a sulcata either.

 

[wellington]

Noooo absolutely not! That is a wild diet suggestion for a Russian! No tofu, no fruit, no bean, the odd bit of grated carrot won’t hurt, but no squash, and no orange! Citrus fruits like that aren’t even recommended for fruit eaters so that’s honestly crazy! I dread to think what other kind of ‘advice’ that vet is giving out

Actually squashes are okay.
Small amounts of carrots and beans occasionally is also okay, but not as a main source.
Fruit of any kind should not be fed.
I feed the ends of the green beans, that I cut off, when I'm m fixing them for dinner. This is maybe 6 to 8 times a year.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Actually squashes are okay.
Small amounts of carrots and beans occasionally is also okay, but not as a main source.
Fruit of any kind should not be fed.
I feed the ends of the green beans, that I cut off, when I'm m fixing them for dinner. This is maybe 6 to 8 times a year.

Fair enough, I guess it’s personal preference, I’d probably personally avoid the beans and squash, but I bet it’s a nice little treat once in a while for them