In the book "South American Tortoises" authors Vinke, Vinke, Vetter and Vetter argue, with a good deal of research and experience behind them that the classic 'high fruit' Red- and Yellow-foot diet is not the best option for them.
Simply put, the Red- and Yellow-foot would seem to benefit most from a diet more like a Russian or Mediterranean, but with some added meat. They argue that...
- We have been mis-using fruit. The fruits these species eat in the wild are lower in sugar and moisture, but higher in fiber and calcium than what we usually offer. Their 'fruits' are more like our 'vegetables' and include plants that are actually legumes, nuts, etc.
- We have been ignoring fiber, hays, grasses, etc.
While they do not offer the sort of neat and simple plan of TurtleTary, their plan is not too difficult, although they point out that tortoises 'spoiled' on traditional diets might not switch too easily.
While tortoises kept outside in a well-planted pen can forage on their own with a little supplementation, they have a different plan for indoor Red- and Yellow-foots than we are used to.
They recommend:
FRUIT- offered once or twice a month especially when kept indoors. Offer organic, well-washed fruit with peels and all. Try oranges, figs, currents, grapes, mango, papaya, kiwi, pineapple, blackberry, cactus fruit, and banana.
MEAT- They suggest an even wider variety of meats than most of us do- whole oily fish, 'vertebrates' (pinkies, etc.), low-fat cat kibble, low-fat canned cat food, many kinds of lean meats, insects, worms, etc. However, they use it less than most of us usually do. SMALL weekly, or even to every 6 weeks, servings. The author's preference is for whole, oily fishes.
GREENS and PLANTS- Unlike many references, they make no real mentions of things to avoid, using variety and calcium supplementation to offset the oft-mentioned 'problems' of some greens. They DO recommend organic and/or fresh greens, but also suggest dried greens, hays, etc.
They also support the use of pelleted chows, 'cobs', nuggets, etc that are high in 'grass-like' nutrients and fibers.
VEGETABLES- Again, almost no no-nos, variety being a key.
SUPPLEMENTS- With a varied diet, they feel that the only needed supplement is some calcium, used as needed to keep a ratio of about 2:1 with phosphorous. They also recommend making sure that there is some meat with natural D3 and unsaturated fatty acids (canary food, sardines, etc.)
Applying this information, here are some of MY thoughts on a better Red-foot diet. These are some guidelines that I am playing with- I have NO long-term experience on my side, but I think I am building on a good foundation. This DOES NOT mean I disagree with other people- I think their long-term experience speaks for itself.
To make this as simple and as cheap as I can for myself, and healthy for my 5 torts, my plan is...
WEEKLY SHOPPING LIST:
- Deli container of salad bar goodies- peppers, mushrooms, shredded carrot, squash, baby corn, sprouts, radish, broccoli, etc.
- 2 heads of organic greens
MONTHLY SHOPPING LIST:
- Sardines
- Small can of low-fat cat food
- 2-3 pieces of organic fruits (not bought on the same trip as the sardines)
- Bagged and/or cubed dried greens and hays for rabbits
SEMI-ANNUAL SHOPPING LIST:
- Mazuri Tortoise Chow (25lb bag rebagged into smaller units and frozen) (Used as insurance, fill-in, supplemental feeding, etc.)
3-6 days a week (depending on age), they get a mix of greens, deli stuff, crumbled hay, and some Mazuri. The exact mix every day depends on what is still fresh and what I grab first!
One day a week, this is supplemented with a treat such as a piece of fruit, a fish, a little cat food, fresh mushrooms, cactus pads or fruit, flowers,
Simply put, the Red- and Yellow-foot would seem to benefit most from a diet more like a Russian or Mediterranean, but with some added meat. They argue that...
- We have been mis-using fruit. The fruits these species eat in the wild are lower in sugar and moisture, but higher in fiber and calcium than what we usually offer. Their 'fruits' are more like our 'vegetables' and include plants that are actually legumes, nuts, etc.
- We have been ignoring fiber, hays, grasses, etc.
While they do not offer the sort of neat and simple plan of TurtleTary, their plan is not too difficult, although they point out that tortoises 'spoiled' on traditional diets might not switch too easily.
While tortoises kept outside in a well-planted pen can forage on their own with a little supplementation, they have a different plan for indoor Red- and Yellow-foots than we are used to.
They recommend:
FRUIT- offered once or twice a month especially when kept indoors. Offer organic, well-washed fruit with peels and all. Try oranges, figs, currents, grapes, mango, papaya, kiwi, pineapple, blackberry, cactus fruit, and banana.
MEAT- They suggest an even wider variety of meats than most of us do- whole oily fish, 'vertebrates' (pinkies, etc.), low-fat cat kibble, low-fat canned cat food, many kinds of lean meats, insects, worms, etc. However, they use it less than most of us usually do. SMALL weekly, or even to every 6 weeks, servings. The author's preference is for whole, oily fishes.
GREENS and PLANTS- Unlike many references, they make no real mentions of things to avoid, using variety and calcium supplementation to offset the oft-mentioned 'problems' of some greens. They DO recommend organic and/or fresh greens, but also suggest dried greens, hays, etc.
They also support the use of pelleted chows, 'cobs', nuggets, etc that are high in 'grass-like' nutrients and fibers.
VEGETABLES- Again, almost no no-nos, variety being a key.
SUPPLEMENTS- With a varied diet, they feel that the only needed supplement is some calcium, used as needed to keep a ratio of about 2:1 with phosphorous. They also recommend making sure that there is some meat with natural D3 and unsaturated fatty acids (canary food, sardines, etc.)
Applying this information, here are some of MY thoughts on a better Red-foot diet. These are some guidelines that I am playing with- I have NO long-term experience on my side, but I think I am building on a good foundation. This DOES NOT mean I disagree with other people- I think their long-term experience speaks for itself.
To make this as simple and as cheap as I can for myself, and healthy for my 5 torts, my plan is...
WEEKLY SHOPPING LIST:
- Deli container of salad bar goodies- peppers, mushrooms, shredded carrot, squash, baby corn, sprouts, radish, broccoli, etc.
- 2 heads of organic greens
MONTHLY SHOPPING LIST:
- Sardines
- Small can of low-fat cat food
- 2-3 pieces of organic fruits (not bought on the same trip as the sardines)
- Bagged and/or cubed dried greens and hays for rabbits
SEMI-ANNUAL SHOPPING LIST:
- Mazuri Tortoise Chow (25lb bag rebagged into smaller units and frozen) (Used as insurance, fill-in, supplemental feeding, etc.)
3-6 days a week (depending on age), they get a mix of greens, deli stuff, crumbled hay, and some Mazuri. The exact mix every day depends on what is still fresh and what I grab first!
One day a week, this is supplemented with a treat such as a piece of fruit, a fish, a little cat food, fresh mushrooms, cactus pads or fruit, flowers,
