Weeds and red foots

[Rarisden]

How important are weeds in a red foots diet?
We have had our little red foot for a little over a month. Currently they get kale, collards, mustard greens, turnip greens as staple. We have given strawberry, banana, and apple as a treat. Oh and a bit of hard boiled eggs once a week.
I am planning to grow a kiddie pool full of weeds in the spring, and will get a few hibiscus plants as well.
Am I messing up by not including weeds in his or her diet right now?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Weeds aren't a huge part of a Redfoots diet.
They can and do eat a very large assortment of foods up to 50% fruit.
No need to worry about weeds.
They can eat them. But they may or may not when you offer them.
Feed lots of hibiscus leaves, flowers, cactus, mushrooms, fruit,(especially berries) peppers, other green plant matter and some protein as you have been. Back off on the dark green leafy diet as a staple. That diet is too high in Oxalates as a staple.
Mix it up.
You can also introduce Mazuri tortoise chow if you can find the original "5M21" formula.
Don't stress about what you Don't have.
One of the best things about Redfoot is what they CAN eat.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

No your not messing up. Weeds like dandelion and plantain are good but the most important thing is variety. Redfoots can eat all kinds of different things other torts cant. There is so many different greens, fruits, weeds, proteins they can have. Just try to switch it up and don't feed the same thing everyday.

 

[ArmadilloPup]

Dandelion is a staple of my redfoot’s diet, but that’s because a local store here sells it year-round. He doesn’t seem to miss it when I do regular greens. As mentioned above, variety is the fun part! Mine isn’t much of a flower eater, and always goes for mushrooms/proteins first, even over his favorite fruit (figs!).

 

[Banditboxer]

Weeds aren't a huge part of a Redfoots diet.
They can and do eat a very large assortment of foods up to 50% fruit.
No need to worry about weeds.
They can eat them. But they may or may not when you offer them.
Feed lots of hibiscus leaves, flowers, cactus, mushrooms, fruit,(especially berries) peppers, other green plant matter and some protein as you have been. Back off on the dark green leafy diet as a staple. That diet is too high in Oxalates as a staple.
Mix it up.
You can also introduce Mazuri tortoise chow if you can find the original "5M21" formula.
Don't stress about what you Don't have.
One of the best things about Redfoot is what they CAN eat.

What is 5m21?

 

[Toddrickfl1]

What is 5m21?

It's the original Mazuri formulas number. If you go to a feed store and ask to buy Mazuri or order it, you'd give them this number.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

What is 5m21?

Yes.
5M21 is the "original formula". It has a red tag on the bag.

 

[Kipley]

Yes.
5M21 is the "original formula". It has a red tag on the bag.

Is the LS ok to feed a Redfoot? I assume it is? Mine won't touch the original, larger pellet, but absolutely loves the LS formula.

 

[Blackdog1714]

Is the LS ok to feed a Redfoot? I assume it is? Mine won't touch the original, larger pellet, but absolutely loves the LS formula.

That puts you in a rare category. From what I read most tortoises would starve rather than eat the LS. Consider yourself a very locky tortie dad!

 

[Kipley]

That puts you in a rare category. From what I read most tortoises would starve rather than eat the LS. Consider yourself a very locky tortie dad!

Yeah, I keep saying that I have an anomaly in the Tortoise world - the only tort that refuses the old formula and loves the LS.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Is the LS ok to feed a Redfoot? I assume it is? Mine won't touch the original, larger pellet, but absolutely loves the LS formula.

Perfectly safe.
And it's likely just as good or better as a food.
None of my REDFOOT will touch it...And they've eaten dog poop and dead rats....

 

[Jualie]

It's the original Mazuri formulas number. If you go to a feed store and ask to buy Mazuri or order it, you'd give them this number.

My redfoot won’t eat mazurka pellets

 

[Jualie]

My redfoot won’t eat mazurka pellets

Mazuri

 

[RosemaryDW]

Perfectly safe.
And it's likely just as good or better as a food.
None of my REDFOOT will touch it...And they've eaten dog poop and dead rats....

If a redfoot won’t eat it, it must taste really, really bad.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

If a redfoot won’t eat it, it must taste really, really bad.

Or WAY too good?
Redfoot are NASTY.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

My redfoot won’t eat mazurka pellets

I'm assuming you tried the type LS?