Alright, I see where this is going....AGAIN! I still don't think ANYONE has the perfect diet to date and probably never will - but Terry's advice has some improvement proof to back it up and is here to promote health of the Redfoot and get people on the right track - which is appreciated.
Terry, I've been following your advice for living conditions and diet (except more earth worms than cat food). I'm still not convinced that cat food is the ideal source of protein since it IS commercial diet and fortified with vitamins and minerals which can definitely be at an unhealthy level. It's really a concoction of ingredients that isn't even ideal for a cat! If you do intense research into what's ideal for canine or feline animals it isn't commercial sold food just as it's not ideal for a tortoise.
Lets keep this constructive...As I said before, I'm still not 100% comfortable with the current diet recommended. It's working so far and I'm getting results similar to Terry's photos now at 8 mos. But Terry when I look at your last photo at 3+ years I don't see perfect growth. I see slightly raised scutes and wondering what the cause of that is? I've seen photos of wild specimens and their shells are smooth like at bowl turned upside down (minus the round shape!) - Similar to Sonshine. Was there a period of high humidity? Was there some experimentation that went wrong at a certain period? I'm just going to be as honest as possible without trying to upset you but I am concerned about this. Maybe JustANJA's more natural protein sources are more ideal? The items he listed are a great source of protein and aren't fortified with a bunch of garbage and cooked to death during an extruding process. Yes of course an argument can be motioned "when does a Redfoot find cooked eggs in the wild?"... But since when has a Redfoot found commercial cat food also?
I won't be convinced until I see growth similar to a wild caught specimen. Your diet has definitely saved Redfoots with a completely incorrect diet but your results aren't perfect and shouldn't be pushed as 'perfect'. At an analytical approach the only amazing growth I have seen on your Redfoots is from Sonshine which has INCREADIBLE smooth growth but you do see a difference at the last growth rings on the shell which appear to recess vs. all previous growth. Was this a wild caught specimen a few years ago and has been on your diet recently. What's her story?
I know this is probably going to lead to an argument/insult but this really is beyond anyone’s feelings. This is a continual improvement process vs. settling with one diet which to me doesn't appear perfect. Nobody should push perfect on this board and overwrite someone else’s inputs.
Man I love controversy! LOL I'm in a great mood, it's Christmas, I want a perfect tortoise (which I think isn't possible unless I build a large pen outside in BRAZIL! where my Redfoot will eat to his own desire!)
Shawn
Terry, I've been following your advice for living conditions and diet (except more earth worms than cat food). I'm still not convinced that cat food is the ideal source of protein since it IS commercial diet and fortified with vitamins and minerals which can definitely be at an unhealthy level. It's really a concoction of ingredients that isn't even ideal for a cat! If you do intense research into what's ideal for canine or feline animals it isn't commercial sold food just as it's not ideal for a tortoise.
Lets keep this constructive...As I said before, I'm still not 100% comfortable with the current diet recommended. It's working so far and I'm getting results similar to Terry's photos now at 8 mos. But Terry when I look at your last photo at 3+ years I don't see perfect growth. I see slightly raised scutes and wondering what the cause of that is? I've seen photos of wild specimens and their shells are smooth like at bowl turned upside down (minus the round shape!) - Similar to Sonshine. Was there a period of high humidity? Was there some experimentation that went wrong at a certain period? I'm just going to be as honest as possible without trying to upset you but I am concerned about this. Maybe JustANJA's more natural protein sources are more ideal? The items he listed are a great source of protein and aren't fortified with a bunch of garbage and cooked to death during an extruding process. Yes of course an argument can be motioned "when does a Redfoot find cooked eggs in the wild?"... But since when has a Redfoot found commercial cat food also?
I won't be convinced until I see growth similar to a wild caught specimen. Your diet has definitely saved Redfoots with a completely incorrect diet but your results aren't perfect and shouldn't be pushed as 'perfect'. At an analytical approach the only amazing growth I have seen on your Redfoots is from Sonshine which has INCREADIBLE smooth growth but you do see a difference at the last growth rings on the shell which appear to recess vs. all previous growth. Was this a wild caught specimen a few years ago and has been on your diet recently. What's her story?
I know this is probably going to lead to an argument/insult but this really is beyond anyone’s feelings. This is a continual improvement process vs. settling with one diet which to me doesn't appear perfect. Nobody should push perfect on this board and overwrite someone else’s inputs.
Man I love controversy! LOL I'm in a great mood, it's Christmas, I want a perfect tortoise (which I think isn't possible unless I build a large pen outside in BRAZIL! where my Redfoot will eat to his own desire!)
Shawn