Please help redfoot tortoise

[cherylahutch]

Originally Posted by EJ

Honestly... the other tortoises would benefit from the same diet provided the fruit is not to high in water content... berries, low ripened Pomes...

I do give them all mushrooms occasionally and the odd bit of fruit every now and again they all seem to be happy enough on it :0)

[FLINTUS]

Originally Posted by stells

ALOT of keepers in the UK use pellets... it is now becoming more of a majority than a minority..

Even those that have argued until they are blue in the face in the past that they should only be feeding weeds have also started using them... myself being one.

Yes, as a supplement and not in big quantities. Personally I believe a fresh diet is best, but I'm open to new ideas. Admittedly though, most peole on here have been around here a lot longer and have more friends who keep tortoises than I do though.

[FLINTUS]

Originally Posted by Mick.Ire

The same reason a red foot shouldn't be kept in the same enviorment as a sulcata. Biodiversity and evolution.

Yellow foots, Red foots and Hingebacks along with Box turtles will actively hunt for meat so of course they should be offered protein in captivity.

For example, Sulcatas won't hunt for live food but have been known to eat carcassas in the wild........... they are more opportunists. Given the choice they would rather greens.

Hingebacks given the choice between bananna or worms will always choose worms because their natural hunting instinct kicks in.

So to say they are all made up of the same basic building blocks, therefore feed them the same amount of protein is incorrect. While different species all share the same elements of life this should in no way dictate their diets or housing as evolution has changed various requirements in all species of tortoise, size, colour, shape, diet, enviormental requirments etc.

This is one of the best posts in a long time. WELL DONE! Ed, you have to remember there is a small(small, ha!) thing called evolution which comes into play, and it effects animals a lot. You should try to mimick their natural enviroment and diet as much as possible.

[FLINTUS]

Originally Posted by EJ

Honestly... the other tortoises would benefit from the same diet provided the fruit is not to high in water content... berries, low ripened Pomes...

Hang on Ed! Are you saying tortoises from the testudo genus should regularly be fed fruit!? OMG

[EJ]

...and you know this how? Does the RF consume carrion any more than any other tortoise.

I'm stunned by the first line. If you've kept any tortoise for any length of time you know that any tortoise is an opportunistic feeder.

Where does your information come from?

You are going to tell me that a Leopard needs less protein than a Redfoot tortoise? To follow up... you are going to tell me that any chelonian needs more or less protein than another???? Give that a little thought.

I don't feed my Hingebacks any insect or animal matter... they are thriving.

My impressed tortoises... no animal matter or extra protein. I feed 15 different species the exact same diet... they are thriving.

Where did you read RFs...?

You have to wonder who is being obtuse or absurd here.

Originally Posted by FLINTUS

Ed, in the wild they consume carrion relatively regularly, where as Horsfields would never take on protein on purpose. Where as torts in the testudo genus need very little protein, tortoises in the tropical regions will often have protein, for instance my tort loves mushrooms(although people have managed smooth growth with no animal protein but that's not natural). For example, in the wild, Hingebacks are insectivores and in captivity will readily accept insects. To say all torts need the same type and amount of protein is either obtuse or absurd. Interestingly, I was reading something the other day that in the wild Red Foots consume 70% of their diet in fruit in rainy season and 40% normally-much more than most torts in captivity.

[EJ]

Key point... these tortoises are not in the wild.

I disagree... if you keep both the sulcata and RF under the same captive environment... you raise good looking chelonians. How they adapt in the wild is totally different than the environment provided in captivity.

Where did you get this information that one single species of tortoise actively hunts animal protein?

Wow... interesting line of thought.

Let's take it down to basics... take a gram of flesh from a Redfoot... a gram of flesh from a Leopard... which is going to contain more protien in the makeup?

Originally Posted by Mick.Ire

The same reason a red foot shouldn't be kept in the same enviorment as a sulcata. Biodiversity and evolution.

Yellow foots, Red foots and Hingebacks along with Box turtles will actively hunt for meat so of course they should be offered protein in captivity.

For example, Sulcatas won't hunt for live food but have been known to eat carcassas in the wild........... they are more opportunists. Given the choice they would rather greens.

Hingebacks given the choice between bananna or worms will always choose worms because their natural hunting instinct kicks in.

So to say they are all made up of the same basic building blocks, therefore feed them the same amount of protein is incorrect. While different species all share the same elements of life this should in no way dictate their diets or housing as evolution has changed various requirements in all species of tortoise, size, colour, shape, diet, enviormental requirments etc.

[EJ]

...as part of a varied diet... yes... in order to add more variety. Berries and the like are typically found in the wild but that's really not the point.

The point is to provide all the nutritional requirements by any means necessary. Unless you live in their native habitat... you are not going to be able to duplicated what they find in the wild.

Originally Posted by FLINTUS

Hang on Ed! Are you saying tortoises from the testudo genus should regularly be fed fruit!? OMG

[EJ]

evolution allows the animal to adapt to provide itself with the nutritional requirements it needs to survive. To do this in the wild they fall into niches.

In captivity we can provide the same nutritional requirements in a different form. The tortoise does not need to adapt because there is no competition or limited availability.

No... you should provide the required nutrition as well as possible.

Originally Posted by FLINTUS

This is one of the best posts in a long time. WELL DONE! Ed, you have to remember there is a small(small, ha!) thing called evolution which comes into play, and it effects animals a lot. You should try to mimick their natural enviroment and diet as much as possible.

[Neddy]

Hi Veselin & welcome to Shelled Warriors.

I would like to apologise on behalf of the forum for the most unwelcoming response I have seen in a while. You have had some good advice just ignore the bitching, it can get heated from time to time but it is through passion

Diet is one of those subjects that gets lots of different opinions. What way you want to feed your tortoise is up to you. Pellets are used by a lot of tortoise keepers not just because of convenience but because they don't have access to weeds.

If you want to learn a bit more about weeds and other fresh foods I would recommend this website: http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/s...atabase_14.asp

Ed has given you some names of pellets if you type them in you should find retailers online, also check out the shelled warriors shop

I do not keep redfoots but know you need to provide humid environment so using a viv is a good way to achieve this. It will also be easier to maintain the temps you require, you won't need to upgrade in size yet but bear it in mind

Whether you chose a viv or a table, a weed or pellet diet or both your tortoise will be fine. As long as you maintain temps, provide UVB and keep it fed and hydrated you are on the right track.

If you want me to post the photos for you, you can email them to me: rockpoollookin@googlemail.com.

Again welcome to the forum

Thanks

Sara

[EJ]

This is rude.

Originally Posted by Neddy

Hi Veselin & welcome to Shelled Warriors.

I would like to apologise on behalf of the forum for the most unwelcoming response I have seen in a while. You have had some good advice just ignore the bitching, it can get heated from time to time but it is through passion
Sara