tortoise pellets .....GOOD or Bad

thedeadtroll · 15-07-2006, 05:00 PM

Dear all

having just migrated from the my hermann's site ...i am looking for some sound advise and comments ...

i have a 40 yr old hermanns b type tort ...whom we have been feeding the usual fruit and veg plus MULTI-COLOURED TORT PELLETS ..

i have been lead to believe ...they are not good for my big ol bird... could somebody explain why

...especially as there are some many sites on the net selling the stuff ...plus in various specialist pet shops...

is it sold because it makes a PROFIT ??

I am looking to try some lime flour of ebay to see if my tort will eat it ? any experances/comments? from you would be welcome.

i have joined this site to learn more on tortoise husbandry and teach my daughters as well..

thanks for reading

steve

rodneypig · 15-07-2006, 05:27 PM

Please don't use these pellets - they are really not good for your tort. I'm sure everyone else will back me up here! They are too high in protein resulting in rapid unhealthy growth and can even be fatal.
As for petshops selling them ( I can speak from experince here, I was the manageress of a petshop for 10 years )it is more than likely that they simply don't know. I knew nothing of the bad effects until we decided to sell torts. Before we did I took the TT institute course to ensure I could give my customers the right advice. Upon learning how bad these pellets were we instantly took them off the shelves and even refused to order them for people. I hope that no one would intentionally sell them knowing the damage they can do.
Deb

sandy · 15-07-2006, 06:04 PM

Agreed pelleted food are very high in proteins, bad for tortoises. Made for a profit not the health
of tortoises. This may not show early in a tortoises life but in the end can/will kill your tortoise.
Sorry but most tortoises are herbivores, and live on weeds and flowers.

15-07-2006, 06:13 PM

if tortoise pellets where the last food on earth, i would let my torts die of starvation.

15-07-2006, 06:21 PM

hi and welcome Steve

with regards to limestone flour .. they need it for healthy shell and bones it is an excellent calcium source,
as many have advised use a tea strainer or small sieve and sprinkle limestome flour onto the fresh weeds or flowers

you could also put cuttlefish in with the tort

have you got any pictures? what set up does your tort have? have you always had him i'm nosey

thedeadtroll · 15-07-2006, 06:46 PM

My brother and i were given our tort when i was about 9 , after my parents had been away for a week ...so i grow up with her ...we did all the incorrect Blue Peter things ... my bother and i grow up and moved out ...our parents kept her ... then in 2000 my parents left the uk for spain , leaving her with my bother and his family . two years later they upped sticks and went to spain .....and she ended up with my branch of the family ....we took her to the vets for the first time in her life , we purchased books, sort advice from our local specialist reptile shop ..( hence the pellets ) ..put in tort friendly plants/weeds etc ...and made it tor proof ( no escape)
she is now a healthy big bird of a tort ... 260mm long by 180mm wide weighing in at 2.75 kgs

steve

TANK · 15-07-2006, 07:05 PM

if you need to find a easy place to buy good vitimins for tortoises you could always go on sarahs ebay site

15-07-2006, 07:07 PM

well thank goodness many things have been learnt since the blue peter days

you have found a great forum here lots of advice & support from highly experienced people

if you have not ordered your limestone flour yet this site has a shop
looking forwrads to seeing pictures

btw you r not going abroad just yet r u

thedeadtroll · 15-07-2006, 07:17 PM

no sign of us going to spain ...just started my own business ...arrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhh

i have seen sarahs ebay offerings ...they look good .....

my daughter has been trying to design a fresh tort area in the garden any advice for her ?

15-07-2006, 07:26 PM

Shes gorgeous! I am totally jelous!! LOL, is it a he or a she?
Josh

15-07-2006, 05:00 PM	#1
thedeadtroll Member Hatched Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Devon Posts: 441	tortoise pellets .....GOOD or Bad Dear all having just migrated from the my hermann's site ...i am looking for some sound advise and comments ... i have a 40 yr old hermanns b type tort ...whom we have been feeding the usual fruit and veg plus MULTI-COLOURED TORT PELLETS .. i have been lead to believe ...they are not good for my big ol bird... could somebody explain why ...especially as there are some many sites on the net selling the stuff ...plus in various specialist pet shops... is it sold because it makes a PROFIT ?? I am looking to try some lime flour of ebay to see if my tort will eat it ? any experances/comments? from you would be welcome. i have joined this site to learn more on tortoise husbandry and teach my daughters as well.. thanks for reading steve

15-07-2006, 06:04 PM	#3
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	Agreed pelleted food are very high in proteins, bad for tortoises. Made for a profit not the health of tortoises. This may not show early in a tortoises life but in the end can/will kill your tortoise. Sorry but most tortoises are herbivores, and live on weeds and flowers. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

15-07-2006, 07:05 PM	#7
TANK Member Hatched Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: London Posts: 340	if you need to find a easy place to buy good vitimins for tortoises you could always go on sarahs ebay site __________________ 1.0.2 -Testdu graeca ibera-Tank,Clover,Peach! 1.1.0-dogs-Ben,Molly 3.1.0- Lavender Bantum Chickens (:

15-07-2006, 05:27 PM	#2
rodneypig Member Incubating Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Southampton Posts: 135	Please don't use these pellets - they are really not good for your tort. I'm sure everyone else will back me up here! They are too high in protein resulting in rapid unhealthy growth and can even be fatal. As for petshops selling them ( I can speak from experince here, I was the manageress of a petshop for 10 years )it is more than likely that they simply don't know. I knew nothing of the bad effects until we decided to sell torts. Before we did I took the TT institute course to ensure I could give my customers the right advice. Upon learning how bad these pellets were we instantly took them off the shelves and even refused to order them for people. I hope that no one would intentionally sell them knowing the damage they can do. Deb

15-07-2006, 06:13 PM	#4
tortoise_dude Guest Posts: n/a	if tortoise pellets where the last food on earth, i would let my torts die of starvation.

15-07-2006, 06:21 PM	#5
aprillinda Guest Posts: n/a	hi and welcome Steve with regards to limestone flour .. they need it for healthy shell and bones it is an excellent calcium source, as many have advised use a tea strainer or small sieve and sprinkle limestome flour onto the fresh weeds or flowers you could also put cuttlefish in with the tort have you got any pictures? what set up does your tort have? have you always had him i'm nosey

15-07-2006, 06:46 PM	#6
thedeadtroll Member Hatched Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Devon Posts: 441	My brother and i were given our tort when i was about 9 , after my parents had been away for a week ...so i grow up with her ...we did all the incorrect Blue Peter things ... my bother and i grow up and moved out ...our parents kept her ... then in 2000 my parents left the uk for spain , leaving her with my bother and his family . two years later they upped sticks and went to spain .....and she ended up with my branch of the family ....we took her to the vets for the first time in her life , we purchased books, sort advice from our local specialist reptile shop ..( hence the pellets ) ..put in tort friendly plants/weeds etc ...and made it tor proof ( no escape) she is now a healthy big bird of a tort ... 260mm long by 180mm wide weighing in at 2.75 kgs steve

15-07-2006, 07:07 PM	#8
aprillinda Guest Posts: n/a	well thank goodness many things have been learnt since the blue peter days you have found a great forum here lots of advice & support from highly experienced people if you have not ordered your limestone flour yet this site has a shop looking forwrads to seeing pictures btw you r not going abroad just yet r u

15-07-2006, 07:17 PM	#9
thedeadtroll Member Hatched Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Devon Posts: 441	no sign of us going to spain ...just started my own business ...arrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhh i have seen sarahs ebay offerings ...they look good ..... my daughter has been trying to design a fresh tort area in the garden any advice for her ?

15-07-2006, 07:26 PM	#10
tortoise_dude Guest Posts: n/a	Shes gorgeous! I am totally jelous!! LOL, is it a he or a she? Josh

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