How much to feed redfoots with protein

[Anyfoot]

Hi everyone.

Just a quick question.

I feed my adult redfoot torts with fuzzie mice to give them protein. I feed them mice once a week. How often should I feed them fuzzies and how many in one sitting per tortoise? Do I let them gorge on them once a week or do I give them a certain amount? Is once a week to often?

Thank you

Craig

 

[christinaland128]

@N2TORTS

 

[christinaland128]

That's a great question because I have read and heard that it should make up 10% of their diet. My reds are juveniles and if I allowed them they'd eat slugs and worms all day!

I don't let her have at it with feeders such as mealworms because I worry about her passing the exoskeleton. So that i feed in moderation.

Haven't tried pinkies yet!

 

[Anyfoot]

I give my juveniles 1 pinkie a week. All my torts would eat worms, mealworms and cat food all day long if I let them. I only feed them mice now, my thoughts are surely they are getting calcium from the mice bones aswell.

 

[christinaland128]

I use this Blueberry scented calcium supplement, I found on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0004E85CW/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20 And occasionally I'll catch them munching on an eggshell I've put in there... (lol there's a spoon in the pic because she came out when I started digging!)

 

[Anyfoot]

Your tort is pretty. Is he/she a cherry head redfoot. What kind of egg shell is it. I never thought of that mine have cuttlefish.

 

[christinaland128]

When I ordered her I was told she was a Redfoot. But that clown nose has me wondering! I've been told by some TFO members I have a Brazilian (above), and a Columbian. This guy....

 

[christinaland128]

Just hard boiled egg (which is also a source of protein) and I throw the shells in sometimes.

 

[Anyfoot]

Yes you do have a cherry head and a redfoot. Do they live together. Im going to put some egg shell in now. What colour is the plastron of the cherry head.

 

[stojanovski92113]

I use this Blueberry scented calcium supplement, I found on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0004E85CW/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20 And occasionally I'll catch them munching on an eggshell I've put in there...View attachment 106897 (lol there's a spoon in the pic because she came out when I started digging!)

Whoa....I never heard of that!!!! Blueberry calcium! Interesting!!

 

[stojanovski92113]

I feed boiled chicken, bugs in the summer, & hard boiled eggs but not very often. I have never given my torts a lot of protein ever since I've had them. I think when I researched Redfoots back in 2008 when I first rescued mine at the pet store, I got scared with the over feeding, pyramiding, & too much protein stuff I read about. Plus they get protein from the mazuri that they are addicted too!!!

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi stojanovski92113

Interesting. Do your torts have any pyramiding at all. Have they ever laid fertile eggs.

 

[christinaland128]

Yes you do have a cherry head and a redfoot. Do they live together. Im going to put some egg shell in now. What colour is the plastron of the cherry head.

Her plastron is yellow with some black marbeling. I have no recent pic and she's sleeping now!

 

[Anyfoot]

She/he is a cherryhead. Redfoots have yellow plastrons and cherryheads have black marbeling. As he/she gets older the plastron will probably get darker in colour.

 

[Anyfoot]

Some photos. 1st is one of my juveniles playing santa clause with a shrimp.
2nd is clarice. She was born with a cleff beak and 1 nostral. She's 9" long, I rescued her from a shop a few months ago, and in the 3rd clarice has kicked my cat out of her bed.

 

[christinaland128]

Haha! Love the shrimp face! Aw, Clarice is so sweet. Nice of you to rescue her.

 

[christinaland128]

This was a good thread on Redfoot subspecies..http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index.php?threads/A-New-Update-on-red-foot-types.89886/

 

[stojanovski92113]

Hi stojanovski92113

Interesting. Do your torts have any pyramiding at all. Have they ever laid fertile eggs.

Yes. I bought 2 red foots that were at a pet store that had pyramding. They were older torts maybe 5 or so years old. I would take a pic but they are sleeping. I bought my other tortoise Juinior who was maybe 2 yrs old & I can show you a pic of him or her. Then I have my little flap jack I've had since a very baby!! Hold on for that pic!

 

[stojanovski92113]

Ohh and I have yet to have any eggs... I think I have all girls!!

 

[stojanovski92113]

Junior

Flapjack