Turkey Giblets

[PeanutbuttER]

Hi!

My wife is making a turkey later this afternoon and doesn't want to touch the giblets. I got to thinking, could I give them to my little redfoot? They're raw meat, which should be fine for them. Plus, I've heard of some keepers that have given their redfoots chicks as a protein source, which are pretty similar to turkey.

 

[Itort]

If this is not too late, yes. Give portions appropriate to size of tort. Actually organ meat is better than muscle meat as it contains more nutriant value.

 

[PeanutbuttER]

Thanks for the reply Itort. I decided to go for it last night and see what happened. I offered her neck meat, heart meat, and liver. She loved the liver. Initially she went for the heart, but after a bite or two decided it was too hard. Then moved onto the liver and ate every last scrap. I didn't realize how much she would like it!

I've kept hawks and falcons in the past and she was just as into meat as any of my carnivore birds have ever been! They're far more into meat than I think a lot of owners realize. She was lovin it.

 

[Tom]

I don't have any redfoots right now, but I feed that stuff to my monitors, tegus and box turtle all the time.

 

[Itort]

Thanks for the reply Itort. I decided to go for it last night and see what happened. I offered her neck meat, heart meat, and liver. She loved the liver. Initially she went for the heart, but after a bite or two decided it was too hard. Then moved onto the liver and ate every last scrap. I didn't realize how much she would like it!

I've kept hawks and falcons in the past and she was just as into meat as any of my carnivore birds have ever been! They're far more into meat than I think a lot of owners realize. She was lovin it.

You'll find that most forest type torts have a protein component in the diet. I give all my forest torts animal protein of one sort or another (usually worms).

 

[Kristina]

I feed salmon and mackerel occasionally also. Both are high in D3.

 

[PeanutbuttER]

I've known that they need protein. I've been following the redfoots.com caresheet for feeding especially so I've only fed her moistened cat food.

My "shock" came from the way she reacted to a real meat option. She just dug in like crazy and wouldn't let it go until she was done. Normally her eating habits include eating a little, leaving it alone and walking around for a minute, returning to eat a little more, walking around for a bit, then finishing off what's left if there is any. This time she couldn't tear herself away from it.

I haven't really thought about salmon nor mackerel. I'm going to alaska this summer so maybe I'll save some salmon for her.

 

[dmmj]

Well to be honest I would also prefer the organ meats to the cat food, myself.

 

[Kristina]

I agree.

I prefer foods with absolutely no grains, fillers, or any other additives. All natural. (I realize that it is impossible for us to truly replicate a natural environment, but I feel whole foods do that better than processed ones.)