can redfoots eatfish?
my son gave our a peice of haddock, 1st time he ate the lot but should he be eating it?
my son gave our a peice of haddock, 1st time he ate the lot but should he be eating it?
GeoTerraTestudo said:Yes, in South America, redfoots do eat fish from time to time. This is because redfoots come from rain forests and savannas that have a dry season and a wet season. During the wet season, rivers overflow their banks and flood the land for miles. During this time, fish move away from the main channel and start foraging in the surrounding forests and fields. During and shortly after the dry-down, these fish get stranded and can die from starvation, dessication, or predation by land animals.
Redfoot tortoises take advantage of this source of food by walking around and picking off dead or dying fish on land. However, this is not a year-round food for them. It's an important source of protein, but it's only seasonally available (in the dry-down). Aside from these fish, tortoises still feed on leaves, fallen fruits, and some invertebrates, as well as scavenging the carcasses of terrestrial animals when available.
So, although it's natural for redfoots to eat fish meat once in a while, this should only be a small part of their diet. Remember: like humans, redfoots crave food items that are important but rare in their natural habitat. And like us, if they eat what they crave all the time, they develop health problems. Redfoots are more omnivorous than most other tortoise species, but they are still primarily herbivorous animals. If given too much meat, they could develop problems with their shell growth, as well kidney disease from the excess protein. I would give my redfoot tortoise fish to eat only as a rare treat: maybe once every other month to once a month, tops.