Paris I love U
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2013
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- 7
Yesterday I got an 18 month old horsfield tortoise and I need to know what fruits to give her and how much of her Komodo food she will need ? I hope you can help thanks x
Fruit is only an occasional treat. The sugars in the fruit is what messes up their tummy, their gut flora, is my understanding. Too much fruit can create a "bloom" of bacteria and such that are not beneficial. If your tortoise has other stress factors, such as temps not being right, or an infection, the bloom can weaken them even further, possibly killing them in the most extreme. That being said, as a little bitty treat every now and then, it is part of the variety in diet needed to keep them healthy. Check out The Tortoise Table website for recommendations, yay or nay, on specific fruits. Here is the link:
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp
Tom's right.
I have given my tortoises a strawberry here and there, blueberries, kiwi ... because I think they will like it (they do!) and for that whole variety of foods thing, and cause they look so cute eating them sweets ... but what's the point other than I think it's cute how they go gaga over it.
Best to not is exactly right and you avoid any possible problems from it completely. Memo to self: no mas. : )
At 18 months its still pretty small and will need a good varied diet with proper amounts of calcium and phosphorus in order to build strong bones, shell, organs and muscles. Fruit doesn't NEED to be part of that equation at all. At that age I stick with weeds and grasses and will usually offer a chunk of Mazuri occasionally as a treat. I don't offer fruit but I also don't get weird about it is one of my adults finds a half eaten apple one of my kids dropped in the enclosure either. One year we had a limb break from the weight of a peach tree. Those were some happy torts.
Understood. Great tip! Thanks!Well, stop feeding any fruit to start with...
This tortoise is likely suffering from MBD. Another seldom discussed problem with the commonly fed types of fruit is that it has a very poor calcium to phosphorous ratio. Feeding it often can lead to calcium deficiency. Feeding fruit and grocery store greens, without a lot of calcium supplementation will lead to MBD due to calcium deficiency. Keep the tortoise indoors without adequate UV and the problem is compounded.
The solution for this tortoise is the correct diet, lots of UV indoors and out, calcium supplementation, and good hydration through soaks and drinking water.
Apologies. I thought my question was highly relevant to the topic. I'll spin off a different topic next time. ThanksFruit is not that sulcata's problem. Lack of calcium is the culprit.
Let's don't take this old thread off on a tangent. If you want to discuss this more, please start another thread.