Help creating a Diet menu for Cherry Head

[Mrs_Gal1981]

Hello, so it's been 5 days since we brought our cherry head red foot home and I need help creating a loose diet menu for him. He is about 5" long, we think (not sure when he hatched) that he is 2ish years old. We have him in an outdoor enclosure in warm and humid -atm- South Texas.
I printed a list of the YES and NOs and what foods he CAN eat but just in moderation. This week we wanted to introduce a variety of fruits, greens and vegetables and see what he likes and what he doesn't. It's not a set in stone diet but for that I need some help, as we are creatures of habit here and it'll be easier for us if we get into a routine.

So far, he's still not eating much, as we think he's still adjusting, but what he has tried and liked is:
-Cantaloupe
-Blueberries
-Strawberries
-Mushrooms
-Raspberries
-Zucchini

What he's tried and hasn't really loved yet:
-Collard greens
-Rose bush leaves
-Carrots.
This doesn't mean we won't try again, we have no idea what they were feeding him at the store.

I have read all the contradicting recommendations for redfoots, some of it conflicting, so I want to come up with a balanced diet and need help. I read some of the threads on Mazuri food and got some yesterday, I'm thinking of giving it to him twice a week, but want to lay out my tentative plan here and get some input if possible:

-4 days a week: 50% Veggies - 50% fruit
-2 days a week: Mazuri mixed with other greens
-1 day a week: Fruits, veggies and protein (got some freeze dried mealworms but the protein can vary as well - getting snails and beetles is not hard around here)

Does this sound reasonable? Another question / concern I have is, buying readily organic produce is not a problem, but I do not have any flowers at home (no hibiscus, no petunias, no dandelion flowers at the moment although we do get those in the spring) aside from 2 rose bushes that aren't blooming right now. How can I provide this part of their diet without flowers? Does the mazuri cover these needs? I do plan on getting some more plants, I bought an Opuntia Cactus, but my nursery didn't have any of the other stuff when I went, and even then, I am not sure I can keep up with demand if I just have a plant or two - we rent so planting a whole garden in the yard isn't feasible yet). He has a snake plant in the enclosure that seems he's munched on, and I bought a Coleus that I'm quarantining for pesticides.

Another question, last one I promise: I got Calcium powder with Vitamin D3. Do I just use a teeny sprinkle on it's food every day? or just 2-3 days a week? Should I use it only on the fresh food or also on the mazuri?

I hope someone can help me. I promise I have done a ton of research but the contradicting information and also, the recommendations for flowers have me a little nervous I won't be able to meet his dietary needs. I want nothing but the best for this guy and I get overwhelmed thinking about it. My family and are are very committed to give him a good, healthy and happy life so I think once we get the diet part down we will do great. Thank you so much for reading!

(Picture for cuteness purposes)

 

[Mrs_Gal1981]

I meant to specify the Mazuri food I got, after reading reviews, was the LS diet. The website doesn’t specify for red footed tortoises, even though there’s a cherry head pictured on the bag, they only mention yellow footed. But a lot of the reviews were from people who use it for ted foots. I contacted Mazuri and they suggested the 5M21 or the “Small Tortoise LS”. But I had already purchased this. Is this ok if I am supplementing with protein one day a week?

 

[Golden Greek Tortoise 567]

I meant to specify the Mazuri food I got, after reading reviews, was the LS diet. The website doesn’t specify for red footed tortoises, even though there’s a cherry head pictured on the bag, they only mention yellow footed. But a lot of the reviews were from people who use it for ted foots. I contacted Mazuri and they suggested the 5M21 or the “Small Tortoise LS”. But I had already purchased this. Is this ok if I am supplementing with protein one day a week?

Lots of tortoises don’t like that type of Mazuri, none of mine do. Try to find the original

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Welcome to the forum. Your diet sounds good. Variety is the key. Just don't feed the same thing everyday. If your looking for flowers @Kapidolo Farms has a great selection of dried foods. As far as calcium if your feeding a varied diet you don't need it that often. Once a week at most. I feed egg shells for calcium and I only feed them maybe once a month.

 

[Mrs_Gal1981]

Lots of tortoises don’t like that type of Mazuri, none of mine do. Try to find the original

He tried it today and he seemed to really like it! I just wanna make sure it is the right one, nutritionally speaking.

 

[Mrs_Gal1981]

Welcome to the forum. Your diet sounds good. Variety is the key. Just don't feed the same thing everyday. If your looking for flowers @Kapidolo Farms has a great selection of dried foods. As far as calcium if your feeding a varied diet you don't need it that often. Once a week at most. I feed egg shells for calcium and I only feed them maybe once a month.

Awesome!!! I will check them out! Thank you so much!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

He tried it today and he seemed to really like it! I just wanna make sure it is the right one, nutritionally speaking.

Both Mazuri tortoise chows, LS and 5M21 are excellent foods for your Redfoot.
Most Redfoot wont eat the type LS. But if yours does, let him continue.
Neither one is harmful. But neither one should be the primary food.
As @Toddrickfl1 said. Mix it up.
Take advantage of the huge variety of foods that Redfoot can safely consume

 

[Mrs_Gal1981]

Both Mazuri tortoise chows, LS and 5M21 are excellent foods for your Redfoot.
Most Redfoot wont eat the type LS. But if yours does, let him continue.
Neither one is harmful. But neither one should be the primary food.
As @Toddrickfl1 said. Mix it up.
Take advantage of the huge variety of foods that Redfoot can safely consume

Thank you! There are two kinds of the LS diet. Either one is fine? One says for grass eating tortoises and the other one says for small tortoises and omnivorous reptiles. I actually happened to get the one for herbivores so wondering if that’s still ok, considering I’ll still be supplementing with protein once a week. He liked that one and the size was perfect.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Thank you! There are two kinds of the LS diet. Either one is fine? One says for grass eating tortoises and the other one says for small tortoises and omnivorous reptiles. I actually happened to get the one for herbivores so wondering if that’s still ok, considering I’ll still be supplementing with protein once a week. He liked that one and the size was perfect.

One sounds like it is more for tortoises. Either is fine.
Thec5M21 actually says "Tortoise, Turtle and Crocodile chow"

 

[Mrs_Gal1981]

One sounds like it is more for tortoises. Either is fine.
Thec5M21 actually says "Tortoise, Turtle and Crocodile chow"

Thank you so much!

 

[jslosson]

Hello, so it's been 5 days since we brought our cherry head red foot home and I need help creating a loose diet menu for him. He is about 5" long, we think (not sure when he hatched) that he is 2ish years old. We have him in an outdoor enclosure in warm and humid -atm- South Texas.
I printed a list of the YES and NOs and what foods he CAN eat but just in moderation. This week we wanted to introduce a variety of fruits, greens and vegetables and see what he likes and what he doesn't. It's not a set in stone diet but for that I need some help, as we are creatures of habit here and it'll be easier for us if we get into a routine.

So far, he's still not eating much, as we think he's still adjusting, but what he has tried and liked is:
-Cantaloupe
-Blueberries
-Strawberries
-Mushrooms
-Raspberries
-Zucchini

What he's tried and hasn't really loved yet:
-Collard greens
-Rose bush leaves
-Carrots.
This doesn't mean we won't try again, we have no idea what they were feeding him at the store.

I have read all the contradicting recommendations for redfoots, some of it conflicting, so I want to come up with a balanced diet and need help. I read some of the threads on Mazuri food and got some yesterday, I'm thinking of giving it to him twice a week, but want to lay out my tentative plan here and get some input if possible:

-4 days a week: 50% Veggies - 50% fruit
-2 days a week: Mazuri mixed with other greens
-1 day a week: Fruits, veggies and protein (got some freeze dried mealworms but the protein can vary as well - getting snails and beetles is not hard around here)

Does this sound reasonable? Another question / concern I have is, buying readily organic produce is not a problem, but I do not have any flowers at home (no hibiscus, no petunias, no dandelion flowers at the moment although we do get those in the spring) aside from 2 rose bushes that aren't blooming right now. How can I provide this part of their diet without flowers? Does the mazuri cover these needs? I do plan on getting some more plants, I bought an Opuntia Cactus, but my nursery didn't have any of the other stuff when I went, and even then, I am not sure I can keep up with demand if I just have a plant or two - we rent so planting a whole garden in the yard isn't feasible yet). He has a snake plant in the enclosure that seems he's munched on, and I bought a Coleus that I'm quarantining for pesticides.

Another question, last one I promise: I got Calcium powder with Vitamin D3. Do I just use a teeny sprinkle on it's food every day? or just 2-3 days a week? Should I use it only on the fresh food or also on the mazuri?

I hope someone can help me. I promise I have done a ton of research but the contradicting information and also, the recommendations for flowers have me a little nervous I won't be able to meet his dietary needs. I want nothing but the best for this guy and I get overwhelmed thinking about it. My family and are are very committed to give him a good, healthy and happy life so I think once we get the diet part down we will do great. Thank you so much for reading!

(Picture for cuteness purposes)

I was hoping you could provide an update on your weekly Cherry head diet. Any documents/notes would be much appreciated.

We just rescued a cherry head and am struggling with how much to feed based off tortoise weight. The bag of Mazuri Tortoise Diet claims:
*1 to 4% total food per tortoise mass
*At most 5% fruit and 20% vegetables by weight of total diet

What's better for cherry heads..... 1, 2, 3, or 4%? And how do fruit and vegetable percentages change for cherry heads?


Any advice would be great. If anyone else is reading this that has any good blogs or sources I can refer to, it would be much appreciated.



Thanks,

James