Hey Friends,. Am about to get my redfoot tortoises, need help on food diet and enclosure substrate.

[TortoiseAwarness& Conserv]

Hmm. I'm not sure of the best word to use here, I knew that when I typed "germs". Bacteria is probably better. Have you ever heard the term "travelers diarrhea"? People visiting a new country can get sick from eating raw foods that carry things their bodies aren't used to. This is common for Western visitors to many countries, not just India. When I visited, particularly when we first arrived, we were encouraged not to eat anything raw outside of places our hosts knew well and to drink bottled water. Getting sick wouldn't have been the worst thing normally but we traveled at such a fast pace anyone who got sick would have left behind and then later have to get themselves to the next city.

if you are in a big or medium city this may not be an issue. We were able to have whatever we wanted in our hotels and at some of the schools we visited. And anything we peeled ourselves was fine. We were traveling to schools in the middle of nowhere--always over an hour's drive from whatever city we were in. Some places it was better just not to take any risk. The one person who didn't listen got sick at an old hotel in Ooty. Given that travel up and down wasn't easy for a visitor to manage he had to leave with the rest of us and had a very rough trip.

Let me tell you that, DO NOT COMMENT ON A COUNTRY WITHOUT KNOWING ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE TALKING, IN GENERAL, its beyond somthing common sense as you are able to join a public forum and share the ideas like you, i dont think you missed typed anything generally about some countries, its not just about India,. Since this is India and Iam an Proud Indian I would take this really serious,. As a wise person I would expect you to how to behave in public forum and in return I hope you are wise person must be knowing how to behave and use words in public forum.

So if you are a wise person in public forum, before you say or judge about any Country, as a wise person I would be thinking that why would you eat something raw in unknown country. As particular to fruits and veggies you mentioned, we dont eat it before we wash it completely or cooked properly.

And you said that fruits and veggies in India as germs !! Lol, you are saying it as if the we grow germs using these fruits and veggies,.
To your knowledge, for a bacteria or fungi to grow on somthing, it should be as healthy as they can grow on it,.
Next things is that to your knowledge, Foreign countries are importing many fruits and veggies from India, most commonly know are tomatoes, potatoes and strawberries for condom manufacturing to get a nice flavor to it.

As a wise person I wouldnt be eating any foods if I feel the surrondings or the place is untidy and unclean or dirty place,.

If in case If i need to fill my tummy with somthing I would think wisely to eat the fruits and veggies by just giving the clean water wash, which is always good to eat in any parts of the planet.

Even for that as a wise person i would be eating any rotting fruit expecting it to be good for my health and intentionally getting sick tho you see the fruit is rotten expecting it to make good to your body.

Its upto you to choose to get sick by eating the rotten fruit or not,. A healthy looking fruite by just a wash can be consumed and you dont get sick, trust even if you get in such case then your immunity if heackedup.

Just cuz of inappropriate line you used in that post, I had to waste my time explaining and type this big post.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Let me tell you that, DO NOT COMMENT ON A COUNTRY WITHOUT KNOWING ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE TALKING, IN GENERAL, its beyond somthing common sense as you are able to join a public forum and share the ideas like you, i dont think you missed typed anything generally about some countries, its not just about India,. Since this is India and Iam an Proud Indian I would take this really serious,. As a wise person I would expect you to how to behave in public forum and in return I hope you are wise person must be knowing how to behave and use words in public forum.

So if you are a wise person in public forum, before you say or judge about any Country, as a wise person I would be thinking that why would you eat something raw in unknown country. As particular to fruits and veggies you mentioned, we dont eat it before we wash it completely or cooked properly.

And you said that fruits and veggies in India as germs !! Lol, you are saying it as if the we grow germs using these fruits and veggies,.
To your knowledge, for a bacteria or fungi to grow on somthing, it should be as healthy as they can grow on it,.
Next things is that to your knowledge, Foreign countries are importing many fruits and veggies from India, most commonly know are tomatoes, potatoes and strawberries for condom manufacturing to get a nice flavor to it.

As a wise person I wouldnt be eating any foods if I feel the surrondings or the place is untidy and unclean or dirty place,.

If in case If i need to fill my tummy with somthing I would think wisely to eat the fruits and veggies by just giving the clean water wash, which is always good to eat in any parts of the planet.

Even for that as a wise person i would be eating any rotting fruit expecting it to be good for my health and intentionally getting sick tho you see the fruit is rotten expecting it to make good to your body.

Its upto you to choose to get sick by eating the rotten fruit or not,. A healthy looking fruite by just a wash can be consumed and you dont get sick, trust even if you get in such case then your immunity if heackedup.

Just cuz of inappropriate line you used in that post, I had to waste my time explaining and type this big post.

I do not mean to offend. India is a large and beautiful country that anyone would be proud of. The only thing I regret about my trips there was the lack of time I could spend at places besides hotels.

I am fully aware India exports many fruits and vegetables and these exported foods will be assessed by Western guidelines before they are sold here.

I am also aware that India is not well developed in some areas and the water in those areas isn't necessarily pristine as a result. Literally all I said was that you should consider washing what you feed your tortoise with clean water, which is the same as what you are telling me to do. The other thing I mentioned was cooked food, same as you. I didn't say anything was rotten.

You can like it or not but the fact is that over multiple visits my native Indian guides were very particular to tell us what they felt was safe for people who were new guests. That is not guidance about raw food you will get in my country with any frequency, largely due to the water supply. Nor is it guidance I have received when visiting any European country. As I am not sure if your tortoise was bred in India. I provided a suggestion; you don't have to take it. Feedback here is always given with the intention of keeping your tortoise healthy.

 

[TortoiseAwarness& Conserv]

I do not mean to offend. India is a large and beautiful country that anyone would be proud of. The only thing I regret about my trips there was the lack of time I could spend at places besides hotels.

I am fully aware India exports many fruits and vegetables and these exported foods will be assessed by Western guidelines before they are sold here.

I am also aware that India is not well developed in some areas and the water in those areas isn't necessarily pristine as a result. Literally all I said was that you should consider washing what you feed your tortoise with clean water, which is the same as what you are telling me to do. The other thing I mentioned was cooked food, same as you. I didn't say anything was rotten.

You can like it or not but the fact is that over multiple visits my native Indian guides were very particular to tell us what they felt was safe for people who were new guests. That is not guidance about raw food you will get in my country with any frequency, largely due to the water supply. Nor is it guidance I have received when visiting any European country. As I am not sure if your tortoise was bred in India. I provided a suggestion; you don't have to take it. Feedback here is always given with the intention of keeping your tortoise healthy.

""I am also aware that India is not well developed in some areas and the water in those areas isn't necessarily pristine as a result.""

You are again running your mouth, Im trying to be gentle and decent in public forum, I assume that you rushed reading my last comment!.

I told you not generalize any country based comments. All you have to do is just give the advice about the animals not about the country where the people is coming from.

Or you may have to step into right place where you can speak about other country flipside especially.

I dont want to hear anything from you again, firstly you dint give me anything valuable about the tortoise basically this is the place to discuss about tortoise instead you run your mouth based on countries devlopment and hygiene, I dont want to pin point in return where you are from and what does you place is capable of.
Its a waste of time for me well as for the people who come here to gather info about tortoise instead they look aw about speaking useless topic about coutry development and ect..,

And you especially, I really encourage you or challenge you to step into right forum yo have a discussion on this topic! NOT HERR.!

Well, just one key achievement about India, as this is very recent whistleblow, Iam damn sure you may not be knowing it. Just ask to some good studying school kid to know about it,. He/she will educate you about India's development.

I doubt that did you even visit India or someone scamed you guiding to take to India and some other place nearby,.. lol..

Educate yourself,. Be valuable to others if you can or be silent instead of masking yourself under opponents inability.

 

[huntertao]

I guess India and Thailand would have similar agriculture, I feed mine with bok choy & mulberry leaf as their staple green, occasionally, I also feed them with tomatoes, hibiscus leaf, morning glory, pumpkin, mango, variety of mushroom, bamboo worms (as a snack or mix with food pallet), romaine lettuce, moringa leaf, mulberry fruit, prickly pear.

I would also recommend a food pallet like Mazuri diet 5M21, which my tortoise really love to devours, not sure if they have those generally available in India ? I give it to them 2-3 times a week, and I think it works great.

In my feeding time, I usually mixes the above foods in varieties so they won't get bored.

 

[wellington]

I guess India and Thailand would have similar agriculture, I feed mine with bok choy & mulberry leaf as their staple green, occasionally, I also feed them with tomatoes, hibiscus leaf, morning glory, pumpkin, mango, variety of mushroom, bamboo worms (as a snack or mix with food pallet), romaine lettuce, moringa leaf, mulberry fruit, prickly pear.

I would also recommend a food pallet like Mazuri diet 5M21, which my tortoise really love to devours, not sure if they have those generally available in India ? I give it to them 2-3 times a week, and I think it works great.

In my feeding time, I usually mixes the above foods in varieties so they won't get bored.

Morning glory like pictured is a do not feed

 

[huntertao]

Morning glory like pictured is a do not feed
View attachment 361143

Silly me, I meant water spinach(I guess I mixed them up), but I mostly goes for Bok choy. Thank you!

 

[TortoiseAwarness& Conserv]

Silly me, I meant water spinach(I guess I mixed them up), but I mostly goes for Bok choy. Thank you!

I was giving to my elegans tortoises, but I stoppes it as it binds the calcium content,. And started with amaranthus varieties, initially i was giving them bokchoy a little they too love it just like ladiesfinger we dont need to give too much. Just once in a month is okay, and that too if you are keeping them completely outdoor under shaddy sun.
Amaranthus varieties are good, i have giving to my blue iguana as well, good source of daily food.

 

[lord hesho]

Once you find out what is available to you or growing locally that your RF likes, it'd be very helpful if you could make your own list. So that it can be shared with other people in your part of the world that are also keeping Redfoot.
I do not have a specific list for you. But I can offer you a ratio of the foods you should offer:

40% to 60% FRUIT

20% to 30% green leaves and vegetable matter.

10% protein. Including meat and eggs.

10% other Including mushrooms and high quality pellets. Such as Mazuri.

10% edible flowers. Cactus pedals or cactus fruits.

Offer variety each day. Don't worry about a particular schedule. Just feed the variety that's easiest for you to obtain that day.
There must be dozens if not hundreds of items you will find to offer.
Almost anything that you or your family eats, they can eat. As long as it is not processed and not seasoned, etc.
Fresh foods only.
Keep the temperature above 80°f but never much above 90°f.
If the weather feels hot to you, it's too hot for them too. They overheat easily. And keeping them in a glass container near a window might magnify the heat.
Be very careful.
They also require high humidity. Over 75%.
Your best bet. And for the Redfoot to do best, consider letting them live outdoors. Especially as they grow larger.

wow i never knew redfoots diet contains 40%-60% fruit cool and interesting to know