I was thinking of adding some zucchini to the red leaf lettuce diet for my month old red footed tortoise, just wondering if its too soon? Also should I be supplementing with calcium/vitamins regularly at this point? I'm concerned about over doing it, I was told to do it once a day alternating days but that seems like a lot by some care sheets.
Month old redfoot diet
- Thread starter hiluscomb
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I got my young red foot tortoise just this month.
Below are some of the items he eats:
Hibiscus Leaves (finally after chopped into his spring mix)
Spring Mix (from grocery store)
Chicory/Curly Endive
Plantain (weed kind)
Collard Greens
Strawberries
Zucchini Flowers
Baby Belle Mushrooms
He mostly gets greens and some fruits. I am also trying to grow other greens, including weeds for him to eat. Such as dandelion, lamb's lettuce, musclun, etc. And growing some edible flowers for him as well. (He loves zucchini flowers.) Btw, I think Zucchini is considered a fruit?
I have not supplemented calcium since most of his greens are high calcium. I probably won't start supplementing until he is about 6 months old as is suggested by Turtletary.com.
Are you only feeding red leaf lettuce? Your tortoise is going to need more variety than that.
Some other websites that have good information on diet are:
The Tortoise Library
Tortoise Yard
The Red Foot Tortoise
Below are some of the items he eats:
Hibiscus Leaves (finally after chopped into his spring mix)
Spring Mix (from grocery store)
Chicory/Curly Endive
Plantain (weed kind)
Collard Greens
Strawberries
Zucchini Flowers
Baby Belle Mushrooms
He mostly gets greens and some fruits. I am also trying to grow other greens, including weeds for him to eat. Such as dandelion, lamb's lettuce, musclun, etc. And growing some edible flowers for him as well. (He loves zucchini flowers.) Btw, I think Zucchini is considered a fruit?
I have not supplemented calcium since most of his greens are high calcium. I probably won't start supplementing until he is about 6 months old as is suggested by Turtletary.com.
Are you only feeding red leaf lettuce? Your tortoise is going to need more variety than that.
Some other websites that have good information on diet are:
The Tortoise Library
Tortoise Yard
The Red Foot Tortoise
I agree with Zergy, your little one (or any tortoise actually 
) requires a much wider variety of food offerings than red lettuce...even an organic spring mix or herb mix would be a good addition
) requires a much wider variety of food offerings than red lettuce...even an organic spring mix or herb mix would be a good addition 
mix up his diet,
use some things like zergy has said.
use some things like zergy has said.
And if you are going with mostly store bought lettuces, you really should add a little calcium once or twice a week, and a little multivitamin about once a week (in VERY SMALL DOSES) to make sure it is getting the things like iron and magnesium it needs.
There is a real danger to over-supplementing, but it is also vitally important that they get all the nutrients they need. Most of that will come from a varied, balance diet but even then it can be hard to know for sure they are getting everything.
There is a real danger to over-supplementing, but it is also vitally important that they get all the nutrients they need. Most of that will come from a varied, balance diet but even then it can be hard to know for sure they are getting everything.
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