Question about a balanced diet

jtgallo

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Every week I prepare a large tortoise salad for my two Russian tortoises then stick it in the fridge and give them portions of it every day. Every week I change up what the salad consists of just to make sure they have some variety to their diet. I was wondering if it is okay to feed my little guys the same mix of greens for a week and then changing it or if this was not enough variety for their diet. For instance, this week their salad consists of a red lettuce mix, mustard greens, a little bit of shredded carrots, boy choy, endive, broccoli rabe, kale, cilantro, and a little bit of Romaine lettuce. Sometimes I also sprinkle it with ZooMed Grassland tortoise food too. I also offer some fruits or berries once a week, as well as sprinkle their food with calcium once a week. I just wanted to make sure that this method I am using is best for them and if not, then I am open for any suggestions. I just want the best for my little guys! :)
 

Madkins007

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My rule of thumb is the more variety you can offer, the better. This obviously is limited by things like local availability, spoilage issues, costs, etc. I tended to buy my red-footeds a couple heads of different kinds of greens and a deli container of fruits and veggies a week, then a different combination the next week.

However, while I am not an expert on Russians (or steppe) tortoises, I do not believe they need very many fruits and the fruits they do get should be drier and less sweet than usual supermarket versions- peppers, squash. pumpkin, etc. and not much, if any, even of that.

The green stuff is, but I would like to see more hays and grasses in there- roughage and fiber heavy stuff with calcium in it. While alfalfa hay is considered to be rather high in proteins, Timothy and others work nicely.
 

Levi the Leopard

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Making a varied salad to pull from each week is a fine practice.
But you want to make sure the contents each week are best for your lil guys. Ditch the fruit and try to add more broad leaf weeds, less store bought produce.
 
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