Rep-Cal

[TFCO]

Hello

What does everyone think of using this product as the main food source for a Sulcata???

http://www.repcal.com/Tort.htm

 

[nate.mann]

im interested to see the responses here


0.1.0 Russian tortoise
0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pit/American Bulldog

 

[nate.mann]

anyone have an opinion?


0.1.0 Russian tortoise
0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pit/American Bulldog

 

[TFCO]

While it is veterinarian recommended so I'm thinking it is safe to assume? I have an appointment to meet up with a veterinarian for the 19 of Oct so I will reply to this thread then to see how he feels about it. The food was recommended by a pet store owner who has a Sulcata and the veterinarian she see's told her about this food and now she is selling it.

 

[hunterk997]

I know nothing about sulcatas, but I know the colored pellets are not as good as they say to be. And tortoises need variety, regardless the species, so no, I feel it shouldn't be used as a main basis of a diet.


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[Tom]

We call those "fruity pebbles". I don't think anyone here is fond of those, and I would not recommend ANY pelleted food, even the ones I like, as a "main food source" for any species or age of tortoise.

I would ask an experienced tortoise keeper what to feed before I would ask a vet. Please be aware that most vets do not know much about caring for tortoises. The few vets that DO know tortoises will tell you this, and the ones that don't know tortoise, but claim to be "exotic reptile vets" sometimes don't want to admit it. Most vets get their tortoise care info from the same sources that you would have access too. They read books or internet sites. Only a vet with extensive hands on experience with your chosen species will have much valuable info for you.

 

[mike taylor]

I agree with Tom on this . There is no can of food out in the market place that can give your tortoise the things he needs like good fresh weeds and grasses . You can feed them the food as part of his diet . If you have grass and you mow your grass take a rake and pick up that free food.

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[TFCO]

So for a main diet here is what I gather and is available to me.

1 Mulberry leaves safe to eat daily
2 Rose of Sharron leaves safe to eat daily
3 Endive in moderation??? Or can I feed daily
4 Mazuri daily as of now 3 pellets mixed with salad style hay
5 Rep Cal fruity pebbles switch up with mazuri every other day
6 Prickly Pear Catus
7 Dandelions 3 times a week?
8 Red leaf lettuce daily?
9 Clover 3 times a week? daily?
10 Prickly pear cactus? Daily?
11 ????

Again I live in a area where I need to rely on store bought food in the winter if anyone could help me with a daily diet on what to feed my sulcata Monday?? Tuesday?? Wednesday?? etc. What I have listed above I have. If there is any other foods you know of from a store I could add please let me know.

For the winter I need to collect and dry out the mulberry leaves and rose of Sharron and clover. I guess what I'm looking for is a routine on what to feed him so I'm not giving him too much of something that will do no good can anyone please recommend a daily feeding routine? This will save me a Vet visit because I'm uncertain!!!

Thanks again

 

[Cymmie]

Can you get Zoomed Tortoise food instead of Repcal? I think it's healthier, though I may be wrong.

 

[hunterk997]

Can you get Zoomed Tortoise food instead of Repcal? I think it's healthier, though I may be wrong.

I think you're right.


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[TFCO]

I found some Hollyhocks in my back yard that squirt can eat.

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View attachment 57685View attachment 57686View attachment 57687
I wanted a second opinion before I spend the time drying out these leaves I be leave are from hollyhocks and rose of Sharon

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View attachment 57688
I also have this plant growing in my back yard is it ok to feed to my sulcata View attachment 57689

 

[Tom]

So for a main diet here is what I gather and is available to me.

1 Mulberry leaves safe to eat daily
2 Rose of Sharron leaves safe to eat daily
3 Endive in moderation??? Or can I feed daily
4 Mazuri daily as of now 3 pellets mixed with salad style hay
5 Rep Cal fruity pebbles switch up with mazuri every other day
6 Prickly Pear Catus
7 Dandelions 3 times a week?
8 Red leaf lettuce daily?
9 Clover 3 times a week? daily?
10 Prickly pear cactus? Daily?
11 ????

Again I live in a area where I need to rely on store bought food in the winter if anyone could help me with a daily diet on what to feed my sulcata Monday?? Tuesday?? Wednesday?? etc. What I have listed above I have. If there is any other foods you know of from a store I could add please let me know.

For the winter I need to collect and dry out the mulberry leaves and rose of Sharron and clover. I guess what I'm looking for is a routine on what to feed him so I'm not giving him too much of something that will do no good can anyone please recommend a daily feeding routine? This will save me a Vet visit because I'm uncertain!!!

Thanks again

---

I see what you are getting at now. My thoughts on your query:
I think you are over thinking this and trying to get much too specific. You have a great list of foods here and even half of this variety would sustain your tortoise just fine. I wouldn't use ANY food everyday, with the exception of grazing on grass. If you just run through your list and change it up every few days, I think you'll have a very healthy tortoise. I tend to favor endive and escarole heavily, if I need to feed grocery store foods. This happens to me sometimes in the summer when I have dozens of sulcata babies to feed and the weeds and grasses are all dried up in our 100+ degree heat with no rain or humidity for months on end. You can improve the food value of grocery store foods by adding either freshly sprouted chopped grass or sprinkling some "Salad Style" on the food. "Salad Style" is basically pre-bagged finely blended up grass hay. Its good stuff. Grass seed is easy to sprout indoors in pots. Then you can just use scissors and cut off as much as you need. Soaked ZooMed grassland pellets will work well in this capacity too.

 

[nate.mann]

well-put Tom.


0.1.0 Russian tortoise
0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pit/American Bulldog

 

[TFCO]

Thanks Tom I think I will cancel my vet visit!