What does he want ?

[bellamia]

My new 9 month redfoot is always trying to eat anything that's white, my shirt,paper towel, the dish,the pattern around my cutting board...
He has a cuttlebone but I can't think of anything white he may have been feed before. maybe mushrooms ?
he will walk right past his food to grab anything white.

 

[tort_luv_5055]

Your Red foot is probably used to having calcium powder sprinkled on his food. If you do not do this, try it and see what he/she thinks. If you dont have any calcium powder, try to grate cuttlebone on to his food to turn it white.

 

[bellamia]

I do use calcium on his food, it's funny when I turn him away from something white he spins around so fast to get back to the item ! he looks mad , I'm sure he is thinking **** off lady I want it !!

 

[Jacqui]

Seeking out white objects is a pretty natural thing for them to do. It's also one reason why so many rocks seem to be eaten. White may be them seeking caclium, bones, bird manure, so many things in nature are white and all may have a potential attraction for a tortoise based on some diet need it has.

 

[bellamia]

I wish I knew what he wants poor little thing , is there anything white he can eat besides mushrooms ?
I will also look into any white flowers that are okay to give him.

 

[Jacqui]

Well actually there are a few "greens" which are mostly white. Of course right now my mind is blanking.

 

[bellamia]

How about an egg on protein day?

 

[Jacqui]

Bok choy is a pretty common one.

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How about an egg on protein day?

Are you going to serve it cooked? It would be okay depending on the size you might want only a part one. I myself am not one of the strict folks who do this fruit day, green day, or protein day. I just mix it all up and so they may even get all three things in one day.

 

[bellamia]

Not sure how to serve it hardboiled ?
And I thought they should only have protein once a week?

 

[Jacqui]

It will not hurt them to have protein on more then one day in a week and then you could perhaps not give them any for a few weeks. It's more the over all picture. Just like a variety of greens does not mean each and every day they need several greens to choose from. Great if they can, but it's not a have to thing. Just as with fruit, my redfoots may not get any fruit one month, but the next month I may have a lot of ripe fruit available to me, so they may get some every day for a week. I think of it as in the wild they come across a fruit plant with ripe fruit. They may sit and gorge themselves for several days and only move on when the fruit is gone or they decide they want something new.

Boil and then offer it out of he shell (either whole or in hunks) and even the shell could be offered. It might for an adult be a good enrichment for them to be given a whole egg and see what they do with it. I don't actually do eggs myself.

 

[tort_luv_5055]

Re: RE: What does he want ?

I do use calcium on his food, it's funny when I turn him away from something white he spins around so fast to get back to the item ! he looks mad , I'm sure he is thinking **** off lady I want it !!

Lol I bet he is just acting on instinct. Maybe try chopping the egg up on his greens and he will eat all of it? I am not sure. Charlie eats everything. Today we tried carrots for the first time. He wasnt so sure about the orange color! Maybe if you give him a lot of different colored food (along with the egg) and he will find a new color lol

 

[lisa127]

My box turtle tries to eat anything white as well. Anything! And I have never sprinkled calcium on the food. There is a cuttlebone in the enclosure though.

 

[wellington]

There are also white carrots, rose of Sharon flowers will come in white. Also, if you grow some white roses.

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My leopard always go for things white. Not as bad as yours, but still has to check out anything white. Don't forget a little water melon can be eaten by torts and yours might like the whiter part.

 

[bellamia]

Thank you all for your ideas, I will try and please him with some new ideas.

 

[Jacqui]

Some clover has white blooms, as do pansies/violas, petunias, rose moss,and impatients are a few more. Some hostas have a lot of white on their leaves. Geesh once you start thinking, it's a long long list.

 

[tort_luv_5055]

The first thing that came to my mine was cauliflower...can red foots have that? I am pretty sure it white lol

 

[AnnV]

Banana, apple, pear, lobster and fish, shrimp (kinda), white rose petals, and other white flowers as has been mentioned (grown with zero pesticides).
As mentioned by someone else, the lower part of the stalk of bok choy is white. Mine love bok choy, but always eat the green leaves first, then work on the white fleshy part.

 

[bellamia]

Thanks some great suggestions !
I will go shopping tomorrow , looks like he will be eating better than me .

 

[bellamia]

the mushrooms were a hit !! He had a bite of shrooms and cat food back and forth and he seems happy !!

 

[WillTort2]

Try some Belgian endive; it's a very light greenish yellow color.