Yellow Foot Diet - crickets ok? Is there a list?

[TitoHawkings]

Hi all!
My YF tortoise, Tito is a huge eater. He seems to pick and choose, run around, then sleep. I vary his diet everyday except for the greens (usually collard, kale, mustard and or dandelion... I need to eat more like him) plus a veg and a little fruit. I feed him protein 1-2 times per week... Per my vets recommendation I give him pellets (Marzuri tortoise chow) but I had freeze dried crickets left over after the passing of my beardie... He loves them. I rehydrate (a little extra water can't hurt) and he has poops regularly (so he's not suffering from compaction). Just wondering if anyone else uses can of crickets or freeze dried bugs as a supplement for protein.

I also track his meals to make sure they stay varied and I know the last time he pooped (yes... I'm a little bit ocd). What tricks do you use to make sure your buddy gets the necessary nutrition, exercise, and stays healthy?

 

[Prairie Mom]

Hi TitoHawkings Welcome to the forum. Your little yellow foot looks so precious! I keep a sulcata, so I hope other red and yellowfoot owners visit your thread. Here is a diet link from the "tortoise library" you may find helpful... http://www.tortoiselibrary.com/nutrition-2/diet-plans-omnivore/
Here is another link that can help you if you're looking for more plant ideas... http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plants_19.asp

I hope you get an answer to your question regarding freeze dried bugs and hear from other owners
Welcome to the forum!

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi all!
My YF tortoise, Tito is a huge eater. He seems to pick and choose, run around, then sleep. I vary his diet everyday except for the greens (usually collard, kale, mustard and or dandelion... I need to eat more like him) plus a veg and a little fruit. I feed him protein 1-2 times per week... Per my vets recommendation I give him pellets (Marzuri tortoise chow) but I had freeze dried crickets left over after the passing of my beardie... He loves them. I rehydrate (a little extra water can't hurt) and he has poops regularly (so he's not suffering from compaction). Just wondering if anyone else uses can of crickets or freeze dried bugs as a supplement for protein.

I also track his meals to make sure they stay varied and I know the last time he pooped (yes... I'm a little bit ocd). What tricks do you use to make sure your buddy gets the necessary nutrition, exercise, and stays healthy?

I've never fed my juvenile reds frozen bugs, only pinkies. I also used to feed my adults wax worms as a treat, but I noticed they were coming out the same as they went in"whole". So not sure if they were doing anything at all as it seems they struggled to digest them.
Bug idea sounds good though, I'll give it a try.
Try earth worms chopped up. Some love them, some don't. I have 2 adults that are scared of worms. Soon as they see them they back up and run off. Quite funny, and I'm a natural torment. .

 

[Yvonne G]

I buy the canned meal worms, crickets, etc. from the pet store to mix into my box turtle food (chopped veg, greens, fruit, chicken). One day I added a couple of crickets on top of the Manouria and YF babies food and they both ate them. I have since started feeding the baby Manouria and YF just like I feed the box turtles.