Red Footed Tortoise Food

Red footed tortoises can be found living in grasslands and forests across their native range, where they primarily consume plants as their food source, but may also consume carrion, flowers, fungi and fruit as their diet.

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An assortment of foods will help your tortoise thrive and remain free from nutritional deficiencies, so supplement with commercial tortoise pellets and calcium powder (without phosphorus) for healthy development.

Contents

Vegetables

Red footed tortoises are generally eager eaters and will devour anything you provide them with, including greens and fruit – switching up their meals on an ongoing basis to ensure proper nutrition and balanced diversity.

Make sure the greens you feed your tortoise are rich in calcium and low in phosphorous; choices include turnip greens, dandelion greens, collard greens and cactus pads – avoid iceberg lettuce as these contain high levels of phytates which prevent vitamin D absorption.

An effective strategy is to only feed as much food as your tortoise can consume within 20-30 minutes and remove what remains, in order to minimize spoilage and waste. You could also consider offering your tortoise an added boost of essential nutrients by offering vegetable supplements as part of their food regimen.

Fruits

Red-footed tortoises can enjoy eating various fruits such as grapes, apples and prickly pear cacti; approximately 40% of their diet should comprise fruit.

Reptile owners should provide their reptile with a variety of food to prevent metabolic bone disease (MBD). MBD results from an imbalance of calcium, phosphorous and vitamin D3, leading to poor appetite, soft shelled shell and tremors in reptiles.

Supplementing reptiles with an easily available multivitamin from your local supermarket is one way to combat MBD and other nutritional deficiencies, while providing UVB lighting can aid their skin in producing Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 production is vital for proper system function and calcium absorption – without it, reptiles may experience respiratory infections as a result.

Insects

Red footed tortoises in the wild can stay warm by feeding on grass, fungus, leaves, flowers and insects; for optimal health and nutritional balance in captivity these animals should receive an assortment of these items in their diet.

Red-footed tortoises benefit from providing insects in their diet as an additional source of protein, helping them avoid overgrown beaks while also offering meat proteins to the tortoise’s diet. Insects provide another good way of providing meat protein without overfeeding your tortoise!

Red footed tortoises should receive their diet predominantly from leafy greens, fruits and vegetables readily available at your local supermarket. Heavy fruit feeding should be avoided in order to prevent metabolic bone disease (MBD). UVB lighting for calcium absorption should also be provided.

Pellets

While pellets should not become your tortoise’s primary food source, they provide extra variety and may come in handy during times when other foods are scarce. When selecting pellets for use it’s important to read their ingredients closely and select those with low carbohydrate and fibre contents for best results.

While it is possible for tortoises to thrive on a strictly vegetarian diet, many keepers have had greater success by adding small amounts of animal protein into their diet. This may include specially formulated omnivorous tortoise food, hard boiled eggs, meal worms and pre-killed rodents; all should be fed sparingly as too much can be detrimental.

Calcium Supplements

Tortoises need plenty of calcium for proper health. Insufficient amounts can lead to serious health issues including deformities, neurological issues and death. Dandelions and common plants like mulberry and hibiscus provide significant amounts of this essential mineral; cuttle bone sold at pet stores is another good source.

Animal protein should only be given in moderation as too much can pose health issues; be sure to provide enough greens as a counterpart. Also avoid feeding fruits that contain high levels of oxalates – they prevent calcium absorption and may even kill tortoises! Whenever shopping at supermarkets consult multiple nutrition resources in order to gain the most accurate information available about any foods sold there; powdered supplements tailored specifically for herbivores (calcium/phosphorous free) can be sprinkled daily or as necessary onto their food.