Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I thought this makes for an interesting topic,
What kind of Tort do you have, what is it's weight and how much do you spend on food per week. Also for the amount that you are spending, what are you feeding it?

I have 2 Hermann's tortoise hatchlings; one is 85g and the other is 32g. I don't spend any money on food, unless it's been raining a lot and I can't get out to collect much, or if I buy something like watercress. Otherwise, I forage and/or grow all their food.

They eat: dandelion, plantain, mallow, sow thistle, hawkbit, grass, clover, opuntia, crane's bill, nasturtium, viola, flowers, etc. In a couple months, they'll also be eating grape, mulberry, and hibiscus leaves. I see tortoise food everywhere I go, and now my husband and kids do, too. Strangely enough, the hardest food to find is dandelion--it's common enough, but not easy to find in areas that I know aren't sprayed. Our church practices organic gardening, so I usually get it there, or I buy it at a local fruit & veggie stand.
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Sohni
Northern California

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.2 Hermann's Tortoises
plus my kids' herps:
0.0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

i have a juvelnile redfoot tortoise, i bought a gallon bag of mazuri by the rate im using it itll be probably a year before its gone. i only use that once or so a week. but i probably average 4 bucks a week. i feed squash, certain fungi, the frozen mixed veggies, beans, strawberries, eggs, papaya, mango, all dark greens except spinach, basically all fruits(no banana). go out to the yard were its not sprayed and get dandelions...in the summer. the only thing about feeding i have a problem with is that i cant just buy 4 strawberries or three hunks of squash. i end up just wasting it. so i just pocket a few strawberries and give a quarter to the salvation army guy outside. redfoots are soooo hardy.
-dave

Ahhh, you guys are using your resources well but don't waste the strawberries! If you have some left over heat up some chocolate chips ( semi sweet ) and dip them into it. Stash them in the fridge for about an hour and then feed them to your loved one ( not the tort! )

Well Theodore (my big sulcata AKA Teddy) eats one head of
a different lettuce daily - I use a few different ones and
try to vary it. So that's about $2 a day. His mazuri isn't
that much because it lasts a long time but let's say
$7 a month. Now his extras like green peppers (45-95 cents each)
and he can go through 4- 6 at a time. Zuchini and other squash
and other things he gets, I'd say about $10 a week extras.
So he's about $100 - $110 a month and only 1/4 his eventual
size. He's eating hay also which is about $3 a week. Sometimes
he eats 2 heads of lettuce a day.

Now let's discuss the price of paper towels, trash bags, swiffer
wets, and ELECTRICITY to run his cottage heat and 4 basking lamps.
etc..etc..

Don't forget his ice skating lessons and cello lessons