Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I cant really get her out side much (we live in the city...i dont really trust city lawns) so she has lots of oat grass and lately i have been giving her alfalfa sprouts (organic when possible). I was wondering how much nutritional value they hold for russians. thanks, jen
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"raised by a cup of coffee"

1.0 ball python- Azazel
1.0 columbian boa- Brooklyn
1.0 red blood python-Hiss
1.0 peach phase thayeri-Sancho
0.1 creamsicle corn- Pandora
0.1 partial stripe ghost corn- Raven
1.0 Sunglow motley corn-Ernie
1.1 hognose- Pricilla and Odd
0.1 russian tortoise- Manja
0.1 collared lizard-O-ren
0.1.1 leos- Boji and Kodama
0.1 beardie- Indie
1.0 BTS- Griffon
0.1 Iggy- Sunny
0.0.2 Red american toadlets with 0.0.7 legs total (er, i have one w/3....)
0.0.1 gray tree frog toadlet
0.0.6 land snails
0.0.2 millipedes of unknown species from TN
0.0.1 spotted slug
5.3 bettas
0.1 pacific parrolet- Mishka
1.1 cats- Cairo and Oberon
2.3 ratties Rizzo, Bounce, Bree, Blitzkreig, and Zelda

Here is the nutritional value as it relates to mammals...

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/list_nut_edit.pl

Now, you said a key point... 'nutritional value for a Russian tortoise'.

Nobody really knows this.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Type in Alfalfa Sprout... select Alfalfa Sprout... and all the nutritional info you ever wanted to know about Alfalfa Sprout pops up.

Once again, you have to be careful not to take the data out of context. As pointed out, it has a 1:2 calcium ratio. When you consider that it is 90% water I don't think it is much of a worry if it is fed as part of a varied diet.
USDA Nutritional Database

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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

EJs link to the website won't show up, but in brief summary it indicates that alfalfa sprouts have 0% fiber, 4% protein, and a calciumhosphorous ratio of 1:1.7 (calcium deficient). You'll have to go there to get more info on vitamins and minerals.

Melissa Kaplan's website has a brief article on sprouts:

www.anapsid.org/sprouts.html

Summary: Not a great food and shouldn't be a large part of an herbivore's diet. Like a lot of foods.

So in spite of a lack of specific information on the nutrional value of an item to a specific species, there is enough information from which to create a rational opinion.

n/p
-----
"raised by a cup of coffee"

1.0 ball python- Azazel
1.0 columbian boa- Brooklyn
1.0 red blood python-Hiss
1.0 peach phase thayeri-Sancho
0.1 creamsicle corn- Pandora
0.1 partial stripe ghost corn- Raven
1.0 Sunglow motley corn-Ernie
1.1 hognose- Pricilla and Odd
0.1 russian tortoise- Manja
0.1 collared lizard-O-ren
0.1.1 leos- Boji and Kodama
0.1 beardie- Indie
1.0 BTS- Griffon
0.1 Iggy- Sunny
0.0.2 Red american toadlets with 0.0.7 legs total (er, i have one w/3....)
0.0.1 gray tree frog toadlet
0.0.6 land snails
0.0.2 millipedes of unknown species from TN
0.0.1 spotted slug
5.3 bettas
0.1 pacific parrolet- Mishka
1.1 cats- Cairo and Oberon
2.3 ratties Rizzo, Bounce, Bree, Blitzkreig, and Zelda