Basil the Red Foot tortoise was hatched on July 1, 2000 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The following list of plants is to be used as a guide for safely landscaping your pens and providing a better variety of weeds to feed. Redfoot tortoises fed exclusively a plant based diet frequently develop hind leg paralysis. A doghouse-type shelter can be used for adult red-footed tortoises; it should be heated if nighttime temperatures drop below 65 or 70 degrees Fahrenheit. ! I need to know EVERYTHING a red footed tortoise can eat. Salad items, such as lettuces, have little nutritional value and contain little fibre. Tortoises that are taken from the wild are called "wild captured." As a result, they pass through the tortoise's digestive system quickly, often giving rise to … I also fed her tortoise pellets which she loved but now she only eats some of it then moves on. Redfoots need calcium, so sprinkle your tortoise’s food with a small amount of phosphorous-free calcium/Vitamin D3 supplement ever other feeding. Redfoots need small amounts of animal-based protein, but only once a week. Red-Footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria)Some of the most popular pet tortoises in the United States are the red-footed tortoises of South America. Feeding Red-foot and Yellow-foot tortoises Geochelone carbonaria and G. denticulata. Your goal is to make sure to feed a variety of healthy foods. Andy C. Highfield Both of these large South American tropical tortoises are omnivorous to a greater or lesser extent. I had mine about six years. As long as the humidity, temperature, lighting, and diet is kept according to proper requirements, you'll find that a pet Red-Footed Tortoise is going to stay pretty healthy in most cases, but there are you have to keep these main elements in check. Edible Plants as food for tortoises . Vegetables: This should make up approximately 40% of the diet. Low fertility rates and a general failure to thrive can also be caused by feeding a strictly vegetarian redfoot tortoise diet. Not only Mediterranean tortoises will benefit from a healthier diet. Red-foots are naturally attracted to red, orange, and yellow foods, and this trait can be used to encourage them to eat a varied diet by blending food items together. In the wild redfoot tortoises eat a variety of animal matter including carrion. In the wild, many species of tortoise live in hot, dry areas where food is scarce and they have to walk long distances to find enough to eat. The edible landscaping plants may or may not be eaten/liked by your tortoise. Relevance. Happy landscaping !!! Lilies (Easter, tiger, day, Japanese, etc. It is very important to not overfeed these tortoises with animal protein though.