What does a red-footed tortoise eat?
Expert Answer
Red-footed tortoises eat differently at different ages. In their juvenile period, red-footed tortoises love to eat meat foods such as earthworms and snails. At the same time, they also take in a certain amount of vegetables and fruits to keep nutrition balanced.
After adulthood, red-footed tortoises prefer vegetables and fruits, but they still need an appropriate amount of meat such as fish and shrimp. Therefore, keepers need to adjust their diet in time according to the red-footed tortoise’s growth, to ensure they take in enough nutrition.
My red-footed tortoise ate more protein as a hatchling, worms and snails, then shifted to veggies and fruit as an adult, and the vet said that meat-to-plant swing is normal for the species. I'd feed by life stage, not one diet forever. Mine's adult mix keeps him healthy, but I'd keep the calcium up, the young protein phase matters for growth, match the plate to the age.