# Help again.



## llllshaunllll (Nov 19, 2007)

I have had alot of help on getting food for my tort, But the thing is i can't find any of it!!!!!, only dandelion/bind weed leaves BUT there going now because of winter, so i have no idea what to do about food. I live in a big town, so its hard to find wild plants.

Please help!!! Please reply!!!!

Thanks Shaun.


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## Josh (Nov 19, 2007)

try mulberry leaves
i have a giant tree outside...its neverending tortoise food.
another option is to buy a lot when you do find stuff. i think most things are freezable. they may not taste pleasant to us, but i think frozen vegetation still retains all the nutrients.


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 19, 2007)

Can you freeze food??? i have been going out every day getting food.

Whats mulberry? 

Thanks Shaun.


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## Cam (Nov 19, 2007)

have you taken a look at www.carolinapetsupply.com ?


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## Josh (Nov 19, 2007)

if you can't freeze it, you can at least refrigerate it so it keeps longer.
mulberry leaves look like this: http://www.mediamessage.com/kayton/Silkworms/images/leaves2.JPG


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## Crazy1 (Nov 19, 2007)

Where are you located?
some food is able to be frozen others turn to mush when defrosted. 
You can keep greens - good longer if refrigerated or you can try those already suggested or 
Here are two places you can order greens from. 
http://www.reptileeats.com
or 
http://www.reptigreens.com


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 20, 2007)

Can you grow the dandelion in a seeding tray thing? 

Thanks for all your help so far!!!


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## Cam (Nov 20, 2007)

I was also wondering if the "pet grass" they sell at Petco is okay for torts...it is "organic wheat grass" I believe, and they also sell catnip (I know that is not on the tort list.)


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## Laura (Nov 21, 2007)

Grass hay from a feed store. You can get a bale for about $12 or so. Or get the pre bagged rabbit timothy hay. $$$$ compared to a bale, but if storage or quality is hard to come by...
Some torts may not eat it well...depending on what they are used to and type of tort.


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 21, 2007)

That don't seem to healthy for a tort?? would it be ok to feed just the same foods day in day out? or have a mix up threw the week?

thanks.


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 21, 2007)

What tree leaves can you feed? also is there any bushes? 

Thanks alot.


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## Jacqui (Nov 21, 2007)

llllshaunllll said:


> Can you grow the dandelion in a seeding tray thing?
> 
> Thanks for all your help so far!!!



Yes you can. Dandies do quite well as an indoor plant. Most any of the tort seed mixtures will grow inside...along with lots of the blooming flowers on the lists. You will have to either have great window areas for plants or use plant lights for them. Also with as dry as houses are in the winter, watering is also a more frequent thing to watch for...just don't over water.

Unfortunately I can't keep plants in the house. Either the room is unheated or the cats and dogs get near the plants. Have a tropical hibiscus that I love the color of and have no idea how I will get it thru the winter. Am thinking building a cage for it...lol.


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## Cam (Nov 21, 2007)

The grass I saw was "fresh" like a potted plant you keep alive and pull a bit off of now and then. I did not think torts could eat the dry timothy hay...or maybe that's just a greek tort thing?

A lot of helpful info here...thanks everyone!


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 21, 2007)

Thanks for all your help , but can you just tell me this last thing please, what types of bushes/trees can my greek eat??
I have the other leaves listed that josh gave me. 

Thanks.


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## Cam (Nov 21, 2007)

I found this site: Can someone comment if this all sounds right for torts besides the sulcata and leopard?

Edible
http://africantortoise.com/edible_plants.htm

TOXIC
http://africantortoise.com/toxic_plants_and_flowers.htm

http://www.tlady.clara.net/id16.htm


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## reptileeats (Nov 22, 2007)

llllshaunllll said:


> Can you grow the dandelion in a seeding tray thing?
> 
> Thanks for all your help so far!!!



I start a 512 seeding tray each week for one tort I would start at least a 36 seeding tray every other month. If I can help any with trays or seeds please let me know.

Variety is the key for a healthy tort!

I would dehydrate my tort food before I froze it.


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## Cam (Nov 22, 2007)

Where do you like to get your seeds (and trays) from?
(we are in MN)


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## wayne.bob (Nov 22, 2007)

i bought some seeds from a place on the internet and they grew brilliantly. and are still growing. 
sorry i cant remember the name of the site. the bag of RT seed only cost $3


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 22, 2007)

As you can tell this is my first tort, i just feel im not doing very well with him, so im getting all the help i can take. , Can you give me some info on growing seeds??? you said "36 tray" you use 36 trays for one tort?????

Thanks Shaun.


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## Crazy1 (Nov 22, 2007)

reptileeats said:


> I start a 512 seeding tray each week for one tort I would start at least a 36 seeding tray every other month. If I can help any with trays or seeds please let me know.
> 
> Variety is the key for a healthy tort!
> 
> I would dehydrate my tort food before I froze it.



OK guys this is Reptileats owner of http://www.reptileeats.com
I am sure if you message "reptileeats" they would be more than happy to help-they are in the tort food business 

Shaun I think it is always best to mix food and give your tort a variety. You can always order from reptileeats then you are sure to get a good mixture.
Remember when seeding follow the directions or just take a pot or two and throw some seeds in and water. Remember no chemicals. If you are feeding small seedling plants you will have to have quite a bit growing to keep him in food. And yes they will eat dried greens. Just remember to have water handy for them. Shaun don't be shy about asking questions we all have tons of them and you may be asking something some else is too shy to ask.

Cam, I give my Greeks timothy hay or orchard hay dry, No they don't like to eat it that way but I do grind it (in my coffee grinder-used only for tort food, cause I quit drinking coffee ) and dust it on their food for fiber reasons especially in the winter months when they are inside.


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 23, 2007)

Thanks ALOT crazy1, I will get some seed mix then.  I keep mine indoors all the time, because it will get stolen outside. Is it ok just to feed him a fue bits and peaces of food after i come home from work? because when i put some in his tort table in the mornings they just dry up SO fast.

Thanks again.


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## Cam (Nov 23, 2007)

Crazy1 said:


> Cam, I give my Greeks timothy hay or orchard hay dry, No they don't like to eat it that way but I do grind it (in my coffee grinder-used only for tort food, cause I quit drinking coffee ) and dust it on their food for fiber reasons especially in the winter months when they are inside.



Great idea...I suppose since our guy is never going to be outside grazing I should do the ground hay year round...


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 23, 2007)

I still don't think it would be good for them, or tastey lol, can i just buy a little bit from the pet shop and give it a go?, what they use for rabbits


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 23, 2007)

Also mine don't eat green grass from out side, so i don't know about dry hay, i will just try.[/align]


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## Crazy1 (Nov 23, 2007)

Remember dried greens and hay can still be eaten. My hatchling likes greens as well wet or dry In the wild alot of time they must eat dried weeds and greens in the summertime. And if they aren't so keen on them dry just grind them and sprinkle them on their wet greens like a supplement. Just do not feed old or moldy greens to your torts. 

Shaun what is the humidity in his habitat? As I recall you are in the UK and your tort is a Greek right?
How big is it now lenght (straightline front to back) and what is its weight? If you post Pics I,m sure Chris or egyptiandan would be glad to help you identify what type of greek and where it would come from if in the wild. That way you have a better understanding of its natural habitat (heat,cold, humidity, rain levels etc.) That often makes it easier to set up the best habitat and foods for your Greek.

Cam don't suppose it would hurt to do it year round. I have occasionally seen my adult Greeks munching on their green weeds and be chewing a piece of dry timothy hay with it, but only when I am using it in their habitat as a hide or substrate. So I do grind mine.


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 24, 2007)

My tort is from africa "morroco", so his humidiy is dry, and his temps are hot under his uv mega ray bulb, don't know i will go and check soon, hot side and cold.

He/she is 6.5cm long, and 5.5 wide, i don't know the weight of it.

Here are some pics,





































Theres the pics of my little tort.


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## Cam (Nov 24, 2007)

what a little sweetie!


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 25, 2007)

Thanks cam.


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## Crazy1 (Nov 25, 2007)

llllshaunllll said:


> I still don't think it would be good for them, or tastey lol, can i just buy a little bit from the pet shop and give it a go?, what they use for rabbits



Your tort is a sweetie, Loved the pictures. I get my hay from a pet store it is usually in the rabbit section I get timothy or orchard hay, *do not* use alfala. I grind it and sprinkle it on their food. Like a vitamin supplement. You can also buy TNT which you can get from http://carolinapetsupply.com It has a lot of ground nutrition in it including hay. 
Lots of folks seem to like it for there torts.
My Greeks are from Jordon-Lebanon area they also have a dry humidity and like warm-hot temps but you want to make sure they are in the right temps and humidity. 
A temperature gradient of 75Ã‚Â° - 85Ã‚Â° F should be provided with a basking area of about 95Ã‚Â° F. Nighttime temperatures can be allowed to drop to 75Ã‚Â° F. I try and keep humidity to about 30% to 40%
And I check these stats daily.


Shaun Just a suggestion. I put together a binder that I have copied a lot of info for my tort. Like what foods are good, what are toxic. What the temp and humidity of their habitat is, what their favorite foods are. What their weight and length are which I do weekly for hatchlings and monthly for adults. When I soak them-actually I set up a chart for weight, length and soaks. When they go to the vet I have a record of that in there which tells me what exactly was done and the outcome. I keep a log of when they seem ill , bubbly nose, bubbly eye slow and no appetite all that stuff. It really gives me a record of how my tort is doing. Someday it will be passed on to someone else when they will need to take care of my torts. But for now it tells me the complete story of how they are doing and if I have questions later I can look them up and see what I did that helped. It seems like a lot of work but I found it fun and enjoyable and really gave me peace of mine as I am getting older and someday others will have all this info for them to use.


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## cvalda (Nov 25, 2007)

SUCH a cute little thing!!!!!!!!!!!!! adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## clark (Nov 25, 2007)

growing ur own food is a cheap way to go and takes little time to achieve


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 26, 2007)

As soon as i move house over x-mas i will start my tort garden, loads and loads of weeds for him to munch on.


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## T-P (Nov 29, 2007)

Hi, during winter if weeds and plants arent available, you can feed Greens.


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## llllshaunllll (Nov 29, 2007)

T-P said:


> Hi, during winter if weeds and plants arent available, you can feed Greens.



What sorts?


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## T-P (Dec 3, 2007)

llllshaunllll said:


> What sorts?



You can feed:
Collard greens
Mustard Greens
Turnip Greens
Small amounts of Kale
and occasionally cucumber.

Some people feed salad mixes too that contain radiccho, escarole, and similar type of food.


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## llllshaunllll (Dec 3, 2007)

Ok cheers.


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## T-P (Dec 4, 2007)

Your welcome


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## llllshaunllll (Dec 4, 2007)

I would like just to say a big THANK YOU to all that helped me and my tort. 

Shaun.


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## Nay (Dec 7, 2007)

Quick note, I used those silly green produce bags, as advertised on TV, but purchased on ebay. They actually do work. (they don't allow the gassed to build up) We use them for all my veggies and I am shocked how how much linger my collards(and more) last.
My 12 yr. old son did a comparison test too, he used it as a school project. Boy do I sound like a commerical.! I haven't tried to freeze things though. Good idea. Na


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## Nay (Dec 7, 2007)

Next time I will spell check>......


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## llllshaunllll (Dec 7, 2007)

Nay said:


> Next time I will spell check>......



No problem, thanks for the help!


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