# Recipe and food (tort version)



## yillt

There is a recipe thread for humans but there isn't one for torts!  So this could be the thread in which we all add our little mixes we conjer up. I don't know how many possible recipes there are as tortoise diets aren't as varied as ours. But it will be very helpful to newbies who need some ideas for meals to concoct. For example I love getting all my torts favourite weeds and flowers and whizzing them up them dotting the irrestible mixture around the enclosure as a little treasure hunt


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## Prairie Mom

I don't really make recipes for my tortoise, but just try to feed her as many diverse and desirable tortoise foods as possible.

Her idea of dessert would consist mainly of flowers. Violets, Hibiscus, and Squash blossoms would be her version of an ICE CREAM SUNDAY

Here's an actual fun tortoise recipe that @Odin's Gma posted a while ago. She even made her own dressing...
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sully-salad-for-new-tort-owners-pic-heavy.132818/


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## Yvonne G

My tortoise recipe varies because I feed different types of tortoise, but I generally start out with a base of:




Then I go outside with a bucket and scissors and cut some edible weeds:


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## Yvonne G

I add some mulberry leaves, pansies, ice plant and roses:







I also add holly hock and grass:


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## Yvonne G

For the babies I chop it all up into tiny pieces and I grate some cucumber, zucchini and carrot into it:







This morning I also had some collard greens to add:




If I'm feeding a fruit eater, I'll add fruit, and if I'm giving the Aldabrans their calcium pill this is how I do that:








and occasionally I'll add some romaine:


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## Pearly

Yvonne G said:


> I add some mulberry leaves, pansies, ice plant and roses:
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> View attachment 161811
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> 
> 
> I also add holly hock and grass:
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Love the pics with scissors!


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## Pearly

Yvonne G said:


> For the babies I chop it all up into tiny pieces and I grate some cucumber, zucchini and carrot into it:
> 
> View attachment 161828
> View attachment 161829
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> 
> This morning I also had some collard greens to add:
> 
> View attachment 161824
> 
> 
> If I'm feeding a fruit eater, I'll add fruit, and if I'm giving the Aldabrans their calcium pill this is how I do that:
> 
> View attachment 161826
> View attachment 161827
> View attachment 161832
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> 
> and occasionally I'll add some romaine:
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> View attachment 161834


Great visual! I need to figure out if and how to link some of those to the threads of newcomers from my iPhone which I tend to use most


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## Anyfoot

Yvonne G said:


> For the babies I chop it all up into tiny pieces and I grate some cucumber, zucchini and carrot into it:
> 
> View attachment 161828
> View attachment 161829
> View attachment 161830
> View attachment 161831
> 
> 
> This morning I also had some collard greens to add:
> 
> View attachment 161824
> 
> 
> If I'm feeding a fruit eater, I'll add fruit, and if I'm giving the Aldabrans their calcium pill this is how I do that:
> 
> View attachment 161826
> View attachment 161827
> View attachment 161832
> View attachment 161833
> View attachment 161825
> 
> 
> and occasionally I'll add some romaine:
> 
> View attachment 161834


Excellent posts Yvonne. I always enjoy seeing how you do things.
It's very reassuring when you see one of the experienced show how they do it.


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## Yvonne G

Pearly said:


> Love the pics with scissors!



Please note that at no time ever, did I run with scissors!!!!!


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## Odin's Gma

Today he got a mini-salad as a present for not pooping in the sink during his bath made of a selection of grasses, fresh and dried hibiscus leavs


Prairie Mom said:


> I don't really make recipes for my tortoise, but just try to feed her as many diverse and desirable tortoise foods as possible.
> 
> Her idea of dessert would consist mainly of flowers. Violets, Hibiscus, and Squash blossoms would be her version of an ICE CREAM SUNDAY
> 
> Here's an actual fun tortoise recipe that @Odin's Gma posted a while ago. She even made her own dressing...
> http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sully-salad-for-new-tort-owners-pic-heavy.132818/


Mine aren't really recipes either, like Yvonne, I just trim what needs trimming and throw it in a bowl until there is enough, and this year, with his voracious appetite and quickly increasing size, I started supplementing with spring mix. 

If Odin got to choose a sundae it would be squash and dandelion flowers with opuntia fruit.


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## Yvonne G

Pearly said:


> Great visual! I need to figure out if and how to link some of those to the threads of newcomers from my iPhone which I tend to use most



can you copy/paste on an iPhone? I copy/paste quite a few pictures from my Google image searches.


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## Cowboy_Ken

Pearly said:


> Great visual! I need to figure out if and how to link some of those to the threads of newcomers from my iPhone which I tend to use most


With an iPhone, tap the picture so it opens in a gallery type view. Scroll to the picture you want to copy. Top right hand of the view is a small square with an arrow pointing up. Tap this square and multiple selections pop up at the bottom asking what you'd like to do with the photo. One option is, "save to camera roll" choose this and now the picture will be part of your photo library for inserting in posts or threads, (with proper associate rights given). See if that works.


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## Cowboy_Ken

With an iPhone, tap the picture so it opens in a gallery type view. Scroll to the picture you want to copy. Top right hand of the view is a small square with an arrow pointing up.
View attachment 161852

Tap this square and multiple selections pop up at the bottom asking what you'd like to do with the photo. One option is, "save to camera roll" choose this
View attachment 161853

and now the picture will be part of your photo library for inserting in posts or threads, (with proper associate rights given).


Now with exciting pictorials to help…


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## dmmj

I don't really do anything fancy.


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## hingeback

Sometimes when I hand feed her, I will use choy sum to wrap the mushroom and some hibiscus petals.


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## Pearly

Cowboy_Ken said:


> With an iPhone, tap the picture so it opens in a gallery type view. Scroll to the picture you want to copy. Top right hand of the view is a small square with an arrow pointing up.
> View attachment 161852
> 
> Tap this square and multiple selections pop up at the bottom asking what you'd like to do with the photo. One option is, "save to camera roll" choose this
> View attachment 161853
> 
> and now the picture will be part of your photo library for inserting in posts or threads, (with proper associate rights given).
> View attachment 161854
> 
> Now with exciting pictorials to help…


Cowboy Ken! Good to see you again! Thanks for detailed instructions. They work perfectly for the pictures, I now just need to figure out how to link the whole thread or an article. Again, so happy to see you back here!


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## Prairie Mom

I came back just to gush over Yvonne's post again. It's so simply *CLEVER!*

I guess I want to add something to this thread.

In testing out preserving different foods this year, I experimented with chopping up and freezing garden vines that would normally be pulled and taken out at the end of the season. I chopped and flash froze a number of squash, zucchini squash, pumpkin, and cucumber vines and leaf stems.






I froze them on trays and then bagged them in freezer bags, so they wouldn't freeze together in a soggy clump, but rather pour out into the desired amount I want to thaw.




The chopped vines thaw so wonderfully. They hold their texture, but are a bit "juicier/watery" when thawed. My tortoise LOVES THEM and this is a fantastic preserved food source.


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## Prairie Mom

Here's an example of a Cold Climate Winter Meal made with ENTIRELY PRESERVED foods for my Sulcata...

-Go to the garage and fill my bucket with some lawn clippings and dried leaves

Leaves:
I dehydrated tons of leaves between layers of sheets in my kids' old kiddie pool. The completely dry leaves have been storing just fine in cardboard boxes and large garbage bags.




Grass:
Members in different climates are finding different easy methods for drying grass and weeds in their own areas. I found the easiest method for me was to simply fill lawn clippings in cheap mesh laundry bags and hang them in the garage, while giving them a good shake from time to time as they dry. I've kept them in the hanging mesh laundry bags all winter. No issues with mold or other problems in my area this way and I'll be reusing my cheap dollar-store bags next year.

-Pull out my frozen tortoise foods from the separate freezer I keep in the garage.

Here's a list of foods I have begun freezing:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/these-can-be-frozen-thawed-and-retain-good-texture.128563/




Pour out the frozen food I want to thaw and let it sit on the counter. Isn't this a nice looking mix of tortoise food?



Fill my dry grass/leaf bucket with warm water (sometimes I feed the leaves dry also)



_Then, I just let these sit on the counter while I feed our other family pets (cats, dog, aquariums, squirrel (s), scoop litter, get kids ready for school, feed family breakfast, and chauffer family members where they need to be. When I get home, my tortoise Mavis gets her beloved morning soak (morning in winter, before bed in Summer), and I clean any tortoise poop. We soak more than other members, just because our tortoise seems to really enjoy it.

Her food ends up sitting for about two hours in the morning while thawing and rehydrating._ _The routine works for us._



Rehydrated grass doesn't return to it's exact original texture, but it still turns pretty nice and tortoise welcoming. Frozen grass remains nearly unchanged. -Good stuff!

Dump out the water from the bucket, mix in the thawed frozen foods, and you have a super yummy, healthy, natural, diverse tortoise meal in the middle of a blizzard! Bon appetite!



(It takes longer to explain how and what I feed my tortoise during the winter than it does to actually feed her every day. Also the preservation methods that have worked for me are pretty easy and well worth any time I've put in. Next Spring and Summer, I intend to preserve at least double what I did this year and foresee no issues with space as I can cover my whole garage ceiling with hanging bags if necessary.  )


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## Pia B

going to try the dry grass clippings for next winter I got plenty of room in my outdoor building to hang the bags . looks like it hydrates very good .


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## Prairie Mom

You definitely should! I've been doing it for years. Won't rehydrate to completely normal texture, but my tort likes it.


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## lismar79

Wonderful idea with the mesh bags @Prairie Mom ! I have been wanting to do similar but am too paranoid about the bad weeds that do grow in my yard..... have you come across this concern at all?


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## Pia B

Prairie Mom said:


> You definitely should! I've been doing it for years. Won't rehydrate to completely normal texture, but my tort likes it.


I froze grasses and weeds for this winter and I can store more drying it too


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## Prairie Mom

lismar79 said:


> Wonderful idea with the mesh bags @Prairie Mom ! I have been wanting to do similar but am too paranoid about the bad weeds that do grow in my yard..... have you come across this concern at all?


I recognize most of my weeds so I know I'm okay. Oddly enough I do get the occasional genuine original deadly night shade! I say cut and dry your grass any way, because most stuff is tort safe, you can pick any bad stuff as you cut, and you can always double check before feeding the dry stuff to your tortoise.


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## Kristy1970

*Is this safe? - N**o-Till Cover Crop 13-Seed Mix (1 lb. Bag): [50% Clovers Plus Fenugreek, Vetch, Flax, Cowpeas, Buckwheat, Forage Peas, Millet, Lentils, Crimson Clover, Sweet Yellow, White Clover, Medium Red Clover]*


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## Kristy1970

Kristy1970 said:


> *Is this safe? - N**o-Till Cover Crop 13-Seed Mix (1 lb. Bag): [50% Clovers Plus Fenugreek, Vetch, Flax, Cowpeas, Buckwheat, Forage Peas, Millet, Lentils, Crimson Clover, Sweet Yellow, White Clover, Medium Red Clover]*


And what about this? 
Package of 4,000 Seeds, Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum) Open Pollinated Seeds by Seed Needs


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## Blackdog1714

This is better 
*Russian Tortoise Forage Mix Seeds Grow Tort & Herbivore Fodder Plot bin281 (288K Seeds, or 1 LB)*


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## phoenix988

My recipe is Timothy Hay / Orchard Hay + Zoomed Grassland Diet + Mazuri + Supplements and Calcium. Fresh Grass from the law.
I think that store food is ok with sulcata, red foot, and other Mediterranean tortoises, they are the easy ones to keep anyway.
But never Leopard tortoise, that food from the store may make leopard go diarrhea very easily.
For Leopard, it must be 90% grass and hay all times.


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## jeneliza

Yvonne G said:


> Please note that at no time ever, did I run with scissors!!!!!


Why not, that's the fun part,?


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## RaeLee

Pearly said:


> Great visual! I need to figure out if and how to link some of those to the threads of newcomers from my iPhone which I tend to use most


Thank you for the pictures. Awesome idea!


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