I think my tortoise has ARFID

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

So my tortoise, Sunny, is an EXTREMELY picky eater and I don't know what to do about it. Is there such thing as ARFID (Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder) for tortoises? He just won't eat anything except for Mazuri pellets and dandelions (only the flower might I add). He won't eat his greens at all. I have been growing testudo seed mix for over a year and he won't eat any of it. He won't eat store bought greens. The only way he will eat them is if I trick him; I'll put a leaf under the pellet and sometimes it works. Most times it doesn't work, he is so smart and will just move his face away. Or use his arm to push the leaf away. As you can see in the photo below, the testudo mix has grown a lot. So I was wondering if it's just too tall or something? But even when I cut the leaves off and put it in his plate, he still avoids them compeltely. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[Yvonne G]

O-o-o!! Watch out for that killer feline!! He:s gonna gobble that tortoise up!

Most edible plants don't taste so good when they get bigger. It's best to keep them cut back. Try laying off on the Mazuri for a while. If he gets hungry enough hopefully he'll give the greenery a try - but cut it back so there's new growth at tortoise level.

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

O-o-o!! Watch out for that killer feline!! He:s gonna gobble that tortoise up!

Most edible plants don't taste so good when they get bigger. It's best to keep them cut back. Try laying off on the Mazuri for a while. If he gets hungry enough hopefully he'll give the greenery a try - but cut it back so there's new growth at tortoise level.

Thank you! Kitty can't access Sunny through the chicken wire

I'll try cutting them back and see if he gets interested. Should I lay off the Mazuri completely? I just get worried that he will choose to starve because he is that picky

 

[RandyTortoise]

Thank you! Kitty can't access Sunny through the chicken wire

I'll try cutting them back and see if he gets interested. Should I lay off the Mazuri completely? I just get worried that he will choose to starve because he is that picky

All you can do is to chop up the food you want him to eat and slowly mix it with his favorites and slowly increase the mix over time. It takes time but it will work. If he doesn’t eat, don’t worry he won’t starve to death. He will eat.
That having been said while mizuri is a great food, at least he likes a great nutritious food!

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

All you can do is to chop up the food you want him to eat and slowly mix it with his favorites and slowly increase the mix over time. It takes time but it will work. If he doesn’t eat, don’t worry he won’t starve to death. He will eat.
That having been said while mizuri is a great food, at least he likes a great nutritious food!

Thank you! I'll try that. I've tried it before but he literally went on a food strike and refused to eat anything. I gave in and started just giving him pellets again because I got nervous. He used to be great at eating his greens and ate so much! But then he stopped once we started giving him mazuri. I saw on here that torts love it, so I wanted it as a little snack for him but now that's all he wants!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I wonder if he’d like something like this? Such a great way to get variety in and a lot of tortoise relish it

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

I wonder if he’d like something like this? Such a great way to get variety in and a lot of tortoise relish it
View attachment 391793

Is this a replacement for fresh greens or just a supplement? I'd be interested in trying it but my desire is for him to eat from the garden since it's free

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Is this a replacement for fresh greens or just a supplement? I'd be interested in trying it but my desire is for him to eat from the garden since it's free

I’d say it’s more of an addition, but would still provide a nice balanced diet if he continues to refuse most fresh greens, though I feel like chopping the fresh stuff really small and mixing into this might entice him, you soak each cube in water(quantities on packaging) and it makes a mushy stringy grass texture, perhaps the mushiness of it might remind him of his Mazuri

lol yeah I get you, the downside to this stuff is it’s quite expensive, though it does last a while in our experience, a small cube expands to a decent size.

I do hope he starts broadening his appetite for you

 

[RandyTortoise]

I’d say it’s more of an addition, but would still provide a nice balanced diet if he continues to refuse most fresh greens, though I feel like chopping the fresh stuff really small and mixing into this might entice him, you soak each cube in water(quantities on packaging) and it makes a mushy stringy grass texture, perhaps the mushiness of it might remind him of his Mazuri

lol yeah I get you, the downside to this stuff is it’s quite expensive, though it does last a while in our experience, a small cube expands to a decent size.

I do hope he starts broadening his appetite for you

I’m can’t get my leopards to eat mazuri but the do eat the optimized 52 mixed with their greens and cactus. They do like it but it took some time. It is essentially dried grasses, hay and flowers and stuff. It really expands in water.
This winter I will work on getting my torts to eat both as I think the Mazuri is more cost effective maybe.

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

I’d say it’s more of an addition, but would still provide a nice balanced diet if he continues to refuse most fresh greens, though I feel like chopping the fresh stuff really small and mixing into this might entice him, you soak each cube in water(quantities on packaging) and it makes a mushy stringy grass texture, perhaps the mushiness of it might remind him of his Mazuri

lol yeah I get you, the downside to this stuff is it’s quite expensive, though it does last a while in our experience, a small cube expands to a decent size.

I do hope he starts broadening his appetite for you

That makes sense! It sounds like it'll be worth a try he definitely like the mushy texture haha

Good to know that it lasts a while! That helps! I also hope he does, it's just like man, you get all these fresh beautiful green and you just stick your nose up at it! Haha he is so funny. I just want him to be healthy, so I figured folx on here could steer me in the right direction!

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

I’m can’t get my leopards to eat mazuri but the do eat the optimized 52 mixed with their greens and cactus. They do like it but it took some time. It is essentially dried grasses, hay and flowers and stuff. It really expands in water.
This winter I will work on getting my torts to eat both as I think the Mazuri is more cost effective maybe.

Mazuri's price point isn't too bad and it lasts a while. It is definitely nice to have in the winter. I live in Indianapolis, so the winter definitely kills the testudo mix but they grow back every year which is cool! I just wish I could get sunny to eat it!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

There are a lot of "picky" tortoises, so I am sure you will get a lot of advice!

 

[RandyTortoise]

There are a lot of "picky" tortoises, so I am sure you will get a lot of advice!

They will never starve themselves to death.

 

[Mitchie_and_Sunny_27]

There are a lot of "picky" tortoises, so I am sure you will get a lot of advice!

Thank you! Its just so weird because he didn't used to be this way. Mazuri is the culprit I think I don't know if that's necessarily "bad"?

 

[RandyTortoise]

Thank you! Its just so weird because he didn't used to be this way. Mazuri is the culprit I think I don't know if that's necessarily "bad"?

Not really. Give pizza to your four year old for a week and see if he will eat a salad.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Thank you! Its just so weird because he didn't used to be this way. Mazuri is the culprit I think I don't know if that's necessarily "bad"?

Sounds like normal tortoise behaviour, especially the old Mazuri formula is "addicting".