Baby Indian Star Tortoise

Rahul15

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Hey I got Baby Indian Star Tortoise last week....he is 2.3inches I thk he is 4/5mths old
At start for 2days I gave him lettuce...now he only eats lettuce ignores all the greens veggies and tomato
I thk he is addicted to Lettuce... Pls suggest smthg
I don't want him to get some disease or improper diet
 

Jodie

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Add a little of the good stuff to the lettuce. Chop it all up really small so he eats it by accident. Increase the good stuff, and decrease the lettuce each day. Don't give more lettuce if he picks it out.
 

Jodie

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Check out the care guides for information on the correct diet. Tomatoes and veggies are not good choices. I believe the diet is very similar to leopards.
 

Rahul15

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I have given him grass n leaves too...he just is too smart he only eats lettuce from all the mix...he won't eat lettuce which is struck with another green...
I donno what to do..
 

Jodie

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Hear this fairly often. If chopping it really small and mixing it well doesn't work, tough love will. They are just like children. If candy is available they won't eat real food. When they get hungry though they will eat. Keep offering the good stuff. He will eat it.
 

Rahul15

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How many days will be stay without food? I have kept ladyfinger fenugreek coriandar in front of him since yesterday he hasn't touched it... Wen I change the food plate he comes n smells, then will move away....
Will he eat n overcome addiction or he will continue starving?
 

Jodie

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He will eat. Try lots of different things. I would give him a fresh mix every day of really good stuff. Double check your temps and the diet sheet. make sure there are no other issues causing him to not eat.
 

Rahul15

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Temperature shouldn't be a issue bcos I'm in India....
I'm giving him all fresh greens n veggies he wud just smell and won't eat....
I don't want anything happening to him....
 

hollandop

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My stars are quite picky as well. They only like organic radicchio and for the longest time would only eat that as well. Over time I chopped some dandelions and other mixed greens and finely chopped it all in a mixture and they eventually started eating all of the assortment. I also put some squash with the mixture.
It took some time but they adjusted.
 

RickyGoldsmith

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So are mine. All they like to munch is Lady Finger. And some times, cucumber. A year ago they used to eat coriander too. But not now.
 

franz_see

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I have given him grass n leaves too...he just is too smart he only eats lettuce from all the mix...he won't eat lettuce which is struck with another green...
I donno what to do..

This is how i trained my stars to eat grass and mazuri :)


Also, if their diet is not mainly grass, be sure to soak them daily with warm water. Stones can easily build up with a non-grass diet and soaking helps them release it (while still powdery/small) :)

Temperature shouldn't be a issue bcos I'm in India....
I'm giving him all fresh greens n veggies he wud just smell and won't eat....
I don't want anything happening to him....

It might still be especially if your tortoise is in an enclosure or inside your house. An enclosure or house's micro-climate is different from that of a country's overall climate :) Just ensure that there's a cold spot (28c) and a host spot (35c) in his enclosure (or wherever he is). As a reptile, he needs to be able to thermoregulate using his surroundings - i.e. he needs to be able to cool down if he feels warm and warm up if he feels cold. That would allow himself to make sure he's healthy and prevent sickness :)
 
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Rahul15

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I kept all the greens n grass available here chopped it all together...
He ate some ivy gourd and yesterday some tomato...
He doesn't eat coriander, deli, hibiscus, and other veggies...
So u thk I shud keep him with the chops greens bcos somewhere I have read that tortoise should pe kept in dry n clean place...
He doesn't eat leafy greens...and yes I soak him everyday for 15mins in warm water
 

franz_see

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I kept all the greens n grass available here chopped it all together...
He ate some ivy gourd and yesterday some tomato...
He doesn't eat coriander, deli, hibiscus, and other veggies...
So u thk I shud keep him with the chops greens bcos somewhere I have read that tortoise should pe kept in dry n clean place...
He doesn't eat leafy greens...and yes I soak him everyday for 15mins in warm water

Actually, their diet should be mainly grass - http://startortoises.net/diet.html

So if you have access to grass, i recommend you feed him 90% grass. If not, i recommend you soak daily (like what you're doing right now) so that he can expel urates or excess nutrients immediately.

Regarding keeping them dry :
Not quite. Because their natural habitat is dry, they can survive going without waters for days. However, if water is available, I bet you a thirsty indian star would dip its head in for a few seconds to drink up :) And i wouldn't be surprised if it takes a little dip :)

Also, tortoises can be tolerant of high humidity as long as temperatures are maintained to be at least about 27c. Of course, that's the cool side. You also need a hot side of about 35c so that it can thermoregulate :)

Re eating grass:
You can train him to eat grass :) if you give nothing but grass, he will eventually eat it :) Of course, if you find it difficult to apply tough love, i dont recommend giving grass then watching him and waiting for him to eat the grass. Doing that for 15minutes may feel like eternity to you :) Instead, i recommend you give grass, then you just walk away :) Then come back after an hour or so to see whether he has eaten it. Even if he doesnt eat it within 24hrs, he'd still survive :)
 

Rahul15

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I have done the tough love thg....kept grass n some hibiscus leaves and went away for few hrs...came back to see...he din even eat anythg...den next day I mixed some chopped lettuce with grass n leaves, he ate only pieces of lettuce....tho he was hungry still didn't eat grass
 

SarahChelonoidis

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I have done the tough love thg....kept grass n some hibiscus leaves and went away for few hrs...came back to see...he din even eat anythg...den next day I mixed some chopped lettuce with grass n leaves, he ate only pieces of lettuce....tho he was hungry still didn't eat grass

Tough love isn't done over hours, it's done over days. A healthy animal won't starve itself.
 

shanu303

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And one more thg...his plastron is not flat? Is that normal?
plastrons can be slightly concave in males which is sexual dimorphism in tortoises but the size of your star is small for the concaveness to be distinctly visible.... can you post a photo of the plastron?
 

Rahul15

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This is his plastron....the lower end is not that flat
 

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Rahul15

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and this is my tortoise....now he eats other greens n veggies other than lettuce
 

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shanu303

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This is his plastron....the lower end is not that flat
thats a perfectly heathy looking plastron. It is hard to predict if it is male or female, but that's a healthy looking star you got there.

In the second photo there are white lines at the junctions of scutes on carapace which signal healthy growth.... just make sure to vet the shell 1-2 times a day to provide moisture.... in winters reduce the frequency and use warm water(lukewarm)
 

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