Baby Russian Suddenly Picky

samta23

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Hi everyone,

I got Yoshi about a month ago on 5/17. He was 22g when I got him. I'm not quite sure of his age but he still had an egg tooth at 5/30 so he must only have been a month or so old when I got him. He gained about 3g every week until 6/6 and clocked in at 30g. He was a pretty good eater and I had him on spring mix, dandelion greens, kale and I mixed some moistened mazuri once every week. Since 6/6, it seems he's becoming picky when it comes to eating. He only eats certain leaves from the spring mix. He won't touch the dandelion green, and he won't touch collar greens or mustard greens. His weight has stalled at 30g since 6/6 but fortunately haven't lost any weight. His setup conditions are exactly what Tom has described in his russian tortoise care sheet. 100-105 at the basking spot, 80 in warm and about 76 at cool end with a humid hide near the basking spot. Humidity is around 60-70 in his enclosure depending on how much mist I give it. I use a MVB with a solarmeter reading of about 1.5 at his carapace height under the basking spot. His substrate is coco coir.

I soak him daily for about 30 minutes in the morning where he usually poops and pees. He's still pooping everyday, his eyes are clear, and seems pretty healthy with no visible signs of sickness. He does sleep a lot but I think that's just him being a baby.

Is he sick or just being picky? Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

Sam
 

wellington

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Sounds like he found his favorite and is sticking too it. Try some different greens as big a variety as possible and cut back on the spring mix until he starts eating some of the better stuff.
Endive, riddichio, mustard and collard greens, just too name a few.
 

samta23

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Sounds like he found his favorite and is sticking too it. Try some different greens as big a variety as possible and cut back on the spring mix until he starts eating some of the better stuff.
Endive, riddichio, mustard and collard greens, just too name a few.
Thanks for the response. I have tried mustard, collard and endives. I have also tried some cactus which he does eat. So sounds like I just need to show some tough love?
 

wellington

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Thanks for the response. I have tried mustard, collard and endives. I have also tried some cactus which he does eat. So sounds like I just need to show some tough love?
It does sound like it. However, we want babies to always eat. So take his favorite foods and chop it up fine along with some of his non fave. Spritz with water so it sticks together. If he wants his fave he has to eat the other too. Slowly use less and less of his fave until he is happily eating the other things.
 

samta23

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It does sound like it. However, we want babies to always eat. So take his favorite foods and chop it up fine along with some of his non fave. Spritz with water so it sticks together. If he wants his fave he has to eat the other too. Slowly use less and less of his fave until he is happily eating the other things.
Yes, I've been chopping up the favorites along with some of the others he doesn't like. He doesn't touch the chopped food though.
 

samta23

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It does sound like it. However, we want babies to always eat. So take his favorite foods and chop it up fine along with some of his non fave. Spritz with water so it sticks together. If he wants his fave he has to eat the other too. Slowly use less and less of his fave until he is happily eating the other things.
He used to touch the chopped food method but somehow stopped. Maybe I just need to stick with the chopped method a few days and he might eventually give in and eat it.
 

daniellenc

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Just stick with it. Yoshi won’t starve so start out with what he likes and slowly mix in other foods. They go through spells but if his conditions are right he’ll get hungry and relent.
 

wellington

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He used to touch the chopped food method but somehow stopped. Maybe I just need to stick with the chopped method a few days and he might eventually give in and eat it.
Stick with it but you don't want a baby going too long without eating. An adult not a problem. Add more of the favorites too start out and slowly decrease the fave adding more of the not so fave. Do it slowly over days/weeks
 
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