Baby Sulcata Feeding

[Shua71]

Hey guys I have some questions on feeding a baby sulcata. I've read countless threads on here and all over the internet on what to feed them, but they're all pretty conflicting. What I mainly feed my tortoise are carrots and spineless cactus pads. She is about 3 months old now. I have a large bag of timothy hay which she does not touch and I know they're supposed to eat hay, but at the same time I know babies do not really prefer hay. I've just ordered 2 pounds of mazuri and I've heard some people say it is good and others say it is bad. What are your recommendations at this point? I ordered a two pack of cuttlebones as well and am planning on leaving it in its enclosure and allowing it to eat the cuttlebone whenever it wants.

I have an area outside where I place her on top of grass and I see her occasionally eat the grass, but I'm not sure if it is enough. Any help is greatly appreciated since I know how experienced you all are THank you

 

[rearlpettway]

Hey guys I have some questions on feeding a baby sulcata. I've read countless threads on here and all over the internet on what to feed them, but they're all pretty conflicting. What I mainly feed my tortoise are carrots and spineless cactus pads. She is about 3 months old now. I have a large bag of timothy hay which she does not touch and I know they're supposed to eat hay, but at the same time I know babies do not really prefer hay. I've just ordered 2 pounds of mazuri and I've heard some people say it is good and others say it is bad. What are your recommendations at this point? I ordered a two pack of cuttlebones as well and am planning on leaving it in its enclosure and allowing it to eat the cuttlebone whenever it wants.

I have an area outside where I place her on top of grass and I see her occasionally eat the grass, but I'm not sure if it is enough. Any help is greatly appreciated since I know how experienced you all are THank you

Here is how we got Kendall to eat hay when she was 1 month old.
1. We cut up Timothy hay and orchard hay with scissors into very small pieces.
2. Placed the chopped hay in a blender and blended until it is a powder.
3. Soaked the blended hay in water for 10 minutes.
4. Drained off the excess water.
5. Chopped up "Spring Mix" greens or any greens that you have available with scissors into very small pieces. Chop the greens as small as possible so that the Sulcata can't pick the greens out of the hay.
6. Mixed the chopped hay with the chopped "Spring Mix" greens or any greens that you have available. Mix very well.
7. Give it to your tortoise.
After about 2 weeks I put the soaked hay in the enclosure before I added the greens and Kendall ate the entire pile of hay. With that said, it works very well at getting a Sulcata to eat hay.


Sent from Rodney Earl Pettway's iPad using TortForum

 

[lismar79]

3 months is a little young for hay. Good that your introducing to her though. Grass should be a staple. Broad leaf weeds are good too. You will want a verity. I like mazuri but I only feed it to my baby twice a week. Here is a good care sheet for you.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[Tom]

Here is my sulcata feeding suggestion thread:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/


Carrots are not good to feed them. A little bit mixed in once in a while is okay, but not as a regular item. Same with cactus pads. Great food, but not every day. Once or twice a week tops in my opinion.

Grass, certain weeds and leaves are what you should be feeding daily.

 

[blu rodriguez]

I give my baby sulcata romain lettuce daily and take him outside on the grass for about an hour he seems to be happy.

 

[Tom]

I give my baby sulcata romain lettuce daily and take him outside on the grass for about an hour he seems to be happy.

Welcome to the forum blu.

Romaine is not a good staple food. A little bit mixed in with other stuff once in a while is fine, but the main diet should be the things listed above. Romaine is lacking in fiber and nutrition and will eventually cause problems. Grass and weeds should be the main part of the diet, and your little one also needs to be in a dedicated safe enclosure when outside.

Please read the two threads linked above and this one too:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[Shua71]

Thank you guys for the tips and suggestions. I will try to get her to eat hay somehow.

What are your opinions on mazuri?

Also have your babies all eaten cuttlebones?

 

[Tom]

I would not bother with hay for a baby. I don't usually introduce dry hay until they are 6"+, and even then I just feed them on a bed of it. I prefer real grass and this is easy to provide for a single baby in a number of ways in any climate.

Mazuri is a great part of a varied diet. I offer it once or twice a week. It can be a good way to get them to eat other greens too.

Most of my babies ignore cuttle bone, but offer it anyway. It might sit untouched for months, and then one day they mack it down. I suspect that because I supplement with calcium powder, mine don't feel the need to munch on cuttle bones until they are older and the calcium requirements really ramp up with their growth spurts.

 

[Shua71]

Thank you Tom for all the help and advice. His diet will be mainly a staple of fresh grass and mazuri with variety as treats

 

[Yvonne G]

I always chop up some mulberry and grape leaves along with any weeds that I can find on my property - prickly lettuce, dandelion, etc. I usually add in some radicchio, endive and escarole and then I grate a bit of zucchini into the mixture. I chop it up pretty small when they are tiny babies, and as they grow, I leave the pieces bigger and bigger.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I feed about the same as Yvonne. I don't even try feeding hay. I feed babies mostly what Yvonne wrote and I add Rose of Sharon in season. Mostly grasses and weeds. I cut my lawn with scissors for the babies daily. Every morning I go out with my trusty scissors and cut grass and weeds and leaves for my torts.I have a 5 year old who still won't eat hay, however, he eats all the weeds and flowers I throw his way, but my 7 yr old Hermanni loves hay and Bob has a pile of free feed hay he eats daily.
But babies don't like it and I gave up years ago on that. I feed like Yvonne does. One thing...I don't feed Mazuri to hatchlings as in MY experience, they lock onto the molasses that's so sweet and they get hooked on Mazuri and won't eat greens, so watch for that. But, that's just me