Does my tortoise need some other food?!

[Fe-2470]

I have a 5 year old hermanns tortoise and she only eats little gem lettuce and cucumber, she won’t touch anything else. Lately i have noticed her trying to eat rocks, chicken poo, worms and other insects, and my fingers. If i gave her the choice of fresh garden grown kale and a worm or some gravel she would not touch the kale and go straight for the other option.

Can she eat worms/other sources of meat?

 

[MPRC]

Your tortoise needs a more varied diet, even if she doesn't "like" it. Get to work finely chopping and hiding healthy foods in her current lacking diet. Be strong, keep trying.

 

[Fe-2470]

Okay i will, what foods shall i give her?

 

[NewTortEnthusiast]

Okay i will, what foods shall i give her?

Have any mulberry trees growing? or are there any in your area that you could pick leaves from? or ask a neighhor for some leaves. Mulberry leaves aren't the best or only thing you should feed your tortoise, but its a great starter for getting used to finding/collecting/and or purchasing your tortoise a healthier and more varied diet.

Aside from romaine lettuce (less now) and some weeds, my two little sulcatas love eating mulberry leaves now.

 

[daniellenc]

Research healthy weeds there are literally hundreds. Your tort is vitamin deficient and trying to get nutrients in the wrong way. Start by only mixing a bit of wild food in with greens she’ll eat. Chop it fine and keep it up. Also a mineral powder with calcium is needed. Expect a few days of refusing food but it is fine. Cucumber shouldn’t really be fed and lettuces like romaine have little calcium, vitamins, or minerals.

 

[NewTortEnthusiast]

Research healthy weeds there are literally hundreds. Your tort is vitamin deficient and trying to get nutrients in the wrong way. Start by only mixing a bit of wild food in with greens she’ll eat. Chop it fine and keep it up. Also a mineral powder with calcium is needed. Expect a few days of refusing food but it is fine. Cucumber shouldn’t really be fed and lettuces like romaine have little calcium, vitamins, or minerals.

What are your thoughts on asking neighbors if I may "collect" their weeds? I know for a fact a lot of my neighbors do nothing for their yard other than water it and mow it once in a blue moon. My parents kill everything that isnt grass. I'm tempted to ask if I can pull their weeds for free. Should I even mention my tortoises?

 

[daniellenc]

What are your thoughts on asking neighbors if I may "collect" their weeds? I know for a fact a lot of my neighbors do nothing for their yard other than water it and mow it once in a blue moon. My parents kill everything that isnt grass. I'm tempted to ask if I can pull their weeds for free. Should I even mention my tortoises?

I do!! I grow my own, scalp my neighbors with permission, and totally rob the woods by my house lol. Easiest way to provide variety and cheap. I also use Latin/Asian markets and local farmers markets. Winter is store greens but luckily I can get great variety and this year I’m dehydrating summer weeds and flowers.

 

[NewTortEnthusiast]

I do!! I grow my own, scalp my neighbors with permission, and totally rob the woods by my house lol. Easiest way to provide variety and cheap. I also use Latin/Asian markets and local farmers markets. Winter is store greens but luckily I can get great variety and this year I’m dehydrating summer weeds and flowers.

Thanks for your reply. I'll begin asking tomorrow.

 

[Yvonne G]

You can use endive, escarole, radicchio, turnip greens, dandelion greens - any of the dark, leafy greens. Chop it up into very small pieces, then grate some cucumber over it and mix it all up until the greens all taste and smell like cucumber. You can then eventually start backing off of the cucumber until you're not giving him any - but take time, a lot of time, months even. Buy a head or two of one of those I listed, then when that's gone, buy a head of something different. You don't have to use all of them at once.