Many people soak tortoise 'chows' to make them easier to eat, more palatable, or to boost liquid intakes, but soaking dried foods also means that some of the nutrients will leach out into the water, reducing the benefits to the tortoise.
This is what it says on a bag of Mazuri Tortoise Diet:
Feeding Directions
ï‚· Feed approximately 2-4% of body weight. It is not necessary to moisten pellets with water.
ï‚· Feed consumption will vary with environmental temperatures.
ï‚· Feed with good quality grass hay. If desired, feed fresh fruits and vegetables
o At most 5% fruit and 20% vegetables by weight of total diet
ï‚· Always provide animal with plenty of fresh, clean water.
Besides, wet chows quickly become smelly messes and draw pests.
If your tortoise does not seem to eat whole pellets, try these tricks:
- Crush them up and sprinkle on foods.
- Break them up to smaller chunks.
- Mist the pellets, or dunk them just long enough to moisten the outer layer- that is often all they need to start to soften up.
- Remember that lots of us and other keepers use the pellets as is, and lots of tortoises eat them whole and dry. Yours can learn to do so too if you give it time and incentive.
This is what it says on a bag of Mazuri Tortoise Diet:
Feeding Directions
ï‚· Feed approximately 2-4% of body weight. It is not necessary to moisten pellets with water.
ï‚· Feed consumption will vary with environmental temperatures.
ï‚· Feed with good quality grass hay. If desired, feed fresh fruits and vegetables
o At most 5% fruit and 20% vegetables by weight of total diet
ï‚· Always provide animal with plenty of fresh, clean water.
Besides, wet chows quickly become smelly messes and draw pests.
If your tortoise does not seem to eat whole pellets, try these tricks:
- Crush them up and sprinkle on foods.
- Break them up to smaller chunks.
- Mist the pellets, or dunk them just long enough to moisten the outer layer- that is often all they need to start to soften up.
- Remember that lots of us and other keepers use the pellets as is, and lots of tortoises eat them whole and dry. Yours can learn to do so too if you give it time and incentive.