Cleopatra 2020
Well-Known Member
just wondering if anybody had an accurate list of weeds plants and flowers that leopard tortoises can eat or can't eat thanks in advance
Eating do's and don'ts '
- Thread starter Cleopatra 2020
- Start date
ZenHerper
Well-Known Member
The African subforum:
www.tortoiseforum.org
With youngsters, the rule is to introduce small amounts of new foods at a time so the digestive system can become acquainted with it over time.
African Tortoises
www.tortoiseforum.org
With youngsters, the rule is to introduce small amounts of new foods at a time so the digestive system can become acquainted with it over time.
Cleopatra 2020
Well-Known Member
what's considered a small amount? Less than a marble?The African subforum:
African Tortoises
With youngsters, the rule is to introduce small amounts of new foods at a time so the digestive system can become acquainted with it over time.
So by small amount do you mean like the size of a marble or like the size of a pea?The African subforum:
African Tortoises
With youngsters, the rule is to introduce small amounts of new foods at a time so the digestive system can become acquainted with it over time.
ZenHerper
Well-Known Member
I would say, for a new food, about the size of the tort's head (as part of a daily portion that roughly fills the area of the tort's shell).
This is not a bad general rule for all foods that are more treats than staples.
This is not a bad general rule for all foods that are more treats than staples.
Cleopatra 2020
Well-Known Member
don't mean to change the subject on you but do her eyes look okay to you they looked a little puffy to me not sure if it's from soaking or what
Skip the text and scroll down to the food list:
For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...
Over and over I type up and answer diet questions and try to get people feeding the right stuff, but I find that the "norm" is grocery store food. Grocery store food is expensive, a hassle to obtain, and very low on the list of what is best for sulcatas. These tortoises are GRASS eaters. From...
tortoiseforum.org
Tortoises are creatures of habit. They eat what they've eaten before. They don't usually see new foods as food. Kind of like when you go to a foreign country. Ever had kimchee placed in front of you? How about fish eyeballs? A sought after delicacy in some parts of the world, but try to get a typical American to eat a bowl of that! Some times our tortoises surprise us, but usually new stuff has to be slowly introduced. I like to mince up new stuff super fine and then mix in a tiny tiny amount with an old favorite, like lettuce or spring mix. When I say a tiny amount, I mean like less then 5 percent. When I say mix in, I mean wet the greens and thoroughly mix it all up together so that the tiny pieces of the new stuff are stuff to the leaves of the old favorite. Maybe make the new food item only one percent of the pile the first few times. Often this will make them refuse the food entirely. Ok. If they choose not to eat, that is their deal. They will usually nibble on it by the end of the day. Soak them, and try again the next day. A tortoise that has been eating well will not starve in a few days. A hungry tortoise is not a picky tortoise. Eventually hunger wins, and over time they get used to the taste, texture and smell of all the new stuff. Its much easier if the breeder introduces all these new foods in the first few days and weeks after hatching, but most don't. Since they don't know what "food" is when they hatch, my babies learn that everything green is food. At many breeder's facilities, they learn that romaine and spring mix are food, but what the heck is all this other stuff you keep putting in their food? It takes time, but you can eventually get them eating almost anything.
It's hard to tell about the eyes from the angle of that picture. They look ok from that angle.
If you want to introduce weeds, for example, pick one leaf from several weeds, then wash them and place them on the cutting board. Take your knife and chop them up into as small pieces as is possible. Then chop up what you normally feed, but you don't need to chop this as small as the weeds. Place it all in a bowl and stir it up until it's so mixed together it would be impossible for him to pick and choose. You might even have to add a few drops of water to make it all stick together. If the weeds you've chosen have a very strong scent, then use something they really like to mix them with, like romaine.
If you want to introduce weeds, for example, pick one leaf from several weeds, then wash them and place them on the cutting board. Take your knife and chop them up into as small pieces as is possible. Then chop up what you normally feed, but you don't need to chop this as small as the weeds. Place it all in a bowl and stir it up until it's so mixed together it would be impossible for him to pick and choose. You might even have to add a few drops of water to make it all stick together. If the weeds you've chosen have a very strong scent, then use something they really like to mix them with, like romaine.
jeneliza
Well-Known Member
How about dragon fruit, and aloe leaf? Seen these in the store yesterday and I never seen it before, but it looks like something my redfoot would love
Cleopatra 2020
Well-Known Member
she's a little pig and will eat almost everything I put in front of her she doesn't really care for mazuri too much.... I must mostly feed her collards, grape leaves, weeds, and she's an absolute nut over Cactus padsSkip the text and scroll down to the food list:
For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...
Over and over I type up and answer diet questions and try to get people feeding the right stuff, but I find that the "norm" is grocery store food. Grocery store food is expensive, a hassle to obtain, and very low on the list of what is best for sulcatas. These tortoises are GRASS eaters. From...
Tortoises are creatures of habit. They eat what they've eaten before. They don't usually see new foods as food. Kind of like when you go to a foreign country. Ever had kimchee placed in front of you? How about fish eyeballs? A sought after delicacy in some parts of the world, but try to get a typical American to eat a bowl of that! Some times our tortoises surprise us, but usually new stuff has to be slowly introduced. I like to mince up new stuff super fine and then mix in a tiny tiny amount with an old favorite, like lettuce or spring mix. When I say a tiny amount, I mean like less then 5 percent. When I say mix in, I mean wet the greens and thoroughly mix it all up together so that the tiny pieces of the new stuff are stuff to the leaves of the old favorite. Maybe make the new food item only one percent of the pile the first few times. Often this will make them refuse the food entirely. Ok. If they choose not to eat, that is their deal. They will usually nibble on it by the end of the day. Soak them, and try again the next day. A tortoise that has been eating well will not starve in a few days. A hungry tortoise is not a picky tortoise. Eventually hunger wins, and over time they get used to the taste, texture and smell of all the new stuff. Its much easier if the breeder introduces all these new foods in the first few days and weeks after hatching, but most don't. Since they don't know what "food" is when they hatch, my babies learn that everything green is food. At many breeder's facilities, they learn that romaine and spring mix are food, but what the heck is all this other stuff you keep putting in their food? It takes time, but you can eventually get them eating almost anything.
L
LasTortugasNinja
Guest
All tortoises love Aloe. Dragon fruit is from a cactus. Wash really REALLY good, because these are often soaked in preservatives or human-safe pesticides.
jeneliza
Well-Known Member
Thank you ?
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