Feeding situation recommendations?

[VanderTort]

I'm new. All of what I know so far has come from other people's experiences. I have read many discussions/recommendations on what a redfoot diet should be. I thought I was at least somewhat prepared to get started, learn some reliable favorites, and then expand from there, adding more and more variety as I learn and progress. That was my plan.

We've now had Milo for 3 weeks and I still feel like I'm on day 1 in the food department. He's a picky boy. But not with high standards. He just wants only the things that he can only have a little bit of. If its green or fresh- no thank you.

Milo came with an assortment of dried and pelleted foods, a pkg of spring mix, and a container of fruit. So I started with that assuming that's what he was used to and I fed him a varied mix from this assortment every day.
After 3 weeks (and a refresh on the produce) I have learned that he has no problem eating Mazuri, Fluker's Buffet Blend pellet food, and some rehydrated dehydrated tortoise food toppers. I have only given him these in small amounts, thoroughly mixing in to a leafy "salad", and only once every 2 or 3 days. He won't eat on the days without pellet food, even if hes hungry. He'll come over and stand over his food dish, hanging his head over it , multiple times throughout the day. And never bite. On the days with any pellet food, he skillfully eats just the pellet mash, no matter how mashed up, mixed in, pressed on leaves and rolled up it is.

Here is what he WILL eat, besides pellets: mushrooms, shrimp, egg, banana (gonna try mango tomorrow)
Wont eat, even with pellets: spring mix, dandelion leaves, mallow, zucchini, raspberry, melon, grass, Arcadia's Optimized52.

So, with a situation like this, and one that's still pretty new, should I just settle for giving him a pellet diet every day? Or pellets mixed/topped with a green or fruit, but stop trying so hard?

I want to figure something out at least for winter. And I can try again once we know each other better and/or when springtime rolls around and backyard pickings will be available.

Any thoughts/ideas/suggestions?

 

[mojo_1]

You have to kind of force them to eat the things they don't like sometimes. The preferred pellets that I use are the Mazuri pellets. I feed the appropriate amount per weight of tortoise two times a week. I soften the pellets in warm water then thoroughly mix them in the greens making it to wear the tortoise has to eat the greens to get the goods. On non pellet days
You can mix in small amounts of new foods. You're introducing with the ones he already eats. If he absolutely won't eat greens, you need to put that in his enclosure and nothing else. He will eventually eat it because tortoises are naturally programmed for self-preservation. They will not let themselves starve to death.

Amazon.com

 

[VanderTort]

Ya it's super mixed in together. Earlier this week i tried a slightly soupy mix of optimized52 with a few mazuri pellets thoroughly smashed up and mixed in. He was upset the entire day bc he could smell the goods but couldnt find them to pick them out. He did not eat that day.
And today I smeared 1 mazuri pellet on each leaf I was giving him. Smeared and rolled and ripped like a mini leafy-mazuri sushi roll, lol. He pulled things apart and expertly picked off little tiny pieces of mazuri. He did get a few bites of greens, but not much and he clearly knew when he has "messed up".

I'm just not sure if I should just feed a rotation of different pellets for the winter, keep trying to trick him, or give him tough love and only greens and fruit for a few weeks, no pellets at all (and protein 1x weekly)?

 

[longevity]

Have you tried blending the vegetables until they’re very fine, so the pieces are tiny and he can’t pick them out? After that, mix them again with Mazuri or whatever food he likes.

Start with a small amount of vegetables just for introduction, then slowly increase the portion as he gets used to the taste.

 

[mojo_1]

I say tough love time.

 

[TammyJ]

You have to kind of force them to eat the things they don't like sometimes. The preferred pellets that I use are the Mazuri pellets. I feed the appropriate amount per weight of tortoise two times a week. I soften the pellets in warm water then thoroughly mix them in the greens making it to wear the tortoise has to eat the greens to get the goods. On non pellet days
You can mix in small amounts of new foods. You're introducing with the ones he already eats. If he absolutely won't eat greens, you need to put that in his enclosure and nothing else. He will eventually eat it because tortoises are naturally programmed for self-preservation. They will not let themselves starve to death.

Amazon.com

View attachment 396863

This is great advice!
By the way, it occurs to me that you are correct that tortoises are "naturally programmed for self preservation", and in fact, perhaps human beings are the only animals who appear to be trying to reverse that natural programming!
Gratered raw pumpkin, pumpkin flowers and leaves are good, also opuntia cactus.