food lack of .

[mulelady]

ok guys I am not a newbie I have been reading this forum for sometime now I am a reader not a poster . but I am getting concern about lettuce for my sulcate it is a mad house here I almost could not fine any . he gets hay from the tsc store and I have some grass hay pellets from tortoise supply which he adores. what are all of you guys doing bye the way he is about 6 years and in the house right now I live in ky. he has his own room. lucky he dose not need toilet paper.

 

[Pointydog]

I'm glad outdoor weeds have really started growing fast here in WV. I am able to forage for my redfoot tortoises again and don't have to worry about finding appropriate foods at the grocery or farmers' market.
I don't have sulcata, so I don't know if you can do the same, but grass is growing fast too. Perhaps you can scissor off fresh grass to replace the lettuce you can't get right now?

 

[mulelady]

I'm glad outdoor weeds have really started growing fast here in WV. I am able to forage for my redfoot tortoises again and don't have to worry about finding appropriate foods at the grocery or farmers' market.
I don't have sulcata, so I don't know if you can do the same, but grass is growing fast too. Perhaps you can scissor off fresh grass to replace the lettuce you can't get right now?

I was thinking about that I have a patch of grass growing I wish it would stop raining I was hoping the dandelion would start growing . thanks.

 

[1289Gabe]

I was thinking about that I have a patch of grass growing I wish it would stop raining I was hoping the dandelion would start growing . thanks.

I feed my leopard some weeds that grow in the cracks of my pavement. He LOVES them.

 

[Tom]

I typed up this thread just for you!

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

Best to stay out of the grocery store.

 

[mulelady]

thanks tom I will have to walk the pasture to see what I can fine I have 2 donkeys that eat a lot of weeds .it is only in the winter that he gets store bought greens. his main diet is Hay this was a bad year for hay the quality was not good.

 

[Unkapunka]

I live in Kansas and the clover is up. Thats what i have been using.

 

[1289Gabe]

I live in Kansas and the clover is up. Thats what i have been using.

Yah, they love that. What species?

 

[Unkapunka]

I don't have a clue. The three- leave kind

 

[queen koopa]

ok guys I am not a newbie I have been reading this forum for sometime now I am a reader not a poster . but I am getting concern about lettuce for my sulcate it is a mad house here I almost could not fine any . he gets hay from the tsc store and I have some grass hay pellets from tortoise supply which he adores. what are all of you guys doing bye the way he is about 6 years and in the house right now I live in ky. he has his own room. lucky he dose not need toilet paper.

I’ve been ordering spineless opuntia cactus on amazon for 9 months now with now issues, but its not cheap for our big eaters. 2 fo $8. My 6yr Sulcata doesn’t eat hay by itself. I’ve had to boil butts of asparagus or a bit if carrot and mash it into hay. Also soaking mazzuri tortoise pellets and mixing in hay work. We have a certain amount of weeds year round, but the rain came a couple weeks ago and I’m picking tons of weeds and Bermuda every day for her. She’s 34 pounds and growing.

 

[Randy Micheals]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006ZQJEZA/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

These arrived in pretty healthy conditions for me, a bit of brown on one but no big deal. I planted one and it took off. 6lbs for 20ish dollars.

 

[Tom]

I don't have a clue. The three- leave kind

Are you sure it isn't oxalis? You should look this up. Too much oxalis, could be a problem. For that matter, too much clover will be problem due to the protein levels. Be sure to soak a a lot more than normal with elevated protein intake.

 

[Tom]

I’ve been ordering spineless opuntia cactus on amazon for 9 months now with now issues, but its not cheap for our big eaters. 2 fo $8. My 6yr Sulcata doesn’t eat hay by itself. I’ve had to boil butts of asparagus or a bit if carrot and mash it into hay. Also soaking mazzuri tortoise pellets and mixing in hay work. We have a certain amount of weeds year round, but the rain came a couple weeks ago and I’m picking tons of weeds and Bermuda every day for her. She’s 34 pounds and growing.

What type of hay are you using, and how long have you been trying to introduce it?

Here are some things that have worked for me:
1. I grab a handful of the hay and chop it into a 5 gallon bucket. I only use a little bit the first few times and chop it up very small. Then soak the hay in warm water for an hour or more. Then I grab the hay out of the water and mix it all up with favorite foods like Mazuri or a chopped up head of romaine. I mix it up so their is no way to eat around the little grass pieces that are stuck to the food. Over time add more and more grass, and chop it less and less. In time, I also stop soaking it.
2. My usual method, when I'm in no hurry, is to start feeding every meal on a bed of the grass hay. I get a large tray, like the type at fast food restaurants, and lay out a thick layer of Bermuda or orchard grass hay. I put whatever their food of the day is on the bed of hay. Within a week or two, they usually start eating the hay on their own. Sometimes, I'll sprinkle some of the hay on top of the food pile too.

I find either method works best with Bermuda grass hay or orchard grass hay. Timothy is too stemmy.

 

[1289Gabe]

I don't have a clue. The three- leave kind

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I meant what species tortoise.

 

[mulelady]

I have been using meadow hay it is for rabbits comes in a big bag but it is pricey. I did go out in my field rain coat on pair of scissors in hand and a pail cut grass and added it to his hay he enjoy it.

 

[Yvonne G]

If this food shortage continues on for very long I plan to buy a bale of orchard grass hay at my local feed store, and a couple bags of Mazuri Tortoise Diet. Hopefully that will tide them all over until I can get their produce once again, or until I can let them all outside to graze.

 

[queen koopa]

What type of hay are you using, and how long have you been trying to introduce it?

Here are some things that have worked for me:
1. I grab a handful of the hay and chop it into a 5 gallon bucket. I only use a little bit the first few times and chop it up very small. Then soak the hay in warm water for an hour or more. Then I grab the hay out of the water and mix it all up with favorite foods like Mazuri or a chopped up head of romaine. I mix it up so their is no way to eat around the little grass pieces that are stuck to the food. Over time add more and more grass, and chop it less and less. In time, I also stop soaking it.
2. My usual method, when I'm in no hurry, is to start feeding every meal on a bed of the grass hay. I get a large tray, like the type at fast food restaurants, and lay out a thick layer of Bermuda or orchard grass hay. I put whatever their food of the day is on the bed of hay. Within a week or two, they usually start eating the hay on their own. Sometimes, I'll sprinkle some of the hay on top of the food pile too.

I find either method works best with Bermuda grass hay or orchard grass hay. Timothy is too stemmy.
[/QUOTE
When I first adopted her Aprill 2018 I used your 2. Usual method. I abandoned it once I got educated on weeds. So her diet mid February through September I cut from the yard or graze her(bermuda and variety of weeds) Very fortunate with my yard supply. Orchard Hay I’ve been trying. I remember seeing your rehydrating hay post and thats when I began soaking it (probably 6 months ago). She would not eat it. So I started adding flavored water from boiling veggies, didn’t work, then added the boiled veggies and that worked but she usually leaves almost half. Mazuri soaked works but have to use a lot of mazuri. Cutting to small hay pieces was helpful as you said but I am still ending up with a lot of wasted hay.. But as of a few weeks ago my grass and weeds are all back so hay feeding not as important to me I guess... Am I not consistent enough to make her commit and settle with the hay? Should I not feed her again until she eats it?

 

[SPILL]

Weeds are slim picking around here for another month. I've been getting mulberry, moringa, grape, sweet potato, squash, melon, and tropical fruit leaves from the Asian and Indian markets.

 

[Tom]

Am I not consistent enough to make her commit and settle with the hay? Should I not feed her again until she eats it?

What size Sulcata are we talking about?

 

[Tom]

Weeds are slim picking around here for another month. I've been getting mulberry, moringa, grape, sweet potato, squash, melon, and tropical fruit leaves from the Asian and Indian markets.

That all sounds great!