Frustrated and fairly concerned

[turtle_jenn_1231]

So my little guy is less then 2 months old and I'm convinced he won't eat natural outside grass or even orchard grass. I contacted the person I "took" the baby from and asked what he had been feeding the little one and the response was fruits and grocery store spring mix. I don't know how to get this tort to eat I feel like he is starving himself. Yesterday I did give him some collard greens, and bok choy and he ate that. I know his diet can't just consist of things like this so how do i help him/her eat grass ect???

 

[wellington]

Chop up, mix with what he will eat and spritz with water. He will have to eat the better stuff as it will stick to the food he does like. As he eats this more easily, put more of the better stuff and slowly eliminate the not so good stuff. Spring mix and other grocery greens is t bad, as long as part of a varied diet.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Your baby probably isn't going to graze on grass alone. I don't know why, but most babies don't seem to take to eating grass. They prefer broadleaf greens and weeds. The collard green is good. When my baby got to be about 6 months old I started cutting up grasses and mixing it in with the greens. If you moisten the grass it will stick to greens and they will get used to the taste. When he go to be about 18 months old I started doing the same thing with hay to get him used to eating that also.

 

[Tom]

Tortoises tend to be creatures of habit and don't take to changes quickly, especially drastic dietary changes. Eliminate the fruit, but keep feeding the spring mix. Gradually add in small amounts of the new stuff. It helps if you chop it all up super fine and mix it all together. Also try endive and escarole from the store. Grass for babies works best when it is tender and freshly sprouted then chopped up super fine and sprinkled over their food. The little organic wheat grass trays from the grocery store serve this purpose well if you don't have new grass sprouting outside somewhere. Most babies won't eat hay. They usually don't start munching dry hay until they are closer to a foot long.

Be patient. This process can take months, but the end result is a tortoise that will eat anything.

Also double check your temps and housing parameters. Are you soaking daily? Is your enclosure warm and humid? Are you simulating the African rainy season or a parched desert?

 

[turtle_jenn_1231]

Thanks for all the hell guys. I just don't want him to starve.

As for his living conditions his all over tank temp is 80, with a hot spot of 100-101 and humidity level is 80.

 

[Kameo37]

I'm glad you posted this! Our baby used to try the grass outside, a nibble here and there...but now she's not into it at all. I will also try the chopping it up really small and wetting it trick. She's pretty good at rooting around in her pile of greens to find the thing she likes.

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[omgdoubletacos]

I'm so glad Chomper isn't like that. The only thing I really had trouble with was mazuri. He loves to eat grass and goes outside almost every day.

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

Try romain,watermelon...and then keep adding different things...grape leaves,cucumber...

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