Getting my hatchling on a feeding schedule/Hatchling not eating enough.

[hoofbeatlove]

We just got our little Sulcata hatchling yesterday and haven't really noticed him eating the food he currently has. Right now he just has Zoomeds Grassland Tortoise Food. I figured this isn't the best thing for him, but it is what he was eating at the pet store.. so I just grabbed some until I figure out what else he likes. He ate some romaine earlier today, gobbled up all of it that I gave him.

Right now he has a couple of 1-2" pieces of cuttle bone in the enclosure for calcium.. but he doesn't seem interested in them at all so tomorrow I'm going to buy him a calcium supplement. Should I also give a multi-vitamin supp.? Almost all of the websites/forums I've gone through say human supplements are fine.. is this true?

I know that 75% or so of their diet needs to consist of grasses, and the other 25% should be dark leafy greens, etc.

Can I buy a bale of grass horse hay and give this to my tortoise? I could grow a little bit of grass.. but winter is coming soon so I don't know how helpful that would be this time of year. I'd love to hear what everyone feeds their sulcata hatchlings, and even the feeding schedule would be great!

 

[Faery]

I'm new too, I have a rf and know nothing about sulcata, but I do know that your little guy is adorable!! I'm sure someone with helpful information will be along shortly to actually answer your questions.

 

[hoofbeatlove]

Thanks, I can't get over how cute he is! You're little RF is adorable, too.. how old is he/she?

 

[Mao Senpai]

Try to wet down the zoomed stuff.. when it's dry like that it's pretty tricky for the babies to eat them. In terms of the vitamins and what not, it really depends he is outside or mostly inside. If he is mostly inside with a UVB bulb.. I'd supplement calcium probably every other day and maybe twice a week with calcium with D3 depending on what type of bulb. If he is getting outside time then the food or grass should be good along with the zoomed or mazuri or whatever since those are usually packed with vitamins as well.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I have always started my hatchlings on Spring Mix then added other good stuff like radicchio, collards, escarole, endive, and whatever other leafy stuff is in your produce section right now. I cut grass and add that. You're not going to get a hatchling to eat hay. It's too hard on their little mouths, but grass is just as good. So cut grass and add that to the Spring Mix daily. Different blooms like Rose of Sharon or Hollyhock is good. Grape leafs and mulberry leafs are good. I hope that helps you. Give him time to get used to his new house, it's hard on them changing living places. It might take him several days to get used to living there. I'm hoping you have a MVB or other UVB light, you are keeping him warm, over 85[/size] degrees and have a substrate like cypress mulch that you can keep moist, so you can create humidity. He needs 80% humidity or more to prevent pyramiding.
I am hoping that has helped you, keep asking questions and we're glad to help...

 

[hoofbeatlove]

Maggie, your post helped a lot! It gave me a lot of ideas on what to feed my little friend. She is currently kept inside 24/7 with a UVB light and heat light. His new substrate is a 70/30 peat moss and top soil mixture. We made a small enclosure so I can keep her in a safe spot for outside time. It's just like 12"x18" with about 1/3 covered incase she wants to get out of the sun. Thanks so much =)

 

[Laura]

you can pick grass from outside and add to the salad greens..
real sun is a good idea to keep them healthy.. soaking too.