Hatchlings don't graze.

[cljohnson]

They are 4 or 5 months old now.
I've been growing grass in their enclosure for 3 months now.
They show very little interest in the live grass, but if I cut it up small and put it in a dish they devour it.
Anyone else have similar experience?

 

[Katherine]

Can't say I have... What else are you feeding them?

 

[Laura]

yep, they have to learn that it is food, just in a different form...
let them get hungary enough.. or not...

 

[cljohnson]

Can't say I have... What else are you feeding them?

They eat very well.
Fresh weeds every morning. Wide verity.
Good greens for lunch. Turnip collard dandilion water cress.
I'm not worried about their nutritional needs just curious why they don't seem to show much interest in live grass.
If I chop it up and put it in a dish they are all over it.

 

[Jacob]

They will eat lots of grass when they are older.
you can mix grass with muzuri, they will devour it

 

[Tom]

I think its probably because they've always been fed from a dish (or something like a dish) and they see no need to take it from elsewhere. I think Laura is right. If the day comes that they ever get hungry, that grass in the enclosure will disappear in the blink of an eye.

 

[cljohnson]

I think its probably because they've always been fed from a dish (or something like a dish) and they see no need to take it from elsewhere. I think Laura is right. If the day comes that they ever get hungry, that grass in the enclosure will disappear in the blink of an eye.

You would think that was the case, but I don't feed anything else from a dish.
I actually go so far as to put weeds in clips to feed vertically trying to stimulate grazing. I'm sure I'm the only one that does such ridiculous things. I try to get them to eat more grass but they will only eat it chopped up.

 

[Tom]

I think its probably because they've always been fed from a dish (or something like a dish) and they see no need to take it from elsewhere. I think Laura is right. If the day comes that they ever get hungry, that grass in the enclosure will disappear in the blink of an eye.

You would think that was the case, but I don't feed anything else from a dish.
I actually go so far as to put weeds in clips to feed vertically trying to stimulate grazing. I'm sure I'm the only one that does such ridiculous things. I try to get them to eat more grass but they will only eat it chopped up.

How about this? Stop feeding them anything else for a few days. It won't hurt them. I'd be very surprised if by day 3 that grass was still there. By day five there will probably be no trace of it.

... or you can just continue on as you have. If they are eating and growing, all of this will eventually fall into place anyway.

 

[cljohnson]

How about this? Stop feeding them anything else for a few days. It won't hurt them. I'd be very surprised if by day 3 that grass was still there. By day five there will probably be no trace of it.

... or you can just continue on as you have. If they are eating and growing, all of this will eventually fall into place anyway.

Nice thought but my wife would cave by noon the first day.
Despite all of her original objections she has fallen in love with the little critters.
Every new beast I bring into our home seems to somehow just knock me down one more peg. She's even starting to like the roaches.
Anyway I'm not at all worried about their nutrition. Just thought it was curious behavior.

 

[EKLC]

I think its probably because they've always been fed from a dish (or something like a dish) and they see no need to take it from elsewhere. I think Laura is right. If the day comes that they ever get hungry, that grass in the enclosure will disappear in the blink of an eye.

You would think that was the case, but I don't feed anything else from a dish.
I actually go so far as to put weeds in clips to feed vertically trying to stimulate grazing. I'm sure I'm the only one that does such ridiculous things. I try to get them to eat more grass but they will only eat it chopped up.

I've done just that. My baby only wants to graze. He wont eat much from the bowl. This sucks because its so hard to find a patch of land that isnt treated so I always try crazy presentation schemes to get him interested

 

[nicoleandrocky]

Happened to my friend before with her baby sulcatas, it took them a while to take that it was food, but i suggest that you cut a little bit off the top and put it on the growing grass and lead them to it, and they will realize it is the same thing while they are eating (i did this with my russian. i would take him outside and do this)

 

[Katherine]

I agree with the others, if there's other food he eats willingly why not set it on the grass? Once he inadvertently eats some and recognizes it to be delicious and nutritious I think he is liable to continue munching. I, like your wife, am terrible at 'tough love' and would have a hard time withholding food despite knowing it would no harm him.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

I think its probably because they've always been fed from a dish (or something like a dish) and they see no need to take it from elsewhere. I think Laura is right. If the day comes that they ever get hungry, that grass in the enclosure will disappear in the blink of an eye.

I am on the same page. What we do is provide fresh cut grass and weeds from the first day they are out of the incubator. They peck at all the different types of natural food and get a good start eating what is naturally available to them.

 

[cljohnson]

Problem solved.
Today I took a pair of scissors clipped the grass a little and just left it.
Now they are all over it.
I guess they just like the smell of fresh cut grass.

 

[Tom]

Sweet. That was easy.

 

[knight_visionn]

Problem solved.
Today I took a pair of scissors clipped the grass a little and just left it.
Now they are all over it.
I guess they just like the smell of fresh cut grass.

I was just about to suggest this!

Mine is about the same age. About once a week, I have to trim the grass to remind him that it's food. If it gets too long, or too inactive, he won't be interested.

Of course, whenever I put in a new planter, the moment the seeds finally begin to grow, he just has to devour the tiny sprouts.

I think Sulcatas just have this hidden desire to inconvenience their owners.