Help with diet ideas?

[LozTuz]

I’m new new Horsefield “momma”
Only had him/her a couple of days. Any ideas for good nutritious meals? Veggies, salad?
Seems to be sleeping alot more than I thought it would but I guess I have to expect some adjustments period.
He/she is about the size of a rich tea biscuit so how much exactly should they be eating a day?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Loz

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Americans have no idea what size a TEA BUSCUIT is.
Welcome to the forum!

 

[LozTuz]

Americans have no idea what size a TEA BUSCUIT is.
Welcome to the forum!

Oh about 3inchs.

 

[SinLA]

Welcome to the forum. Here is a great place to start:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

how old is yours ? Sounds like maybe a baby? Babies have different needs than adults.

Can you post pics?

 

[LozTuz]

Yea it is a baby.

 

[LozTuz]

Here is a pic

 

[SinLA]

So cute! what substrate are you using? whatever those white things are, they likely aren't healthy. Look at that link above and start there

@Tom do baby Horsefields need an enclosed chamber? I assume they do...

 

[LozTuz]

This is what I’m using….

 

[SinLA]

GAH! Stop immediately. No sand, no topsoil. All bad. See that link provided (https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/#post-2036954), sadly you have to disregard a lot of what you are told is good elsewhere.

4. Sand. Sand is a serious impaction risk and its a terrible skin and eye irritant. Some will say they've used it for years with no problems. I doubt that is the case, and watching, hearing, and smelling a single sand impaction surgery should be enough to convince anyone. Do some tortoises live in areas where they might encounter sand in the wild? Of course they do. So what? Lots of tortoises also die in the wild, so I don't think mimicking the wild should be our goal. Further, your enclosure is NOT the wild. Sand should not be used as tortoise substrate. Most of the substrate mixes marketed for reptiles in pet stores have sand in them. Don't use it. Don't learn the hard way.

5. Soil: Soil is made from composted yard waste. Could be oleander trimmings. Could be azaleas. Could be lawn grass recently treated with insecticide, weed killer or fungicide. There is no way to know what is in that bag. There are all sorts of other weird ingredients added in and it can change as much and as often as the makers want. The contents of that bag are intended to grow plants in a pot or a garden. The makers and sellers do not intend for small animals to be living in it or on it in small enclosures. The contents of that bag might be toxic or dangerous, and the "Organic" moniker means very little. Oleander and rattle snake venom are both 100% organic and natural. Don't allow a tortoise access to bought-in-a-bag soil. If you make your own soil and know 100% of the ingredients and are sure all those ingredients are safe, then you can use it, but its still messy and not a good way to go. If you bought it at a store, there could be anything in that bag. Don't gamble with your tortoise's life. It is fine to use toxin free soils to grow plants to feed our tortoises, and in potted plants inside tortoise enclosures, but the tortoise should not have access to the soil, and certainly should not be living on it, or burying themselves in it. P.S. Perlite is a tortoise killer, and perlite is in many, if not most, potting soil mixes. Be careful.

6. If we can't use soil or sand, what CAN we use? All things considered, there are three that have proven to be safe and effective. Fine grade orchid bark is best. If you can't find it in bulk near you, it is marketed as "Repti-bark" in any of the normal pet channels. Cypress mulch is the next one. Not my favorite, but it works. Coco coir is the final one. This one is also called "coco peat" which is confusing, because any form of actual "peat" or "peat moss" or "sphagnum moss" or "sphagnum peat moss" should not be used. You also don't want coco chips or coco fiber for tortoises. Here is a list of what NOT to use: Soil, sand, mixes of any kind with soil and/or sand like "Pets At Home" in the UK (What a terrible idea that stuff is...), sphagnum peat moss, sphagnum moss, peat moss, long fibered peat moss, hay, grass pellets, rabbit pellets, gravel, sod, carpet, towels, paper towels, coco fiber, coco chips, and rubber mats.

 

[LozTuz]

I’ll change it all
Tomorrow

 

[wellington]

That is a Russian and needs a closed chamber enclosure with humidity at 80% coconut coir or orchid/fir bark for substrate, not the stuff you are using.
Day temps range from 75-80 with basking os 95-100 and night temps can go as low as 60. Feed enough so they can graze all day. Have water available 24/7 in low sided clay saucer.
Please read the Russian care in the Mediterranean section