Help with food please!

[yillt]

Hi. My little marginated tort Billy has a large appetite and loves his food. His main meal is dandelion,grass,clover,kale and some salad leaves. This is only green stuff and It doesn't contain all the stuff he needs. Is tomato ok occasionally.He doesn't seem to like rosé petals. Is this because they are bad for him or he generally just doesn't like them? His favourite of all is cucumber pellets. Please could you tell me some other food I could give him and how many times should I feed him in a week. He is 2 and he weighs 189 grams.

 

[Yvonne G]

I feed my tortoises daily. I put out a big pile of food so there's always something there to eat should the tortoise want it. Dandelions, clover, salad leaves such as rocket or watercress, and also leaves from plantain, radish, and crowfoot plants. Sometimes even grass and hay will be eaten. The feeding of fruit and tomatoes is to be discouraged as they may cause diarrhea. Lettuce will be eagerly devoured, but owing to its low nutrient value should not generally be given. Protein levels in the diet should be kept very low and in no account should they be given sources of animal protein such as meat, snails, worms, and cat, dog food. Any of the dark, leafy greens you find in the produce section of your local market would be ok. You can vary it week to week and give him something different each time you shop.

 

[yillt]

I feed my tortoises daily. I put out a big pile of food so there's always something there to eat should the tortoise want it. Dandelions, clover, salad leaves such as rocket or watercress, and also leaves from plantain, radish, and crowfoot plants. Sometimes even grass and hay will be eaten. The feeding of fruit and tomatoes is to be discouraged as they may cause diarrhea. Lettuce will be eagerly devoured, but owing to its low nutrient value should not generally be given. Protein levels in the diet should be kept very low and in no account should they be given sources of animal protein such as meat, snails, worms, and cat, dog food. Any of the dark, leafy greens you find in the produce section of your local market would be ok. You can vary it week to week and give him something different each time you shop.

Thanks. I will try this. I am abit worried he is not growing fast enough. Would it be to do with the food I give him?He is only 189 grams and he is nearly 3. I don't really mind if he's small as long as he is healthy.

 

[Yvonne G]

There's more to good, healthy growth than just food. These things all play a part in healthy growth: diet, exercise, proper temperatures and hydration.

 

[yillt]

There's more to good, healthy growth than just food. These things all play a part in healthy growth: diet, exercise, proper temperatures and hydration.

I know. Thanks for the help. He has all those things so hopefully he will have a growth spurt soon.

 

[Tom]

Here is a list of good food suggestions. See what you can find near you.

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

 

[yillt]

Here is a list of good food suggestions. See what you can find near you.

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

Wow. Thanks. That would last Billy an entire lifetime (and his lifespan is pretty long).

 

[Blakem]

Here are some websites.


Here's some great plant identification websites I use.

http://www.tlady.clara.net/TortGuide/diet.htm#plantlist

http://africantortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm

http://m.thetortoisetable.org.uk/m/plants_19.asp

 

[Tom]

Wow. Thanks. That would last Billy an entire lifetime (and his lifespan is pretty long).

That is the idea. Use as many different things as you can. That list is just the start. Those are things that are commonly available where I am. There will be many more things in other parts of the country or world. For example, anyone in the southeast should be taking advantage of all that free kudzu. Its good tortoise food and its good to remove it as its an invasive species.

Many things are seasonally available too, like the grape and mulberry leaves. Gotta find or grow other items for winter. Try to offer a wide variety and realize the new foods may take weeks or months for them to get used to.