Herman (now star) tortoise not eating.

RosemaryDW

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My tortoise won’t eat cilantro either, but I keep trying! :)

Can you get methi? Or gongura? If you could get the leaves and stems of cucumber, or any melon or squash, those are great foods. Has anyone ever given you this list? It was written by an owner in India: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/m...rtoises-modified-for-indian-residents.139674/.

He doesn’t need vitamins every day; too much can be as bad as too too little. They may also make the food taste bad to your tortoises.
 

Dipa

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My tortoise won’t eat cilantro either, but I keep trying! :)

Can you get methi? Or gongura? If you could get the leaves and stems of cucumber, or any melon or squash, those are great foods. Has anyone ever given you this list? It was written by an owner in India: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/m...rtoises-modified-for-indian-residents.139674/.

He doesn’t need vitamins every day; too much can be as bad as too too little. They may also make the food taste bad to your tortoises.
Ok
I read that
But he also dont like that
He just eats what he doesn't have to
And thats a vitamin syrup
I also think thats not good so i think i have to stop
But then what about his food
He doesn't eat much
Can you tell me how much he have to eat every day so i can be assured that he eats well?
 

RosemaryDW

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When you say beans, do they look like this?

10E15EB3-FB9F-4A43-968A-9030A041AF5C.jpeg

We call that a string or green bean.

Or do you mean a mature mung bean or similar?

The occasional green bean is okay.
 

Dipa

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My tortoise won’t eat cilantro either, but I keep trying! :)

Can you get methi? Or gongura? If you could get the leaves and stems of cucumber, or any melon or squash, those are great foods. Has anyone ever given you this list? It was written by an owner in India: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/m...rtoises-modified-for-indian-residents.139674/.

He doesn’t need vitamins every day; too much can be as bad as too too little. They may also make the food taste bad to your tortoises.
I bought methi (fenugreek) but he doesnt like it
And gongura is available at opposite end of my country
 
N

no one

Guest
You can try to feed some occasional okra, bhindi. You can also feed the leaves. I am trying to find what greens you have in India.
 

RosemaryDW

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I give fewer green beans than that; cut back when you can.

Tortoises don’t like new foods; they are stubborn. That is hard to watch as the owner I know. :(

But the good thing about tortoises is that they can go a long time without eating without harm; they aren’t like humans or cows or dogs. So long as he’s staying hydrated he’ll be okay for now. They stop growing as fast but it doesn’t hurt them. Most people say to give him a pile of greens as big as his shell; others will say feed him as much as he will eat with a little left over. But for right now he can have a bit less.

The other good thing is that he’s not in control of his diet, you are. If you don’t give him tomatoes, he can’t eat any. :) Just like you wouldn’t let a child eat all sweets or chaat.

Keep mixing a little, a very little, of the new food in with the old. It can take a long time; it took me five months to get my tortoise off her old diet when I got her. So you’ll have to be patient and sometimes frustrated. He will eventually eat some of those things. Maybe not all of them, but some. He won’t starve himself.

I have not been in Gujarat for more than a couple of days but I am pretty good identifying possible foods. What can you tell me about where you live. Do you have a house with a garden or are you in what we would call an apartment (one of those newer tall buildings)? What kinds of markets are available to you?

If you can get okra pods, can you get the leaves? Are there any kinds of dishes made with just the leaves of any plant and if so, what are they? You can give me the name of the dish in Hindi if you need to.
 

RosemaryDW

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Dipa, since your tortoise is a Star tortoise, not a Hermann’s, I’m going to ask a moderator if they can move your thread to the section just for them. You’ll get some extra feedback on top of the good answers already shared here.
 

Dipa

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Dipa, since your tortoise is a Star tortoise, not a Hermann’s, I’m going to ask a moderator if they can move your thread to the section just for them. You’ll get some extra feedback on top of the good answers already shared here.
Yeah change it
I want but i cant do that
 

Dipa

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I give fewer green beans than that; cut back when you can.

Tortoises don’t like new foods; they are stubborn. That is hard to watch as the owner I know. :(

But the good thing about tortoises is that they can go a long time without eating without harm; they aren’t like humans or cows or dogs. So long as he’s staying hydrated he’ll be okay for now. They stop growing as fast but it doesn’t hurt them. Most people say to give him a pile of greens as big as his shell; others will say feed him as much as he will eat with a little left over. But for right now he can have a bit less.

The other good thing is that he’s not in control of his diet, you are. If you don’t give him tomatoes, he can’t eat any. :) Just like you wouldn’t let a child eat all sweets or chaat.

Keep mixing a little, a very little, of the new food in with the old. It can take a long time; it took me five months to get my tortoise off her old diet when I got her. So you’ll have to be patient and sometimes frustrated. He will eventually eat some of those things. Maybe not all of them, but some. He won’t starve himself.

I have not been in Gujarat for more than a couple of days but I am pretty good identifying possible foods. What can you tell me about where you live. Do you have a house with a garden or are you in what we would call an apartment (one of those newer tall buildings)? What kinds of markets are available to you?

If you can get okra pods, can you get the leaves? Are there any kinds of dishes made with just the leaves of any plant and if so, what are they? You can give me the name of the dish in Hindi if you need to.
I am just worried for now because recently after 5 days he started eating
I dont want more hunger strike
But its ok
I can get okra leaves if i try hard
And i live in Gujarat City Mehsana near Ahmedabad
I tried to give him needed greens
But he just refuses
From evening till the 9 30 pm i am trying to give him some green and grass
But he just walk past them and totally ignore it
I dont gave any tomatoes after know the damages
And he just started eating carrots recently
But it is also not good
So i think i am now in the black hole. Lost
 

RosemaryDW

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I am just worried for now because recently after 5 days he started eating
I dont want more hunger strike

He’s started eating and that’s really good; chances are he’ll keep it up and keep eating a little more.

From evening till the 9 30 pm i am trying to give him some green and grass
But he just walk past them and totally ignore it

If my mom bothered me all night about eating something I didn’t like, I’d ignore her, too! Give him some time and some peace. :)
 

WithLisa

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Tortoises don’t like new foods
Since this is a wild tortoise I'm quite sure he knows weeds and grasses, he will eat them when he's really hungry.
Dipa, was tomatoes and cucumber all you fed him the last 6 months?
 

Yvonne G

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Also, since we now know you hav a star, one of our members has put together a very informative thread for star owners in India, including foods found in India. you can find it pinned at the top of the star section.
 

Dipa

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He’s started eating and that’s really good; chances are he’ll keep it up and keep eating a little more.



If my mom bothered me all night about eating something I didn’t like, I’d ignore her, too! Give him some time and some peace. :)
Yeah definitely
I am trying to just make him recignise it
By the way, when i introduce him carrots he didn't like it
But after suggested that i have to give him warm baths with carrots because he was not eating
Shall i try that method?
I will boil the leaves with water and will try to give him that water
Let's see what happens
 

Dipa

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Since this is a wild tortoise I'm quite sure he knows weeds and grasses, he will eat them when he's really hungry.
Dipa, was tomatoes and cucumber all you fed him the last 6 months?
Sometimes greens tomatoes cucumber zucchini okra grass which he when he was in garden
Also multivitamin because he doesnt like much food
I offered him a lot of foods and also edible flowers suggested for him
But he just ignores it
 

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