I don't understand... (a grass question)

[Pure Tortoise Power]

Hey all. So the wheat grass I've planted in the enclosure had been growing so much, since Lucky didn't trample on them nor eat them. One of the grasses had even reached 10 inches. So I decided to cut the tall ones by half. Didn't want the cut grass to go to waste, I went ahead and try to hand feed Lucky one of the cut grasses. And surprisingly, it didn't hesitate to eat the entire grass. So I fed all of them to Lucky one by one and it ate them all. So now I'm wondering... If it has a taste on the wheat grass, why didn't it just munch on the grass that was growing around it? For the record, it didn't even try to smell it. It did when I put the fake plants in, it even attempted to eat the fake plants. It's it because it thinks the wheat grass is fake too? Or are there other reasons? How can I fix this?

 

[aqualungs]

Hey all. So the wheat grass I've planted in the enclosure had been growing so much, since Lucky didn't trample on them nor eat them. One of the grasses had even reached 10 inches. So I decided to cut the tall ones by half. Didn't want the cut grass to go to waste, I went ahead and try to hand feed Lucky one of the cut grasses. And surprisingly, it didn't hesitate to eat the entire grass. So I fed all of them to Lucky one by one and it ate them all. So now I'm wondering... If it has a taste on the wheat grass, why didn't it just munch on the grass that was growing around it? For the record, it didn't even try to smell it. It did when I put the fake plants in, it even attempted to eat the fake plants. It's it because it thinks the wheat grass is fake too? Or are there other reasons? How can I fix this?

Maybe he will know now. I cut them when they reach 4”. Try that. Winston always chews on his after he eats.

 

[aqualungs]

I’ve been growing them and in clay saucers and in trays and switching them out. I’m having way too much fun!

 

[Pure Tortoise Power]

Maybe he will know now. I cut them when they reach 4”. Try that. Winston always chews on his after he eats. View attachment 268464

So do you just place the cut grasses onto the food bowl and Winston will go and munch on them?

 

[Tom]

This is a common phenomenon. It seems that some tortoises don't recognize "food" in its upright growing state because we've always fed it to them cut and laying flat in a bowl or tray of some sort. In time they all figure it out.

 

[Pure Tortoise Power]

This is a common phenomenon. It seems that some tortoises don't recognize "food" in its upright growing state because we've always fed it to them cut and laying flat in a bowl or tray of some sort. In time they all figure it out.

I see. How long does it usually take them to recognise growing food? Is there something I can do to help my tort to do so?

 

[aqualungs]

So do you just place the cut grasses onto the food bowl and Winston will go and munch on them?

Both lol. When I need to cut the grass I add it to his food. And my 4 Dachsunds love Veggies. He recognized it as soon as he walked on it and munched away.

 

[Tom]

I see. How long does it usually take them to recognise growing food? Is there something I can do to help my tort to do so?

I put my babies outside in planted areas soon after they are hatched, and they learn to nibble on stuff right away.

I don't have a definitive answer for you. It depends on so many factors such as: How they were started and what they were fed as babies, how long they've been eating flat food served on a plate, how hungry they are, what sort of environment they live in, indoors or outdoors, how the food plants look to them in real sunshine vs. indoor lighting, etc...

What can you do to help? Put the tortoise in a large well planted outdoor tortoise enclosure and don't feed it. I guarantee it will start eating the stuff growing in there. Depending on how large the enclosure is and how much time the growing tortoise stays in there, he will turn it into a barren desert in short order.

 

[Pure Tortoise Power]

Both lol. When I need to cut the grass I add it to his food. And my 4 Dachsunds love Veggies. He recognized it as soon as he walked on it and munched away.

Yeah the same happened to me when I tried to hand feed Lucky. I was worrying that it wouldn't like the grass since they're are people here expressing the problem of their torts not eating grass for the first few months. Lucky just swallowed them all lol.

 

[Pure Tortoise Power]

I put my babies outside in planted areas soon after they are hatched, and they learn to nibble on stuff right away.

I don't have a definitive answer for you. It depends on so many factors such as: How they were started and what they were fed as babies, how long they've been eating flat food served on a plate, how hungry they are, what sort of environment they live in, indoors or outdoors, how the food plants look to them in real sunshine vs. indoor lighting, etc...

What can you do to help? Put the tortoise in a large well planted outdoor tortoise enclosure and don't feed it. I guarantee it will start eating the stuff growing in there. Depending on how large the enclosure is and how much time the growing tortoise stays in there, he will turn it into a barren desert in short order.

Oh wow XD. Kinda harsh but a good way to get torts to stay eating grass, but Lucky is too small to be put outdoor. What if I plant more grass in my indoor enclosure and do the same thing?

 

[aqualungs]

Oh wow XD. Kinda harsh but a good way to get torts to stay eating grass, but Lucky is too small to be put outdoor. What if I plant more grass in my indoor enclosure and do the same thing?

You can plant them In Your enclosure or in trays and submerge them in the substrate. Switch them out when they are destroyed. Like this clay saucer with cat grass is almost there...

 

[Tom]

Oh wow XD. Kinda harsh but a good way to get torts to stay eating grass, but Lucky is too small to be put outdoor. What if I plant more grass in my indoor enclosure and do the same thing?

They are never too small to be put outside. I put mine outside, for a short amount of time, literally the day they hatch. The UV from the sun has strong disinfection properties and I like that for babies that have hatched into warm damp boxes that have been incubating in the dark for 3 months. My babies get real sunshine several times a week from the day they hatch. I also feed them a huge variety of grasses, weeds, leaves, flowers and succulents. They don't see the same food a second time for at least a couple of weeks after they hatch. The result is a baby tortoise that eats anything, including grass, that its new owner feeds it.

You should make a safe outdoor and start getting your baby some outside time ASAP during warmer weather. My general rule of thumb for sulcata babies is an hour of sunshine per inch of tortoise. I go a little shorter than that for brand new babies, and sometime a little longer than that during favorable weather for older babies.

 

[Tom]

Oh wow XD. Kinda harsh...

I don't see how that is harsh. I just put them outside for some sunshine and exercise and they choose to graze on their own.

 

[Pure Tortoise Power]

OK thx for all your advice. I'll try my best to get Lucky to eat grass on its own.

 

[Yvonne G]

It has been my experience (with horses, cattle and large tortoises) that the animal much prefers to eat the newer shoots. Once the grass gets too tall, they go past it looking for shorter blades. So maybe keep it "mowed" by scissoring it occasionally.

 

[aqualungs]

I’m just finishing up my indoor enclosure. Thanks Tom for reminding me to start my outdoor enclosure!
I have a 2 month sold and Agee they need outside time... and I need time to plan and sprout a nice seed mix. Already have a hibiscus cutting ready.

 

[Pure Tortoise Power]

It has been my experience (with horses, cattle and large tortoises) that the animal much prefers to eat the newer shoots. Once the grass gets too tall, they go past it looking for shorter blades. So maybe keep it "mowed" by scissoring it occasionally.

Interesting... I wonder what the reason behind this is...

 

[aqualungs]

Interesting... I wonder what the reason behind this is...

Have you ever eaten sprouts? Mmm. Fresh growth is tastier

 

[Tom]

Interesting... I wonder what the reason behind this is...

For little ones, the tender young chutes are much easier to bite, swallow and digest.

My older tortoises do the same as Yvonne's but then they get hungry and mow down everything green in sight. And some yellowish dried out stuff too!

 

[Yvonne G]

Interesting... I wonder what the reason behind this is...

When I was learning pasture management for my three cows I read that the older grass turns to cellulose and is unpalatable. When I mentioned this on the Forum many, many years ago, Ed Pirog shot me down saying ALL grass is cellulose. So I don't know what the cattle article meant by that statement, but I do know that taller, older grass is not as tasty as the younger shoots.