Is Sheldon spoiled already?!

[Melissa Wahl]

Sheldon the sulcata tortoise is doing awesome. We were able to take him outside today for the first time and he enjoyed grazing on the fresh spring grass immensely.

The reason I am asking if he is spoiled is that lately he tries to climb out of his enclosure and my son will move him back to the middle. But the only time he will stop is when we give him some more greens to eat. So is he training us? And how do we know if we're giving him too much?

Currently he gets a handful of romaine lettuce in the morning and a handful of spring mix in the afternoon. I also give him tomato every other day or so, which he loves. Does that sound about right? He also has hay available at all times which he only occasionally nibbles on. Thanks for any and all help/comments.

 

[Sheldon the russian tortoise]

It sound like Sheldon is healthy... I'm not so sure about the climbing

 

[christinaland128]

Sometimes Torts will walk against the wall of their enclosure as if pushing to get out because they've realized there's an outside world. I've heard some people say keeping a border along the bottom so they can't see out helps. I've also heard that some owners who take their tort out to roam may have more of this behavior.

He may also be roaming because he has nowhere to hide. Try putting a plant with big leaves in in his enclosure. Like a hosta. Or a deep dark pot or log.

 

[christinaland128]

If you've got a very routine schedule, they are able to predict when they will be eating. For example when I come home from work and I stick my head by my enclosure and talk to my tortoises they come out because they know it's soak time and eating time.

 

[HLogic]

He is not training you. You've already been trained. Too much tomato for a sulcata, IMO.

 

[Melissa Wahl]

christina - that's pretty much what we were thinking. We don't take him out very much (yet). But once the weather improves we plan on taking him out for some sun and grass daily. We just wondered if he was also maybe letting us know he was hungry. So you don't think we feed him too much?

HLogic - I do know the tomato isn't the best for him, but I only give him 5 or 6 little cubes (cm square). Still too much?

 

[HLogic]

I am of the impression that for grassland tortoises, no tomato is the recommended amount.

 

[Randi]

 

[Tom]

Sheldon the sulcata tortoise is doing awesome. We were able to take him outside today for the first time and he enjoyed grazing on the fresh spring grass immensely.

The reason I am asking if he is spoiled is that lately he tries to climb out of his enclosure and my son will move him back to the middle. But the only time he will stop is when we give him some more greens to eat. So is he training us? And how do we know if we're giving him too much?

Currently he gets a handful of romaine lettuce in the morning and a handful of spring mix in the afternoon. I also give him tomato every other day or so, which he loves. Does that sound about right? He also has hay available at all times which he only occasionally nibbles on. Thanks for any and all help/comments.

If your tortoise is 1. housed correctly, 2. well hydrated, and 3. eating the right diet, you can feed them as much as they want.

I don't know what you are doing for 1 and 2, but 3 needs some improvement. I would stop feeding romaine. It lacks nutrition, calcium and fiber. Its like eating water basically. Its not toxic, but if his stomach is full of that, then it can't be full of the good stuff that he should be eating. Skip it and feed better things instead. No tomato. Its not good for them. Will it kill him? No, but it is not what your tortoise should be eating. Spring mix is okay as a small part of a diet made up of lots of other things, but not as a main food.

Your tortoise should be eating grasses, weeds, leaves and succulents. Please read this for some suggestions:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/