Is this diet okay for my hatchling leopard tortoise?

[watsoncs]

I already tried posting this, but it seemed to have disappeared (I can't find it on the forum), so sorry if this appears twice.

I recently got a hatcling leopard tortoise and I want to double check if his diet is okay. Right now he is fed twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening.
He receives:
70% alfalfa and timothy hay mix (soaked in water to make it more palatable)

30% leafy green mixture of cilantro, mustard greens, turnip greens, collard greens, and a little spinach and kale.

He occasionally receives a treat of butternut squash, mushrooms, or some variety of melon, but he never gets any of these more than once a week.

All foods in the main mixes are sprinkled in vitamin C powder in the evening.

If you have an improvement to this diet, please let me know and try to include what specific nutrient the adjustment will add!

 

[wellington]

Hello,and Welcome. Your first 5 post will not show up until a moderator approves it. That's why you didn't find it. Stop feeding the spinach, don't know anyone that feeds vitamin C and never heard it recommended, so would stop that too. I would back the melon and squash to maybe once or twice a month, fruit can be cut out completely. Add some calcium, just a pinch once or twice a week, I did once. Be sure to have water available 24/7 and read Toms threads below for proper housing so you leopard will grow smooth. You can also look on thetortoisetable.org.uk for more edible ideas. Things like grass, if he will eat it, rose of Sharon leaves and flowers, mulberry leaf, cactus, Mazuri tortoise diet and as many edible weeds as possible.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

There is a very good leopard tortoise care sheet in the "important threads" at the top of the leopard tortoise section.

 

[Saleama]

Does your leopard eat the grass? Mine will eat it but only if it is fresh, never the dried kind. Also, get him some suculants. They love those. Ice plants, cactus pads, aloe vera etc..,

 

[ben32hayt]

I already tried posting this, but it seemed to have disappeared (I can't find it on the forum), so sorry if this appears twice.

I recently got a hatcling leopard tortoise and I want to double check if his diet is okay. Right now he is fed twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening.
He receives:
70% alfalfa and timothy hay mix (soaked in water to make it more palatable)

30% leafy green mixture of cilantro, mustard greens, turnip greens, collard greens, and a little spinach and kale.

He occasionally receives a treat of butternut squash, mushrooms, or some variety of melon, but he never gets any of these more than once a week.

All foods in the main mixes are sprinkled in vitamin C powder in the evening.

If you have an improvement to this diet, please let me know and try to include what specific nutrient the adjustment will add!

Instead of vitamin c uses calcium powder and vitamin d. Some calcium powders already have vitamin d included so look at the label before you buy both

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

I wouldn't feed alfalfa hay or timothy hay to a hatchling. Too dry and course, even if you wet it. The pieces are just too big and rigid for a baby. That is more for older ones. I would also not supplement with anything every day. I've never heard of vitamin C supplementation either. Where did you learn of that? Is someone having good results that way? Did they give you a reason for this? I'm always wanting to learn new things. I would also cut out the fruit, but I think a little squash or shrooms mixed in every once in a while is fine. All the grocery store greens you listed are fine as part of a varied diet, but if you must use grocery store foods, I would lean heavily toward endive and escarole. I think those are the two best of the grocery store offerings.

Here is a diet sheet that I typed up for sulcatas. Its the same for leopards, just less emphasis on grass.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html


Here is the care sheet that I typed up for leopard and sulcata babies. Care is the same for both:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html

 

[watsoncs]

I meant calcium, not vitamin C. Sorry about that everyone! Thanks for all the helpful tips

 

[Tom]

I meant calcium, not vitamin C. Sorry about that everyone! Thanks for all the helpful tips

Ahh. In that case, I wouldn't use the calcium every day either. It can interfere with the absorption of other important nutrients and trace elements. Over time these deficiencies can cause all sorts of problems. I like to use just a small pinch twice a week in most cases.