Kinixys belliana choosing food

[NhamNham]

Hi!

I just got here and already start writing my first thread... as I am looking for some help from some Kinixys expert keepers...

So, I have a male Kinixys belliana since 2007 and he should have about 10-11 years old. I keep him in a glass terrarium for all of that time, and so far he has been doing pretty good.
I feed him mainly with chicory (Cichorium intybus), radicchio, endives, cabbage (Brassica oleracea), rucula (Eruca sativa) and cress (Nasturtium officinale). At short amounts I also offer carrots, mushrooms, some fruits and, ocasional, some zophoba.

The problem is that some months ago, he started choosing the food I give him...and now he almost doesn't eat any of the leaves I give him... At the moment he's eating carrots, mushrooms, fruit and also zophoba, which he chases like crazy!

All the leafs he is not eating properly... some times he gives a bite or two... but really low amounts.

I am not offering the thins he "likes" (or wants) everyother day... of course. Actually I am almost only offering leafs to see if he gets hungry and starts eating... but he is being really stubborn!

He looks absoutely normal in what regards its activity and appearance... he moves from one end to the other of the terrarium, like he is looking for food...

Now I don't know what else to offer him (as I tried almost everything I have and have think of)... don't know if I should just offer what he used to eat, and let him get really hungry or not.

Does any one of you that have some Kinixys had any problem similar to this? As I said, he looks absolutely healthy... just as he has been all these years...

Any advice is welcome...

Regards to all of you!

 

[JoesMum]

Sounds a familiar story with every species of tortoise! There are few of us that haven't been through this... and more than once.

They like what they know and they know what they like and they are VERY stubborn.

A hungry tortoise will eat. They can go a long time without food, but not water. Daily 30 minute soaks are vital if your tort decides to go on hunger strike.

You're the parent of the child that only wants to eat chips and chocolate... you have to be tough!

Try:

- Chop food your tort will eat up really small and wet it
- Chop a tiny amount of good food up really small and mix with the rest. It will stick together so your tort can't pick it out
- If your tort eats the mix, at the next feed increase the amount of good food slightly and decrease the other by the same amount
- If the food is refused then leave it there all day. At the next feed offer fresh foods in the exactly the same proportion as the day before

Eventually you will get your tort eating what you want it to eat. Be patient as it takes time! Good luck. We'll support you

 

[NhamNham]

Thank you for your answer JoesMum!

He has never done this before... but well... there's always a first time..
Tomorrow I will try to make a mix like you said and see what that little guy will do with it
I will write when I had any news!

Thanks for the support!

 

[Yvonne G]

Let's send a shout-out to some hingeback keepers that I know of:

@Will @Jacqui @tortadise @juli11

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Frequently I associate hinge-backs to American Box turtles. Many similarities.

That your tortoise ate so many leafy greens in the first pace is great, but for many hinge-backs that would be more uncommon than common.

They are more omnivorous than herbivore and eat many small 'bugs' as well as vegetable matter. A favorite with most species of ninge-back is snails. You can also try hardboiled egg.

JoesMum is offering great advice, and mixing different elements and changing the mix, with some favorite food item works well.

If possible maybe you could share an image of your animals.

 

[NhamNham]

Well, I have been doing the mix... I am putting super small (almost dusty) carrots over the salad and he has eaten a bit... not as he used to eat, but something...
I thing I just have to be patience...
Still running through the terrarrium like crazy =P

Here you have some photos =)
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/kinixys-belliana-photos.148049/

Regards!