Leopard tortoise

[klinej50]

Hi, I cant seem to get my two baby leopard tortoises to eat anything except the hibiscus leaves. I put them in their outside enclosure for about an hour and they get good exercise but they never seem to eat the grass. I have many different types of plants and cactuses but I cant get them to eat any of them. Any suggestions and is it bad for them to eat only one type of plant?

 

[pfara]

It's not extremely bad to feed one type of food item. However, it's not very optimal, either. Variety is very important to create a well-balanced, healthy diet. It's just like for people- it's not a good thing to eat just hamburgers all day. But, I think a lot of people might say that if they're babies, getting them to eat is the important thing right now and to work on the variety as you go. Hibiscus leaves are also pretty healthy, in any case. My advice is to just keep introducing and re-introducing different types of food constantly. Eventually they might change their minds after an accidental bite. Others say to chop new things very finely into the foods they really do like to get them to eat the other stuff. Oh, and keep a journal going even if it's just for food lists; then you can keep track of what they've tried, what they like, etc. Good luck

 

[wellington]

Chop other foods up fine. Then also chop up the hibiscus. Mix them together, little more hibiscus then the others. Spritz with water. They will have to then eat some of the others in order to get their fave. Also, my leopard never really like cactus until he was around 17 months. Also, if you haven't yet, check out Toms threads below on raising smooth leopards, the sulcata one will apply also.

 

[theelectraco]

One thing that worked for me to get them to eat was to mix a single new food with a single food item you know they like. Sometimes they may like a few things but won't like em all mixed together. I would finely chop a new food and the hibiscus leaves and do 25%. New food and 25% hibiscus leaves. Then add more if they like it, then later add a new food and d the same thing.


0.1.0 Dachshund
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[NeuroNaka]

What other types of food are you trying? Mine really like collard greens more than anything else.