My Pak-Choi addicted Hermann

Wish Lin

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Jul 5, 2020
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14
Location (City and/or State)
Taipei, Taiwan
It's been a long story, but basically, since I got these two cute critters, they have been eating Pak-Choi. In fact, they were eating Pak-Choi when I first saw them in the store. I have tried feeding them with a variety of other plants, but they rejected them all. My attempts include:
  • Plantains
  • Mulberry leaves
  • Hollyhock
  • Clovers
  • Archery plant
  • Kidney Weed
  • Asiatic Hawksbeard
They had eaten Plantains(P.major & P.asiatica) for a couple of days before boycotting it just like the rest of the other plants. Because they still enjoy their food pellets without any problem so I wasn't too concerned, until I read this:


and one of them pooped out a gigantic(?) bladder stone a couple days ago, just like what the website said! (Both of them are about 55mm SCL):
FF59E1A6-1DC6-46FA-A8F8-EB7C5A2BA3F7.jpegF4250FC3-22C9-49C4-8291-FBAAA924EA34.jpeg
I officially gave up when I tried feeding them with mixed cut-up Pak-Choi and plantain today only to find out they picked the Pak-Choi bits out and ate them, leaving me with about 5/6 of the original plantain I put in when they finished their meal.

Can someone please give me some tips on how to persuade them to eat a more varied diet?
 

method89

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If you stop giving them Pak- Choi then they can't eat it anymore. ?. Seriously though, they will learn to eat the other foods and since they are eating the pellets they will not starve
 

Wish Lin

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Joined
Jul 5, 2020
Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
Taipei, Taiwan
If you stop giving them Pak- Choi then they can't eat it anymore. ?. Seriously though, they will learn to eat the other foods and since they are eating the pellets they will not starve
So I should just stick with the other foods and the pellets?
 

james_in_snow

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Sep 23, 2020
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Chorley
It's been a long story, but basically, since I got these two cute critters, they have been eating Pak-Choi. In fact, they were eating Pak-Choi when I first saw them in the store. I have tried feeding them with a variety of other plants, but they rejected them all. My attempts include:
  • Plantains
  • Mulberry leaves
  • Hollyhock
  • Clovers
  • Archery plant
  • Kidney Weed
  • Asiatic Hawksbeard
They had eaten Plantains(P.major & P.asiatica) for a couple of days before boycotting it just like the rest of the other plants. Because they still enjoy their food pellets without any problem so I wasn't too concerned, until I read this:


and one of them pooped out a gigantic(?) bladder stone a couple days ago, just like what the website said! (Both of them are about 55mm SCL):
View attachment 299829View attachment 299828
I officially gave up when I tried feeding them with mixed cut-up Pak-Choi and plantain today only to find out they picked the Pak-Choi bits out and ate them, leaving me with about 5/6 of the original plantain I put in when they finished their meal.

Can someone please give me some tips on how to persuade them to eat a more varied diet?
Hello,

I have a Hermann's, Millie, she is about 4 years old, and I have fed her almost exclusively on Florette Crispy Salad, with a powder containing lots of supplements, The mixed salad is Frisee, Lamb's Lettuce and Radacchio, and she prefers the Radicchio by a long way. This summer I grew Pak Choi, and she is really into that as well, as well as the greens of radishes - both are really easy to grow in the UK summer, and they grow quickly.

So you could try your tortoises on the Crispy Salad if it's available in Taiwan, or buy the components separately, but definitely the Radicchio. She will always eat the green leaves, by the way, if she isn't fed anything for a while and they are just sitting there.
 

Wish Lin

New Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2020
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Taipei, Taiwan
Hello,

I have a Hermann's, Millie, she is about 4 years old, and I have fed her almost exclusively on Florette Crispy Salad, with a powder containing lots of supplements, The mixed salad is Frisee, Lamb's Lettuce and Radacchio, and she prefers the Radicchio by a long way. This summer I grew Pak Choi, and she is really into that as well, as well as the greens of radishes - both are really easy to grow in the UK summer, and they grow quickly.

So you could try your tortoises on the Crispy Salad if it's available in Taiwan, or buy the components separately, but definitely the Radicchio. She will always eat the green leaves, by the way, if she isn't fed anything for a while and they are just sitting there.
Thanks, but it’s not easy to get that here(radicchio included),I will see if I can stumble upon one in the future. For now, my two hermanns eat Pak Choi, a kind of smaller version Pak Choi, Asian hawks beard and plantains.
 

james_in_snow

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Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
2
Location (City and/or State)
Chorley
Thanks, but it’s not easy to get that here(radicchio included),I will see if I can stumble upon one in the future. For now, my two hermanns eat Pak Choi, a kind of smaller version Pak Choi, Asian hawks beard and plantains.
I am looking up where I can get plantains in the UK, as I am trying to vary Millie's diet. Will certainly get some seeds to grow next year, along with the pak choi and the radishes. Thanks for the tip.
 

Wish Lin

New Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2020
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
Taipei, Taiwan
I am looking up where I can get plantains in the UK, as I am trying to vary Millie's diet. Will certainly get some seeds to grow next year, along with the pak choi and the radishes. Thanks for the tip.
I had a pretty hard time persuading my little guys eating plantain, since it's fiberous and they are both like 6 months old which can't bite them off easily. I don't know whether your 4 year old one will have this issue but my tip for persuading them is cutting plantain with whatever they likes the most together and make the smell mix and they will eat them gradually.
 

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