New Russian Only Likes Romaine Lettuce

[SpecialK]

I got my russian about a week ago and finally got him all settled in to his new environment. I have been trying to feed him dandelion greens, collard greens, and grassland tortoise food from the pet store. He seems to not care for it and wont eat them much. I asked the petcare people at the pet store i work at and they said they had been feeding them romaine lettuce. From what i hear, romaine lettuce is kind of like junk food to them and isnt too healthy. Ive tried mixing all the things together to try to get him to eat the healthier food, but he just picks out the romaine lettuce and leaves the rest. What should i do? And am i wrong about romaine lettuce?

 

[reticguy76]

My old sulcata that I rescued only liked romain and red lettuce, but I couldnt get him to like/eat anything else. I used the starvations method. I kept putting him in the yard to graze on weeds and grass, and only offered spring mix stuff. It took him about 7 or 8 days, but then was fully on grass and weeds with occasional green stuff.

 

[Blakem]

Romaine does have nutritional value. It is also great for water intake, considering Russians aren't known to sit in a water bowl and drink. I've read that some will do the "tough love"treatment and slowly add in other greens really finely chopped.

 

[cemmons12]

Yeah, the tough love approach works in time. I would also throw in some spring mix which my Russian really likes, but she also likes romain so I give a little of that and also she gets Mazuri which she really loves!

 

[russiantortoiselover1]

I had that problem If he/she eats out of your hand wrap the food In romaine lettuce and them he/she will accidentally try it. Mine started eating other things after that. May have just not wanted to try it.

 

[dmmj]

Tough love is where you only offer good food and not the bad food (romaine is a good/bad food). There is nothing inherently wrong with romaine it is just not enough good food. Russians tend to like weeds and flowers. Hibiscus being a favorite. If the tortoise is healthy then there is nothing wrong with tough loving him into a different diet, remember a healthy tortoise won't starve itself to death. It will require a certain will power to use tough love.

 

[SpecialK]

tough love sounds like a good idea... itll make me sad watching him but ill try my hardest to stick to it thank you so much for the ideas

 

[mattgrizzlybear]

Good luck!

 

[russiantortoiselover1]

even tho romaine is not enough good food it was her favorite so i wrapped good food in her favorite so she would eat it

 

[EKLC]

My torts were a little picky, so I picked up a bag of this:

http://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=33&products_id=275

and stuck a little bit of it to their wet greens that they do like to eat. I gradually stepped it up and it really ensured they had a very diverse diet.

 

[whitnaaaaaay]

Russian tortoises useally go for the food they are familiar too. It took mine a bit, but I slowly introduced him to peas, broccoli, tomato, and green pepper! He does love his roman lettuce, but try some of those foods!

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I just gradually reduce the bad with the good. They get the idea eventually if they are healthy. And that is a big if. I have one Russian that prefers his dried up over fresh greens. I spray the food down with water when I feed so ideally he's getting the water he needs. Same with my Uro. Fresh, forget the next day will be fine thank you.

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The if I was referring to had to do with it being healthy. Often times Russian torts have been getting bad husbandry from well meaning folks. This results in them not being healthy. If he's not lethargic and is alert with bright eyes and has no nasal discharge all should be fine.