New Sulcata

[Sulcata520]

I've had my sulcata for about a week and a half now and it is just starting to adjust to the new environment. It still will not try any other food else than fresh grass and runs into its hutch every time it sees a person. Normal behavior?

 

[Tortoise Hub]

He looks good!!! Thats weird I've never heard of that small of a sulcata addicted to just grass. Grass is a great food source for him but there are other things he needs as well. Have you tried giving him any mazuri? And yes some sulcatas will run for cover when they see what they think is a predator and in that case just isnt used to you yet. Dont worry once he realizes you are the one who brings food he will run for you when he catches sight of you.

 

[wellington]

You can also try chopping up other greens or edible flowers, plants, cactus etc and hiding it in the grass on serving stone/slate

 

[RonHays]

Nice enclosure.

 

[Tom]

Hatchling sulcatas run the whole spectrum, behavior wise. I've seen really shy ones that bolt upon approach and really fearless ones that come running at me too. Most of them are a little shy and cautious for the first few months.

Mixing the food with the grass is a good idea. It's great that he likes grass so much, since many small ones don't, but Mr. Fosheezy is right. They do need other things too. Keep that grass thing going though, don't eliminate it entirely.

 

[TortieLuver]

Yeah that's wonderful he loves grass...usually the become addicted to the produce greens you hear and then they don't want their natural diet. Keep trying with other foods and he will most likely start to nibble. Sulcatas usually aren't picky eaters also give him time and he will get used to you the longer he's in your care. They are very personable and he's very young that is helpful

 

[mctlong]

I love the enclosure. Very clever use of space.

 

[Sulcataman]

I was always told mazuri is bad for sulcatas. It might be okay for other tortoises, but mazuri has high levels of protein. If I'm wrong, please let me know.

 

[Dizisdalife]

I was always told mazuri is bad for sulcatas. It might be okay for other tortoises, but mazuri has high levels of protein. If I'm wrong, please let me know.

Many of the keepers here feed Mazuri to their sulcata. The protein level doesn't seem to be as much an issue as once believed. My understanding is that the protein in Mazuri (and similar foods) is derived from plants rather than animals. Still, there is much discussion about the merits of a manufactured food vs. a more natural diet. Personally, I feed a mixture of Mazuri and timothy grass (rehydrated from pellets) to my sulcata almost daily. He also has fresh grass and weeds, cactus, hibiscus, and Bermuda hay available all the time. Some days he ignores the Mazuri mix and some days he gobbles it right down.

 

[Linzbragg]

You can try giving him prickly pear cactus, yellow peppers, radishes, and dandelion greens and flowers