RIO'S MOM
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New table
- Thread starter Mark Cassell
- Start date
Katy1986
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2016
- Messages
- 28
Thanks for the link it's an interesting read. I've tried a variety of things too. Turns out Toby does not like spinach and watercress, or rather they do not agree with him! He wasn't too bother by dandelions but then my local patch had been cut so they must have dried out quickly. I bought a bag of mixed dried flowers which tortoises are meant to love as a treat but he was t interested. He likes strawberries but I know how sugary they are so he only gets 1 as a treat every few weeks. Looking forward to trying more things with him, but he still loves the pellets his breeder had him on too.
Torts can be very picky eaters. They know what they like and they stubbornly refuse everything else.
Sometimes you have to be a tough parent and point out that this is dinner and if you don't eat it you go without.
Many of us have had to deal with a tort on hunger strike. They will eat when they're hungry and come to no harm during the period of refusal - which can be lengthy. As long as they're soaked every day no harm will be done.
It's stressful for the human involved, but you have to be tough and ... come here for support
M
Maggie Cummings
Guest
Good Lord, I'm not sure why you would want my input on an enclosure. I don't do somethings like other people. And I would believe your Redfoot is too old to need a 'closed chamber". I don't keep redfoots and I'm a Sulcata and Gopherus agassizzi person, immensely different care from Redfoots. You guy is old enough to spend as much time outside as possible. IMHO, he should be in an atmosphere of forest floor. Humid lots of water, darker. I really feel the best thing I can do is turn you over to @Pearly. She keeps Redfoots in a habitat that will surprize and amaze you. now, she does not have years of experience, but she caught on quick, and I reccommend her and she will be better for you than me. I appreciate you asking me, but I think because I don't keep Redfoots, that someone who does would be my best answer for you. My sis also keeps Redfoots and I would expect her to put in her 4 cents, but I really do think that Pearly has learned so much she needs to share it. Thank you tho, really.
I don't do somethings like other people. And I would believe your Redfoot is too old to need a 'closed chamber". I don't keep redfoots and I'm a Sulcata and Gopherus agassizzi person, immensely different care from Redfoots. You guy is old enough to spend as much time outside as possible. IMHO, he should be in an atmosphere of forest floor. Humid lots of water, darker. I really feel the best thing I can do is turn you over to @Pearly. She keeps Redfoots in a habitat that will surprize and amaze you. now, she does not have years of experience, but she caught on quick, and I reccommend her and she will be better for you than me. I appreciate you asking me, but I think because I don't keep Redfoots, that someone who does would be my best answer for you. My sis also keeps Redfoots and I would expect her to put in her 4 cents, but I really do think that Pearly has learned so much she needs to share it. Thank you tho, really.
I totally sympathise with you on feeding. That and proper enclosure were a bain of my existence for 2-3 months of OCD research, scouring this forum threads and other sources and MANY MANY trips to pet stores and home improvement centers, until I finally got it. And so will you. Information is a key, and this is the best place to find a good uptodate info. The bottomline: whatever you end up doing, has to be easy to maintain for you. As for diet, I can't really speak for the herbivorous species, just pretty well mastered mine (omnivore) but there is a diet section here and I'd also look at the care sheets for recommended foods list for your species, and /or call on Russian keepers who live in your area and see where they find good things for their torts to eat. You can start a thread alerting russian keepers in your specific area and start exchanging ideas. It does get easier, you know
Yvonne posts this list -
Here's a list of suitable greens
Look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database if you're not sure what they look like.
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads
Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard
Here's a list of suitable greens
Look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database if you're not sure what they look like.
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads
Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard
Miss Maggie, you're making me blush! Keeper like you recommending my opinion is the ultimate compliment for the apprentice keeper like myself. But I've been learning from THE BEST on this forum so the time is spend here is to give back to this community for all that I have received. Thank you, Maggie.Good Lord, I'm not sure why you would want my input on an enclosure.
I have to admit that having my garden in Texas for 20 years you'd think I'd read that plant list and have eureka experience, but it wasn't that easy. I knew names of many ornamental plants and herbs, but weeds... I just never needed to learn about. All i needed to know was that they had to be pulled out of my garden beds. Then when you guys gave me the list of weeds, I started "googling" one by one, pictures and all. Getting that list of edible plants was just a beginning of my search for best plant foods. I still base majority of my babies diet on store bought greens (collards, endive, escarole, mustard and turnip greens, radicchio) and cactus plus any tropical fruit there is in season for the topping of each salad to entice my picky eater to get in with it. There just aren't that many safe weeds in my area, due to potential pesticide use. I started few weeds (chickory, lambs quarters, and grape vines and hardy hibiscus (that I have found in old herb nursery where old hippies running it don't use any chemicals) in my tortoise garden along with bunch if other edible plants for shade and grazing, but untill they are mature enough for harvesting I feel totally ok with feeding store bought food. The variety I use is huge, so I feel pretty good about it. I wish i could get plantains here! But I don't ever see them grow anywhere in my area! And herb nurseries don't sell it. Bummer!!!
M
Maggie Cummings
Guest
@Pearly But you goofed,
, I wanted you to give information to Rio's Mom on an enclosure for a Redfoot, madame enclosure expert!!! With pictures!
M
Maggie Cummings
Guest
And, I'm actually a lousy keeper, since Bob, but thanks for the compliment@Pearly But you goofed,
Let's all please don't forget that this is Mark's thread about his new tortoise table. NOT Rio's mom's thread!
M
Maggie Cummings
Guest
Chill out, Rio's Mom is a different thread, and don't make angry faces at me, a simple comment would suffice. I got confused, sorry Mark.....really
I got confused, sorry Mark.....really
Let's all please don't forget that this is Mark's thread about his new tortoise table. NOT Rio's mom's thread!
I have ALWAYS wanted to have a sister! But had to be happy with just one brother. You ladies are so lucky to have each other. And Mark, sorry for getting off topicChill out, Rio's Mom is a different thread, and don't make angry faces at me, a simple comment would suffice.
Yeah, I have to find that thread now and see where I have messed up@Pearly But you goofed,
You are not a "lousy keeper"! You taught me something I'd never have thought myself: "to cradle, carry around, keep warm and love on baby torts" or any reptiles. To me that was like a major "eureka moment"! I've been doing this with my babies and seriously believe that this is what has saved little Tucker. I think he would have been one of those "failed hatchlings" type of casualty that we so often read about on here. I just never had anything to do with any reptiles and have never considered them "huggable" ... I do now, thanks to you
And again, apologies to Mark for going off on bunny trail here
