Opinions on New Diet

[Zantino1]

As of yesterday I got Sheldon some orchard and alfalfa hay to add to his diet.
Was asking if you guys like this cycle schedule for more growth as she is under the standards for her age.
The diet is in a 4 day schedule of: the first day collard greens, Bok Choy, and Wheat grass with sprinkled amounts of calcium.
The second day is alfalfa and orchard hay throughout the day with calcium.
The third day 20 pellets grassland tortoise diet with calcium and flakes of alfalfa hay made in it
And the fourth day of a mix of the 3 other days combined for one big meal.
Tell me if I need to change any other of the days as it will help with her growth.

 

[Tom]

Alfalfa hay is too stemmy and its too high in protein to feed it that often. If you choose to feed alfalfa that often you will need to soak daily to ensure good hydration. If not, stone formation is likely and likely to be fatal eventually.

You need to find a way to offer many more leafy greens. Grape leaves, mulberry leaves, spineless opuntia pads, many types of weeds, mallow, broadleaf plantain, clover, dandelion, sow thistle, more real grass, flowers, hibiscus leaves and flowers, the list is endless. Check it out: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

You can feed all these things on a bed of orchard grass hay or bermuda hay to get more gass into the diet too. Lots of variety is key.

 

[Zantino1]

Alfalfa hay is too stemmy and its too high in protein to feed it that often. If you choose to feed alfalfa that often you will need to soak daily to ensure good hydration. If not, stone formation is likely and likely to be fatal eventually.

You need to find a way to offer many more leafy greens. Grape leaves, mulberry leaves, spineless opuntia pads, many types of weeds, mallow, broadleaf plantain, clover, dandelion, sow thistle, more real grass, flowers, hibiscus leaves and flowers, the list is endless. Check it out: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

You can feed all these things on a bed of orchard grass hay or bermuda hay to get more gass into the diet too. Lots of variety is key.

I have been giving her a bath a day I might miss a day because of school, but is 30 minuets ok for a hot bath giving that much alfalfa for her growth
And I will introduce rose leaves too

 

[Brockazoid]

Alfalfa hay is too stemmy and its too high in protein to feed it that often. If you choose to feed alfalfa that often you will need to soak daily to ensure good hydration. If not, stone formation is likely and likely to be fatal eventually.

You need to find a way to offer many more leafy greens. Grape leaves, mulberry leaves, spineless opuntia pads, many types of weeds, mallow, broadleaf plantain, clover, dandelion, sow thistle, more real grass, flowers, hibiscus leaves and flowers, the list is endless. Check it out: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

You can feed all these things on a bed of orchard grass hay or bermuda hay to get more gass into the diet too. Lots of variety is key.

Where do you get these from? The weeds I mean.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Alfalfa hay is too stemmy and its too high in protein to feed it that often. If you choose to feed alfalfa that often you will need to soak daily to ensure good hydration. If not, stone formation is likely and likely to be fatal eventually.

You need to find a way to offer many more leafy greens. Grape leaves, mulberry leaves, spineless opuntia pads, many types of weeds, mallow, broadleaf plantain, clover, dandelion, sow thistle, more real grass, flowers, hibiscus leaves and flowers, the list is endless. Check it out: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

You can feed all these things on a bed of orchard grass hay or bermuda hay to get more gass into the diet too. Lots of variety is key.

Would you believe that plantain is higher in protein than alfalfa? Alfalfa is good food.

 

[Tom]

Where do you get these from? The weeds I mean.

I encourage them to grow in my yard, at my ranch, in friends, family and neighbor's yards that don't use chemicals. You can scrounge them from all over the place.

Over many years, I have seeded weed patches around my ranch and systematically removed the weeds I don't want by hand before they go to seed. Now I have whole areas where mallow and other good weeds come up all on their own every year when our winter rains start.

You can collect seeds from anywhere and get them started either in your lawn, or in planters or pots if you don't want a weedy lawn.

 

[Tom]

Would you believe that plantain is higher in protein than alfalfa? Alfalfa is good food.

I'd believe it if you said it.

I agree that alfalfa is a good food. I grow some myself for the tortoises. But I still think alfalfa hay from a bale is to coarse and stemmy for anything other than a large sulcata, and I still think that if someone is going to feed a lot of it, they better be soaking their tortoise and keeping it well hydrated.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

I'd believe it if you said it.

I agree that alfalfa is a good food. I grow some myself for the tortoises. But I still think alfalfa hay from a bale is to coarse and stemmy for anything other than a large sulcata, and I still think that if someone is going to feed a lot of it, they better be soaking their tortoise and keeping it well hydrated.

I have found soaked cubes are okay for 2-4 pound size tortoise or bigger, Forstens, K. erosa, and definitely the larger Manouria. 1/4 inch pellets, everyone likes. I've seen new neonates struggle through a small pile of chopped mixed greens to pick out fresh alfalfa leaves. I tried a few small leaves a couple of times from curiosity, it does taste good to me.

Alfalfa, aerial part, fresh
Crude protein % DM 20.6
Ribwort plantain, aerial part
Crude protein % DM 20.4

Both from feedipedia, I guess you were correct, Alfalfa does have a higher DM (Diegstable matter) of protein. My Bad

 

[Tom]

Both from feedipedia, I guess you were correct, Alfalfa does have a higher DM (Diegstable matter) of protein. My Bad

Until someone finds another source that lists it slightly differently…


I grow alfalfa and I feed the young tender tips to my babies, but mine do the opposite of yours. They eat everything else first and they only eat the alfalfa if there is nothing else left and they are hungry. Not their favorite, but they eat it.