Outdoor enclosure feeding spot

[Pawciorc]

It is a warm and sunny spring in Malta now so I let my 4 cyraneica babies stay outside all days. One part of the outdoor enclosure is just plain soil with two hideouts in corners and a small tray with water. In the middle I created a climbing hill of rocks, next to it a flat marble tile which is supossed to serve as a feeding spot. Other half of the outdoor enclosure is sown with edible weeds, vegetables and other plants.
I have noticed that all of my torts tend to move to the wall of the green part. When I move them to the feeding spot they eat and after move again to their favourite place.
Should I consider relocating the feeding spot or they will learn that empty stomach equals a walk to the dinning room ?

 

[Jacqui]

It may be because the food spot is empty, so they have nothing to hide under to feel secure. So they do a eat and run. Are the also grazing the green area?

 

[Jacqui]

I can not give much advise, because I try to keep all my areas heavily planted with small open spots. I also toss food all over the enclosures for them to find, rather then just one spot.

 

[Pawciorc]

They graze but much less than when I put them to the feeding spot. I left part of the enclosure with no plants so they have easy access to direct sunlight. And I dont want to throw food all over the place- it will dry out after 1 hour.
Any other opinions? Should I keep moving them to teach where they should eat or move the dinning area?

 

[ascott]

They graze but much less than when I put them to the feeding spot. I left part of the enclosure with no plants so they have easy access to direct sunlight. And I dont want to throw food all over the place- it will dry out after 1 hour.
Any other opinions? Should I keep moving them to teach where they should eat or move the dinning area?

Actually, Jacqui has given you perfect advise....when you toss food about, they then get to walk about (which is a normal behavior) and find the food items---as they would in the wild....and if you offer more cover for and too the food area I bet they will move in and out of that area on a regular basis...and if the food dries out bit they will still eat it...remember, they are tortoise not humans....their food item desires are on an entirely different plain than ours....

 

[ZEROPILOT]

My Redfoot like some foods freshly placed down for them and other items, they come back for after the sun has made it kind of "funky".
I mix it up when it comes to feeding spots.

 

[Pawciorc]

Now my babies spend all days outside. And they seem to eat onle what i feed them on their plate. Sowed t-lady seed mix is not interesting for them. I usually serve mix of weeds that i pick outside chopped to smaller pieces and mixed. I supose this is more aromatic and alluring for them. Should i try to stop serving the food and see if they start to eat t-lady greens? Those babies are still small 32-39 grams. Half year old cyrenaica's.

 

[Pawciorc]

This is how their outdoor enclosure looks like. They usually spend most of the time basking in a semi-shadow under plantain leaves. On the right the rejected t-lady weed mix. I moved them there to take the pic. One managed to escape from the camera

 

[Pawciorc]

Any ideas? Please