picky eater

[Speedy_Tortoise]

my tortoise only likes a few certain types of lettuces, like romaine, escarole, and endive. How can I get him to eat more vegetables?

 

[Seiryu]

my tortoise only likes a few certain types of lettuces, like romaine, escarole, and endive. How can I get him to eat more vegetables?

Try mixing in things in light amounts would be my guess. There are plenty of different varietes of foods out there. You havn't tried them all yet have you?

And my understanding from other posts. People seem to think vegetables are not very good to have often if at all. Do you mean other plants in general? If so there are many flower type plants they can eat as well.

http://www.russiantortoise.org/edible_plants.htm
and
http://www.russiantortoise.org/russiantortoisediet.htm

Most you can buy at Home Depot as seeds for like $1 a pack and grow fast. I just bought like 20 different types of plants and I dont have my Leopard yet lol!

 

[Speedy_Tortoise]

see, I don't grow my own food for my tort, so I pretty much rely on grocery store greens. I do have an aloe plant, which was on the edible plant list. Am I just supposed to feed him a piece of aloe?

 

[Seiryu]

see, I don't grow my own food for my tort, so I pretty much rely on grocery store greens. I do have an aloe plant, which was on the edible plant list. Am I just supposed to feed him a piece of aloe?

He can eat the leaves or the flowers. Just make sure if you want it to live and seed more Aloes to not overdo it on feeding him things off it.

I'm not sure on the grocery stuff myself and wouldn't rely on it personally. I havn't looked into what foods are ok at grocery stores since some use pesticides etc. Leopards (the tortoise im getting) needs 70% of grasses, the rest other plants/weeds. I don't think I'd personally get a tortoise if I had to go to the grocery store to feed him. Way too expensive.

Someone here can probably tell you what varietes to get from the stores. Although I will say, there is a Market (just sells foods like fruits, veggies, meats, dairy etc) here that has huge Dandelion greens that would last a very long time for 70cents a bundle.

Things are VERY easy to grow. I live in michigan and plants do very well between April and September. Just water well, and you're good to go. Grasses do especially well if that's what Russians eat a lot of (no idea).

 

[Yvonne G]

What kind of tortoise is it? If you have to buy grocery store greens, practically all of the different kinds of tortoise will eat:

endive
escarole
raddiccio
turnip greens
mustard greens
kale
collard greens
packaged baby greens
endive
green/red leaf lettuce

Some of the different kinds of tortoise can be fed fruit and a bit of cat/dog food...but not all tortoises.

The key to a happy and healthy tortoise is to feed a nice variety of different things. Don't get stuck feeding only one item because its easy. Variety...variety...variety!!!

Yvonne

 

[Seiryu]

What kind of tortoise is it? If you have to buy grocery store greens, practically all of the different kinds of tortoise will eat:

endive
escarole
raddiccio
turnip greens
mustard greens
kale
collard greens
packaged baby greens
endive
green/red leaf lettuce

Some of the different kinds of tortoise can be fed fruit and a bit of cat/dog food...but not all tortoises.

The key to a happy and healthy tortoise is to feed a nice variety of different things. Don't get stuck feeding only one item because its easy. Variety...variety...variety!!!

Yvonne

He has a russian to my understanding. As for Leopards, Mustards should be fed "sparingly" not an everyday thing. I imagine the same for Russians. But those are all good choices right there.

And if Russians do need grasses. Either use your lawn if free of fertilizer/pesticides. Or make / find a 1x1ft container, go to a local Feed shop and buy seeds. Grasses grow very very easily. I googled feed shops for my zip code and was surprised at how many there were lol.

Also if russians eat hay. Timothy Hay is very good as well and you can get a lot for not much money at all.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Russians don't need grass they prefer broadleaf weeds. From the grocery store get Spring Mix then add the others from Yvonne's list and that makes a good tort salad. You can walk around your neighborhood and pick weeds and blossoms and leafs to add to the food.
Mustard and kale and spinach should be fed sparingly. There's no reason 'not to trust' the grocery store. Feed a variety and the tort will be fine.

 

[Speedy_Tortoise]

thank you everyone!! You are all such a big help

 

[dmmj]

If it is a russian most grocery stores sell radish tops, which russians love( mine do anywasy) but I grow mine own.