picky eating habits

[thegrandchicken]

My tortoise haha seems to be a very picky eater. He hasn't been drinking water for a little more than maybe a day and a half, which worries me, and he seems a little dehydrated... also, I bought some cuttlebone and placed it next to his food dish, and he hasn't touched it. I'm not sure if he even knows what to do with it! Does anyone have a suggestion?

 

[wellington]

How often do you soak him? Soaking will help prevent dehydration. Post pics of the enclosure. Also, give us temps, humidity, diet, substrate, age and size of tort.

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Also, what kind of tort.

 

[pugsandkids]

It can take a while for the Cuttlebone to be recognized as something to chew on. No water is a problem. What kind of tort, set up, temps, etc?

 

[thegrandchicken]

Okay, this is all the background info! Thanks for replying so quickly. I can't post pics - my camera hasn't been working, but I'll do my best to describe everything.

I soak him every other day and put the tub in the sunlight, and I always put a drop or two of a Vitamin A liquid supplement in the water, if that means anything... he is a leopard tortoise, two years old, and just recently moved in with me about a month ago He stays in a wide 20 gallon aquarium sort of tank at night to sleep, and I take him out during the day, where he likes to wander around the house and in the yard. There's a maintained temperature of 80-82 degrees during the day with a heat and UV lamp, and then I turn that off at night and leave him with a heating pad on the bottom of the tank, and then it becomes roughly 77 degrees... he eats prickly pear cactus, Mazuri pellets and Retro, and the odd piece of leafy greens or lettuce (NOT iceberg). I also bought some new ZooMed brand grassland tortoise food for him, but I haven't tried it yet. I use a timothy hay mix as a substrate, but I've been considering switching to another kind when I use up that box; it's kind of messy, and I don't think Twig (that's his name) likes it very much :| Thanks again! I hope this information will help!

 

[wellington]

I would give him a humid hide and try to get the humidity in the 80's inside the hide. Remove the hay, it is very drying and with the humidity you will be adding, the hay will mold. Use coconut coir or cypress mulch. Start soaking him every day. Every other is fine if he didn't look dehydrated. Don't worry about the cuttlebone, he will catch on but to get him started, you can scrape some of it onto his food. Is the water dish big enough for him to get into? A plant saucer is good for this. Also give him as much of a varied diet as possible. He might be a little bored with the food. Look on the tortoisetable.org for more food ideas.

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I'm not familiar with the vitamin A. However, I don't think you should put it in every soak. See what others say about that. Also, do you give any vitamin D3? If not maybe give a small pinch a couple times a month. Also get him outside to graze and for sunshine as much as possible.

 

[GeoGpp1012]

I'm a little concerned with the 20 gallon even if its just for night that's pretty small for a hatchling let alone a 2 y/o leopard

 

[thegrandchicken]

Okay! I'd actually never heard of a "humid hide," but it's a great idea. I did also look into the cypress mulch before, and I think I'll use that from now on. Thanks for all your great advice!

 

[thegrandchicken]

GeoGpp1012: That's true, and something I've thought about too... I can't put him outside in an enclosure unattended, though, because coyotes and stray cats come in through the backyard quite a lot. What do you suggest?

 

[wellington]

20 gallon isn't too bad in my opinion, as long as it is only for night time sleeping and he can move and turn around. He also should be able to get off the heat. With those kinds of animals around. I would bring him in every night. However you could build a top on an enclosure out of hardware fabric. It's a fencing similar to chicken wire, but with squares and in many Gage's of strength. Also, read Toms threads below in my post. There is a leopard and sully one, both will apply. It will explain how they should be set up as hatchlings, but also has the humid hide idea in it also.

 

[Yvonne G]

You can also sprinkle water over his food when you feed him.

 

[thegrandchicken]

Ha, the "Beginner's Mistakes" one was helpful. Yes, he is able to do all those things, and only stays in there during the nighttime. I think at some point, I will take him outside and try the enclosure top you suggested, but right now, he's very small and young and I would like to keep him living safely inside until he grows a little bigger in a few years and I can let him live outside with a clear conscience!

20 gallon isn't too bad in my opinion, as long as it is only for night time sleeping and he can move and turn around. He also should be able to get off the heat. With those kinds of animals around. I would bring him in every night. However you could build a top on an enclosure out of hardware fabric. It's a fencing similar to chicken wire, but with squares and in many Gage's of strength. Also, read Toms threads below in my post. There is a leopard and sully one, both will apply. It will explain how they should be set up as hatchlings, but also has the humid hide idea in it also.

 

[GeoGpp1012]

I would def do the same with my little guy with predators like that out there lol so I def agree with you bringing him in...you could always buy a big storage container from Home Depot pretty cheap ...much larger for him to sleep in and keep him inside when you want to bring him in. Seems like your def a great tort owner though with the way everything you describe

 

[thegrandchicken]

Thank you, I'm new with tortoises, so I really wanted to make sure everything was ok for him. I also did try to find a storage container, but the only big-enough ones I could find were ones made of plastic, and I don't think I could heat those well without the plastic melting sooner or later. I will try to find him a bigger glass tank,though, and try to bring him out more often .

I would def do the same with my little guy with predators like that out there lol so I def agree with you bringing him in...you could always buy a big storage container from Home Depot pretty cheap ...much larger for him to sleep in and keep him inside when you want to bring him in. Seems like your def a great tort owner though with the way everything you describe

 

[thegrandchicken]

Okay, well now it actually is picky eating habits!!! I've been feeding him mostly Mazuri pellets for the past month, with the odd leafy green bits and cactus and things, but I just ran out. I went and got some new tortoise food from the ZooMed brand called Grassland Tortoise Food, but he won't eat it! I know it's just picky eating habits because he sniffs it and then leaves, and then comes back, does it again, and THEN grudgingly eats a few bites and then paces around again before coming back. we've tried mixing it with other stuff that he doesn't mind eating, but Twig's too annoyingly smart - he just picks out the good stuff and leaves everything else! aegh... Should I just buy him more Mazuri pellets and feed him just that and other greens suitable for him to eat?