Please help. Greek or Russian or Hermann?

[leigti]

Koopa hasn't eaten since Thursday morning. Is this normal behavior?

No, not really. Did you start feeding different foods? Sometimes they go on a mini hunger strike if they don't like the new stuff.

 

[CaseyAR]

No, not really. Did you start feeding different foods? Sometimes they go on a mini hunger strike if they don't like the new stuff.

Well I've only had him since wednesday and I'm not sure what exactly Petsmart had been feeding him, but Thursday morning I gave him a mixture of kale and chopped squash, and he ate every piece of squash in the bowl. I then found out that squash isn't really good for him, so I tried kale and sliced carrots instead and he didn't eat any of it. I tried squash again, just to see if he'd eat it, but he wouldnt touch it.

 

[leigti]

You haven't had him very long it may take some time to settle in. Try to go with more of leafy greens like endive, escarole, radicchio, turnip greens, collard greens, dandelion greens and flowers, radish tops, carrot tops etc. kale and spinach occasionally. cactus is also good, I scrape off the spines myself. Like I said, it takes them a little while to eat new stuff. And God only knows what he ate at the pet store. Romain lettuce is like tortoise crack, they love it. Sometimes you can mix it in with other things to get them to eat the other things also. Just tear it all up into tiny pieces and mix it together.

 

[dmmj]

When they are in new enviroments, it"s common to be picky eaters for awhile. Some days ravenous monsters, others on hunger strikes.

 

[jeffjeff]

Hrmm.
Tom knows his cyrpress, so hopefully he has some input on the 'blend'
I'm one of those people who swear by coco coir

coir rules. plus it smell nice when pour hot water on it.

 

[CaseyAR]

coir rules. plus it smell nice when pour hot water on it.

We're at lowes now, and they only have cedar and pine blends as far as mulch goes. They don't have coco coir Either. What about sphagnum peat moss?

 

[leigti]

We're at lowes now, and they only have cedar and pine blends as far as mulch goes. They don't have coco coir Either. What about sphagnum peat moss?

Back in the Moss is okay and Pete Moss is okay but I wouldn't make the whole substrate bad my outdoor enclosure for my Russian is half Pete Moss and a half organic garden soil. You could try that.

 

[CaseyAR]

Back in the Moss is okay and Pete Moss is okay but I wouldn't make the whole substrate bad my outdoor enclosure for my Russian is half Pete Moss and a half organic garden soil. You could try that.

The only organic soil they had said that it contained compost in it. Is that safe?

 

[leigti]

The only organic soil they had said that it contained compost in it. Is that safe?

I am not sure I would use that. Like I said I used it in my outdoor enclosure but it didn't have compost in it. Amazon sells 10 pound blocks of coconut Coir. That would be plenty you can always find it at pet stores but it will be more expensive. But it might be your only option right now. three bricks of it does make quite a lot once it expands. use hot water and it expands better.

 

[CaseyAR]

MUSTARD GREENS!!! He loves them! So glad my boy is eating. Thank you all so much for your help. I'm already so in love with this little guy!!

 

[CaseyAR]

Update! The table is officially finished. My husband stained the outside, but put sheet vinyl on the inside and sealed it with silicone. How long should I wait for it to air out before I put Koopa in his new home?