Skipping morning feeding?

Jay1718

New Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2017
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
South Carolina, USA
On the mornings I'm off I always take my baby sulcata out for a few hours for some morning sun. I have a routine where I soak him for about an half hr while I'm feeding every thing else. Then he eats and it is outside he goes. I noticed yesterday he was chomping down on some grass, which is great he is only 3 inches and already eating grass.
Would I do better to skip his morning feeding and let him graze outside, then offer food when I bring him inside.
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
On the mornings I'm off I always take my baby sulcata out for a few hours for some morning sun. I have a routine where I soak him for about an half hr while I'm feeding every thing else. Then he eats and it is outside he goes. I noticed yesterday he was chomping down on some grass, which is great he is only 3 inches and already eating grass.
Would I do better to skip his morning feeding and let him graze outside, then offer food when I bring him inside.

When a sulcata tortoise eats gras it will be always right. So when you have a save ( against any predators ) outdoor enclosure for your baby and warm weather, let him or her graze. Natural UVB will be great too.
But please don`t let him outside too long because of dehydration. One hour every day will be enough because he is so small.
That is the experience of @Tom. He is a very experienced breeder.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
I agree, natural foods are always better. Like stated be careful when he's out to provide lots of shade.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I've noticed that if I offer a lot of food (grape leaves, mulberry leaves and grocery store greens) the big Aldabran tortoises wait for me to feed them and they don't graze on the lush grass growing in their yard. If he'll eat grass, I don't think it's a bad idea to skip feeding and let him graze.
 
Last edited:

Redfool

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2017
Messages
379
Location (City and/or State)
Central Florida
Most torts are all day grazers like cattle. They'll roam around eating grasses and weeds until they stumble across a tasty mushroom or fallen fruit.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Look at it this way: If someone gave you a nice plate of food daily, when you are normally made to search out a tid bit here and a tid bit there, never finding more than a mouthful at any one time. wouldn't you wait for the guy to bring you the plate of food?
 

Jay1718

New Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2017
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
South Carolina, USA
Look at it this way: If someone gave you a nice plate of food daily, when you are normally made to search out a tid bit here and a tid bit there, never finding more than a mouthful at any one time. wouldn't you wait for the guy to bring you the plate of food?
That's a good point. I'm just glad he has took to eating grass.
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
That's a good point. I'm just glad he has took to eating grass.

Some members with young sulcata tortoises ask what they can do that their tortoise starts eating gras.
Be lucky that yours eats gras. That`s a fine natural food for sulcatas.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I'd let him graze in the mornings and then feed him inside later.
 
Top