[split] What do you feed your sulcata?? (help)

[JerseySulcata]

I'm new to this blog but I see a similar question was posted. I recently adopted a 7 yr old 20 pound Sulcata. Right now it's summer time in Jersey and the weather is pretty nice. I'm housing him outside in a pen I made for him. He grazes on grass throughout the day, eats hay I put down (even though I never actually see him eat it), roman lettuce, dandelion greens, raw sweet potatoes, raw corn on the cob, and strawberries every now and then. Any suggestions on feeding? And how often I should feed him each of the above items?

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome The potato and corn I would stop feeding. The strawberry could be given as a treat once in a while. Check out the tortoisetable.org for all kinds of edible items to buy or grow. Optunia cactus and Mazuri would be good to add to his diet. Try to feed as wide a variety of good items as possible.

 

[JerseySulcata]

Is there a reason to not feed the corn and potatoes? The lady whom I got my Sulcata from fed those to him. And I read to not give strawberries or watermelon to them too often but as a treat.

 

[Tom]

They are grass eaters. The diet should be mostly fresh green growing grass. Grass hay works too, but make sure they are getting plenty of water with it. On top of that, they should get lots of weeds and leaves. Look for dandelion, clover, sow thistle, broad leaf plantain, mulberry, grape and hibiscus leaves, spineless opuntia cactus pads, and a whole host of other good stuff.

Root vegetables, corn and strawberries are all too high in sugar and low in fiber. Its not good for them. They will eat just about anything, but a high fiber, low nutrition diet is what their bodies are adapted to deal with.

 

[Blakem]

That's not a terrible diet for someone who's new to this species of tortoise. But, as mentioned above a few times, cut out the corn an potatoes. Tom listed a good variety of new items you should add into your sulcatas diet.

I looked up some common weeds that grow In New Jersey, as I have no idea what the climate is like over yonder, through this website. I found about 7 things that your sulcata can eat. It shows pictures, which are my personal favorite. http://njaes.rutgers.edu/weeds/thumbnail.asp
You can use that to see what grows in your area, and refer to these websites for which ones your tortoise can eat. Don't just pick anywhere though! You must watch out for pesticides and poisons that may be sprayed on them.
Good luck!
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plants_19.asp
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-5823.html
http://russiantortoise.net/edible_plants.htm
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/plantfoods.html
http://africantortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm

 

[JerseySulcata]

Thank you very much.

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