Spring Mix

[Danielle95045]

I have a couple questions I could really use some help with. I have ready hundreds of articles and own every sulcata book I could fine, but there are a few things unclear in my research.
#1) My vet said to feed him spring mix or collard greens which my sulcata loves and eats well. But in my readings I have read that they need more hay/grass and only little bit of greens, is this true? I have tried to switch him to hay/grass but he hates them, I have tried soaking the grass/hay with the spring mix but he doesnt like it and Its really time consuming. Should I be really worried about making him switch. He is about 8 months old.
#2) I am worried that I am over feeding my tortoise. How do I know how much food to give him, Cause he always is waiting at his empty food dish with those feed me more eyes, lol. I want him happy but I dont want to cause him harm, please some insite into this issue would be great.
Thank you everyone for being so helpful in the forum, I hope this will help clarify a few things as my sulcats health and welbeing is VERY important to me.

 

[dmmj]

Young tortoises don't usually eat hay, think of it like kids and vegetables, often times they don't regularly start eating it until they are older.

 

[dmarcus]

Most of the books you read tend to talk about the diet of adult sulcata's, like was said above, most young tortoises will not eat hay...

 

[Danielle95045]

Ok great, Thanks for the help. How old should I start making him eat more hay/grass and less greens such as spring mix? Thanks

 

[JoesMum]

You are unlikely to over feed.

As for hay, DeanS's Tortoise Meatballs have proved very successful with many on here

 

[Danielle95045]

Ok Thanks, That info makes me feel better. Do you know how much I should limit his food to, I feel like im over feeding him

 

[Danielle95045]

Thank you for your help. I am sure that your tortoise meatballs are great for the sulcats, however I dont want to feed a processed food souce such as mazuri. Trying to stay away from that if I can help it, but your information was most helpful to me, I appriciate your kindness.

 

[Danielle95045]

I have read such bad things about processed tortoise food but the picturs you show your tortoises look very healty and happy. Maybe I have bad advice about store bought tortoise foods.

 

[dmarcus]

If you feed a varied diet then the processed food is not an issue. Everyone will have different opinons on it, thats why its up to the individual owner to decided what to feed or what not to feed all anyone can really do is offer suggestions.

 

[Utah Lynn]

Thank you for your help. I am sure that your tortoise meatballs are great for the sulcats, however I dont want to feed a processed food souce such as mazuri. Trying to stay away from that if I can help it, but your information was most helpful to me, I appriciate your kindness.

Deans Meatballs are a members own concoction that he formulated for his own tortoises, I believe.

 

[Danielle95045]

Thanks I am going to look into this a bit more. Maybe I was too quick to judge. You seem very informed about sulcatas. Another question I saw when I went to look at the meatballs was he feeds cactus to the sulcata, when feeding cactus pads.....scrap off spines and cut it up? is there more to it than that? Thanks

 

[dmarcus]

Most of us try and get the spinless cactus, that way you can just give them the pad. I will cut the cactus up for my real small tortoises but even my small ones can eat a pad with out it being cut up, they have a very strong bite.

 

[Danielle95045]

Ok thanks, We have tons of opuntia cactus with a few spines growing all over our ranch and thought it would be an easy addition to my feeding program, but I will try and buy some spineless cactus

 

[Paradon]

I hear people soak the hay in water to get the baby to eat hay.

 

[dmarcus]

I do have them with spines and I just burn them off, its quick and easy. I do agree that cactus is a very easy addition to add to a tortoise diet. It has a lot of good stuff a tortoise needs in it.

 

[Danielle95045]

Great that is very helpful. THanks