Stuborn Eater

[Kalgodric]

We have been feeding Bodhi alot of leafy greens like colard greens, kale, and endvine. He loves them and definatly clears his plate when we load up on those things, he seems to love the kale the best.

Well that was untill we gave him some squash...the squash was kinda big so we cut it into pieces and only gave him part of it....he destroyed the squash we gave him in a hurry lol so over the last few days we have been giving him a piece of squash with his greens...now the stubborn little guy wont eat the greens and only wants squash lol

He stomps around his room like he does when hes hungry and just ignores the greens and only seems to want to pick out the squash. Yesterday I only gave him greens and he stopped around all day until about an hour before he normaly goes to sleep, when he finally broke down and ate the greens and then went to bed.

I figure that its just a stubborn phase hes going though, he did the same thing when we weaned him off romain lettus when we first got him from the pet store, and he will eat when hes hungry.

Does anyone else have a picky or stubborn eater?

 

[wellington]

By what I have read on this forum, that happens a lot. When given the choice of candy or veggies, most want the candy. Same for him

 

[Jacob]

They will get stubborn and only want one or two items if fed too much, a varied diet is great.
I would lighten up on the dark leafy greens to a couple times a week, or mix them all into a mix with
some grasses, or weeds, or cactus, Mazuri, just add a pinch every time and get him to build a nack for new
food items.

 

[JoesMum]

Just feed greens, don't feed squash and don't give in! A tort can last a few weeks without food as long as it is soaked daily to prevent dehydration.

Hunger will take over and your tort will give in and eat properly, but you have to be strong!

Good luck

 

[lkwagner]

I water down mazuri and mix in things like lettuce and pumpkin on occasion. You could mix cooked squash in with the mazuri and it would still be very beneficial rather than just the squash. The tortoise cafe.com has huge bags for only $8 and mine love it plus it's good for them.

 

[Dizisdalife]

They will be stubborn. They can't eat what you don't feed them. Keep offering them what you want them to eat and they will eventually eat it.

 

[Weda737]

Mine wants poop. Or plastic. Or anything else he shouldn't have. Otherwise he only wants clover, he'll hear nothing of dandelion or anything in the spring mix that is any color other than green. For a while he wanted to be a butt about eating Mazuri and the Grassland Tortoise Diet. I'm experimenting a little bit recently, since he's grown out of the fragile baby stage, don't rage on me now, but every once in a while he gets a freeze dried cricket. He's only had maybe 6 his whole life, but with all this new information about the bird eating and scavenging I think maybe a taste of that kind of protein now and then might be a good thing.

 

[clare n]

Phillip is terrible. It used to concern me but I've learned not to give in, when he's hungry enough hell eat what's presented whilst indoors. I bought the uk equivalent of mazuri,hunted high & low for it, two weeks later I had it there in my hand, eager to see the enthusiastic reaction, that curiosity of "mmm... Smells good..." then gobble it up.
Well no such luck. He trundled over, looked at it, looked at me... Looked at it... (u get the idea) I left, thinking maybe he was self conscious haha. Next thing I hear him speeding about. I look in, he's not eaten it but also decided to walk thru it in protest and drag it all over the place, and flicked it about, wearing part of it as a fancy new hat instead. Looked up at me as if to say "yea... Look at that... That's all that's good for"