Suki my rescue sulcata

[Lynne01]

I’m having trouble with using this program...will get help from my nephew over holiday break, but I was asked about the Mazuri I’m trying to feed her. The pellets are about the size of my thumb nail and yes I soak them. She just takes one bite and then walks over them. I was told by the vet to stop giving her kale this time of year. So I giving her pumpkin, romaine lettuce, mustard greens and collards. She ignored the prickly pear I bought and I’ve tried it twice.
Also, she will NOT go in her house by herself. She wants to go up under some foliage and throws dirt and mulch on herself.
I’m in Florida but our temperature has gone well below 70 and I’m pulling her out to put her in the house each night.....which I’m sure isn’t helping her to like me. Help!

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Mazuri should be introduced by placing a few moist pellets in with her food. Speaking of which, I think you need a better mix of greens in her diet. Things like collard and mustard greens are high in oxalic acid and should be used sparingly, not as her main staple. Grasses and weeds work best, but if you must use store-bought greens, try using escarole and /or endive as the main staple. Kale has little to no nutritional value. As far as the house, she may eventually take to it. For now, until she gets used to things, she is most comfortable under the foliage. Nuthin wrong with that.

 

[Tom]

What size and age sulcata are we talking about?

Here is what you should be feeding:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
Store bought groceries are not a good diet unless you are taking time to add amendments like soaked fresh grass, hay cubes, soaked Zoomed Grassland pellets, and herbal hay. It takes time for a tortoise to get used to eating anything new, even if its a good food. Mix in tiny amount of the new stuff with old favorites. This process can take weeks or months. 2 attempts of leaving a new food in front of the tortoise is not likely to work. Finely chop the new stuff in tiny amounts and thoroughly mix it in with the old stuff. Over time up the ratio of new to old.

Most of them take some time to get used to new surrounding and a new heated shelter. Keep putting the tortoise in there every night and latch the door shut. Open the door each morning. On cold days, put the tortoise back in the box anytime it parks under a bush and looks like it isn't going to move. You don't want the tortoise out and getting cold. In time, the tortoise will learn to return to its box after foraging forays on cooler days. Again, this process can take weeks to months, but it sure is nice once they figure it out.

Post a pic of your shelter. We might see issues that you can fix and speed up this process.

Don't worry about the tortoise liking you. That will also come in time.