This passed June I recently inherited four dessert tortoises approx. 2 years old give or take they are still small and shells are not hardened yet. The desert tortoise's were not in the best shape as my grandmother fed them a poor diet of mostly lettuce. I know this is a horrible diet! Additionally I adopted a Sulcata hatchling that is now 8 months old. I let my DT roam my yard and they had a variety of weeds and grass to eat plus I gave them special treats like kale and yellow squash. I felt they were healthy enough for hibernation so currently they are hibernating. I'm trying my best to keep the temperature around 45-50 degrees. I check on them about once a week and they seem to be doing okay. I would love any tips or suggestions from health, diet, environment, etc. I researched a lot on line. However, I feel like I would love to know more about this species who's dealt with the tortoise first hand.
As for my Sulcata she's my stubborn one! She is very picky when it comes to her food. I feed her so many greens plus she's allowed to roam my yard I also bought her a grape tree, orchid plant, and Dwarf elephant grass and she has turned her nose up at everything. A lot of times I have to grade yellow squash up and chop up a variety of the plants in the squash to get her to eat it. In any case I love her! I would also love any tips about health, diet, shell care? Environment... etc. Anything helps! Also I have read sulcata's do not hibernate, but then the man at petsmart told me sulcatas do hibernate?
Thanks again
As for my Sulcata she's my stubborn one! She is very picky when it comes to her food. I feed her so many greens plus she's allowed to roam my yard I also bought her a grape tree, orchid plant, and Dwarf elephant grass and she has turned her nose up at everything. A lot of times I have to grade yellow squash up and chop up a variety of the plants in the squash to get her to eat it. In any case I love her! I would also love any tips about health, diet, shell care? Environment... etc. Anything helps! Also I have read sulcata's do not hibernate, but then the man at petsmart told me sulcatas do hibernate?
Thanks again