Sulcata diet questions

[Capybara26]

I just brought home my first sulcata on Friday. She is 6 years old and is healthy and active. We just finished building her a large outdoor pen and outdoor heated shelter. Her pen is full of grass although she doesn't seem very interested in eating it. I was wondering what the appropriate amount/type of food she should be fed daily. I have been doing research but everyone seems to have varying thoughts. So far she has eaten timothy hay, dandelion greens, and cactus. I have also given her cuttle bones for calcium.

 

[Tom]

Here is a large list:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Also, check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-best-night-box-design-yet.66867/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/

And welcome to the forum!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

How tall is the grass? It gets bitter if it's too tall. Sulcata should eat anything. I mean they have specific type diet I think Tom showed you. But what I meant was they are garbage cans, and WILL eat anything. So possibly there's something wrong with your grass? Too tall? Cut with a gas mower? What type of grass is it? She should eat as much as she can eat in about 30 minutes. Bob is 17 and 120 pounds. I feed him, produce in the morning, hand cut grass and anything like blooms dandelions or leaves, in the afternoon and Mazuri as a bedtime snack. He has a bale of locally grown grass hay in his shed, he eats it and sleeps on it. So he may be eating just a touch too much. But my thinking is, if he's hungry feed'em. He even had his first watermelon of the season. He gets to have 2 every summer....but he's also on a really good diet, mostly things I have hand cut or grown for him.so a bit of melon cant hurt....
I'm telling you how I care for my animals because that's my experience, maybe something I've said about them will help you with yours...

 

[Evy]

Don't forget that water is a must have for your tort, put water in different places they love it. Also depends in your area but I love to bathe mine at least 3 times a week. Don't forget the hiding spot.

 

[Yvonne G]

I take in quite a few sulcatas at my tortoise rescue. I usually don't feed them at first because I want to see if they'll eat grass. I have found that if you leave them alone in the grassy yard and don't feed them, they will eat the grass. If I put food out, then the next couple days they don't graze. They're pretty smart in knowing that the food goddess will bring them food if they look 'needy' enough.

 

[Cfr200]

I take in quite a few sulcatas at my tortoise rescue. I usually don't feed them at first because I want to see if they'll eat grass. I have found that if you leave them alone in the grassy yard and don't feed them, they will eat the grass. If I put food out, then the next couple days they don't graze. They're pretty smart in knowing that the food goddess will bring them food if they look 'needy' enough.

I do the same thing with mine. When the grass, clover and weeds are growing well I feed much less. I also hide the food around the yard so they have to go out and find it. This makes them go out searching during this search the start eating grass, clover and weeds.