Sulcata Diets and where to buy it.

Whiplash4ever

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Hello and welcome to the Forum! Might I say that is quite an intimidating profile pic[emoji6].
For us to give better advice, can you tell us how big the tort is?
The grow light will be handy for growing plants but that is it. Your gonna need to get a bulb that produces UVB, this is required for your tort to convert D3. Most pet stores will have various types of uvb lights, be wary of compact ones as they have caused eye problems. Mercury vaper bulbs and the long florescent tubes work.
Here is a handy website to help ID plants that are suitable for torts, in your yard and the grocery store!
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/index.php#.WmukIeCIbqA

If your tort is big enough (10" ish) you may be able to start him on hay! Orchard Grass hay or other leafy grass hays are best.

Can I chop up the Bok Choy stem too or just the foliage?
 

zovick

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Can I chop up the Bok Choy stem too or just the foliage?

Some tortoises eat the white stem as well as the green leafy part. It won't hurt anything to chop up the whole thing and see what gets eaten.
 

Bambam1989

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Can I chop up the Bok Choy stem too or just the foliage?
The entire plant is edible.
I did notice that most of the plants you managed to pick up are on the brassica family, brassica tends to affect calcium absorbtion if fed in large amounts. (Something to keep in mind for future shopping)
Someone may have already mentioned this but fruits are not good for their digestion, similar to give milk to someone who is lactose intolerant, it can also cause "parasite blooms". This includes peppers although I do feed mine a Small amount of squash once every couple of weeks.
It's a alot to remember but your heading in the right direction!
 

Whiplash4ever

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Some tortoises eat the white stem as well as the green leafy part. It won't hurt anything to chop up the whole thing and see what gets eaten.

Kewl!

How often do you feed them? He's been here since Sunday and hasn't eaten yet. In fact, he has not even moved. Does that worry anyone or could it be that he's just not hungry because he ate Sunday prior to being driven out to me? Could he be stressed with new surroundings and just needs time to settle in? I know snakes go long periods between feedings but I don't know what torts do.
 

Tom

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Kewl!

How often do you feed them? He's been here since Sunday and hasn't eaten yet. In fact, he has not even moved. Does that worry anyone or could it be that he's just not hungry because he ate Sunday prior to being driven out to me? Could he be stressed with new surroundings and just needs time to settle in? I know snakes go long periods between feedings but I don't know what torts do.


Where is he and what is the ambient temp? Lack of activity and appetite usually indicates that it is too cold. This is a tropical species and they need warm temps year round. They need a background temp of 80 and an area to warm up that is around 95.
 

Whiplash4ever

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Where is he and what is the ambient temp? Lack of activity and appetite usually indicates that it is too cold. This is a tropical species and they need warm temps year round. They need a background temp of 80 and an area to warm up that is around 95.

Okay. He's cold then. It's just room temp, 70 / 72. Somewhere in there.
 
M

Musa Nathan

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Pumpkin does contain sugar and should only be fed on occasion, when (if) pumpkin is fed the carving pumpkins (the ones for jack-o'-lanterns) are a better option over pie pumpkins because of less sugar.

Correct...apparently 70% Of it’s diet is grass..
 

Sue Andreski

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You have acquired a comprehensive list of foods to which I would add Kales, radishes and green beans. As a treat Bull Dozer (yes, I named him; his original name was awful) gets a cherry tomato or a strawberry. I have given him bits of cantaloupe and watermelon but very sparingly. I am fortunate that I grow much of my guy's food as it saves me a lot of cash. If you are so inclined, and have the area, many of the greens you mentioned can be easily grown I your area; kales, arugula, collard greens, lettuces, broccoli leaves. Sweet potato leaves are also one of his favorites. He will come trotting over when he sees me with leaves! I will admit, my Sulcata eats way better nutritionally than I do! Good luck.
 

Sue80

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If you look on Amazon, there are vendors that sell the Nopale/opuntia cactus, I have ordered several times from "Natural Home Remedies". I'm still trying to figure out the best way to keep the cactus and serve the cactus.
Right now we have a lot of hen bit and I keep trying to get my two to eat it. They LOVE Romain, but I keep hearing it is not the best for them.
 

Stuart S.

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Sulcatas are grazers so I always make sure ours has food available, I clean his food dish every evening so there is fresh food when he gets up in the morning and if his food is gone when I get home from lunch I’ll usually put a little bit to get him through the rest of the day.
 

Stuart S.

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I try not to over feed, but just making sure fresh food is in his dish
 

Whiplash4ever

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But every day. That's what I wanted to know. Everything I read said they are voracious appetites, but this guy wasn't eating at first so I figured maybe they didn't eat as often. I think the problem was he was cold though. Since fixing that issue, he's been eating much better. I just don't want to overdo it.
 

Stuart S.

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Yes it should be everyday once he’s comfortable in his new home and his temps are set and consistent. They can be a little skittish when being introduced into a new home, how are your temps doing now?
 

Whiplash4ever

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Better. I don't think they're as high as they should be, but much better than they were. I bought a space heater that's on high, blowing constantly, heating the bottom of the enclosure and permeating through and into his enclosed space through the "drain". Its a temerary thing until i get his permanent digs built.
 

Whiplash4ever

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No. I don't know how accurate it would be in any case with the heat coming up from below the enclosure and then dissipating out the top. It's on the list of things to buy though.
 

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