Sulcata Grass Help

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Logan487

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Sorry about skipping my introduction but I wanted to post this first. I currently have two baby sulcatas in a custom built enclosure I have made for them. I have researched them extensivley and in preparation purchased several varieties of the grasses that comprise their diet and a large hibiscus to supplement the other portion. Problem is I grow the grasses on my screen in back patio and the wife's cat got out, found it and decided it would be fun to eat and play in - resulting in killing the grasses I had been growing in preparation for winter and their food supply. They wont eat any of the canned food (I know its garbage but I figured a full tummy of junk for now is better than an empty one) and the only plant sparred was the hibiscus. That said I know 'Lawn Fescue' is on the accepted list and due to a stroke of luck our entire lawn is Fescue but I wasnt sure if it was an actual species named that. Does anyone know if they could eat that? We do not use any sort of chemicals in our yard due to children and other pets and I heavily wash anything I give them.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Logan 487:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

May we know your name and where you are?

Your fescue is fine. You can also look for dandelions (plant and flower), clover, dichondra, any broad-leaf weed. Mullberry leaves, grape leaves.

What I do is start with a bag of Spring Mix from the produce section of the grocery store, and to that I'll add various things from the yard, mainly mullberry leaves and grape leaves. I chop it up for the babies because sometimes they don't have the strength to bite pieces off.

Its nice if you can get him interested in eating manufactured foods for when green food is scarce during winter. My tortoises will eat Mazuri Tortoise Diet. Its one of the better ones. Do a search on here and read about it.
 

Logan487

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Thanks, and double thanks. Ive been freaking out since that happened worrying about winter food storage, originaly I was going to use a deep freezer and make grass bags for them lol.

My name is Logan, I currently have two hatchling sulcatas I ordered from the Pet Store I am manager of and we live in North Carolina. Im not too good at introductions but ill go ahead and repost there. :)
 

Tom

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Hi Logan. Welcome. There are LOTS of other things to feed them. Most of the time babies don't care too much for grass. If they can graze on tender young shoots, they often will, but weeds and leafy greens will work just fine too. Mine will eat some grass when I chop it up and sprinkle it over their other food, but they start to like it and eat it much more as they put on size. All the stuff Yvonne mentioned is great and don't forget the opuntia cactus too. Just chop it up really fine and mix it with the greens or feed whole tender young pads and let them munch away at it. The Mazuri pellets are great, but I'm not a fan of any of the canned foods.
 
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