Switching my DT off romaine..

[easyreiter]

On day three of tough love here, but my DT refuses to eat anything that isn't romaine lettuce! No fruits no leaves, I can't even treat the boy! So the past few days I lay out three different kinds of good greens he should be eating, when should I give in to his romaine? Or should I keep at it like some of you told me til his instincts kick in and he eats what he has? (pic of him looking real uninterested)

 

[Yvonne G]

I wouldn't ever give it to him again.

 

[nate.mann]

i see you have a Sonoran as well. what people will commonly do is mix a little bit of good stuff in with whatever the tortoise is eating (in this case, romaine) and each day taking a little romaine out and adding more good. make sure its mixed so its harder for them to pick it out. if not, another method that some people dont like but has proved effective (ive done it, worked fine) is to not feed them for a few days so theyre really hungry, and will be more open to new foods.

 

[dar64]

I wouldn't ever give it to him again.

Is a spring mix more nutritious than romaine ?
Is red lettuce or curly green lettuce more nutritious ?

 

[reticguy76]

Spring mix is great

 

[nate.mann]

many members here feed with spring mix, removing spinach if its in it.

 

[dar64]

do I have to remove all of the spinach ?
Thank you

 

[nate.mann]

most of it yes. its one of the veggies you feed rarely.


0.1.0 Russian tortoise
0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pit/American Bulldog

 

[ascott]

Yes, red and green lettuce is better than romaine...and those are good transitional foods....and I laughed MAO looking at the pic....I have seen that "you have got to be kidding me, I thought you humans think you are the top of the chain, yeah right" look....it is priceless...

There are other items he may like as well;

http://www.eatchicchicago.com/blog/2010/01/23/lettuce-varieties/

And spinach is a healthy food offering, just as with any other food offering---not too much of any one kind of food (well, dandelions are are the exception---they just have too many good benefits) is desirable...

Soaks and soaks and oh yeah, did I mention, soaks are a good tool to assure the torts body is active in riding itself of toxins and replenishing ---along with making them plump and juicy

I personally think that once you transition the tort over to other goodies....you can certainly offer in romaine as a "treat" he will do cartwheels for

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

What might help is to get some scissors - I have the herb scissors which have multiple (3 or 5) blades and I really like them - and cut the various mixed greens, perhaps including a leaf or two of the romaine, but the better healthier greens (and even grass, roses, hibiscus, dandelions, nopales/cactus). This might make it a sneaky way for you to get your little tortoise to eat "romaine" but all the good things are there with the bites he/she takes. Teeheehee. Remember that tortoises are slow to adjust/acclimate/get used to new things, so just give it time and eventually your little tortoise will take to a variety of foods from you, for you will be known as the food god or goddess who provides all kinds of goodies! And that picture is priceless.

 

[reticguy76]

Your tort is probably slowing down anyway due to the time of the year that is coming up fast. It might be beneficial to just offer food as best as you can, and let him eat what he wants. Then hopefully after this winter (even if you dont fully brumate him, even if he just slows down considerably) then when its "wake up time" and maybe he will start eating whatever is offered to "catch back up" from his winter slowdown or slumber.
That is my plan as well with "Cooter". All he is really interested in is spring mix, and baby bok choy. So, my plan is to let him go into brumation which is starting now and he should be in full sleep mode in a couple more weeks or so, and then just offer weeds and grass from the time he wakes back up. Thats the plan anyway, might as well try it. Id rather him be on natural growing weeds and grass than spring mix primarily, I am just having a heck of a time getting him off the spring mix on to that. Good luck !!