the yellowish space on Digger's shell

[teriangeletti]

Hello.... Digger has had his baths every two to three days.... I have two heat lamps over his open table and he gets a variety of spring mix, cactus, varied greens, romaine and the occasional squash or a taste of strawberry...he has a cuttle bone available but I have never personally seen him munch on it. There is a yellowish growth ring on his shell...my local pet shop says I am not feeding right... it should only be kale, collards and turnip greens. That is not what I am reading here. I am tickled that the increased lamps, light and heat has kept him out and pretty mobile this long winters nap and can not wait to get him out outside.... are they right? Should he only have the dark greens and that I am not feeding him correctly? I even get the calcium sprinkled on... I thought I was doing it right...sigh :0/

 

[WillTort2]

Variety is the key to feeding your Russian. Make the squash and strawberry very rare for feeding. Add the kale, collards, and turnip greens to your other greens for a good start. I would also add Belgian endive, endive, escarole, dandelions, radicchio, and a wide variety of weeds to your selection. When summer arrives add mulberry leaves and grape leaves.

 

[biochemnerd808]

New growth shows up as yellow rings around each of the scutes. (scutes are the little 'squares' of the shell). The yellow then darkens with exposure to the sun (and/or UVB bulb), and will harden. As long as there isn't a huge pale rim around each scute (which can indicate not enough UVB or too-fast growth), it is normal.

Feeding a wide variety of greens is important, and as Will says, limit (or eliminate) the fruit. Instead, you can give edible flowers like hibiscus, nasturtiums or daylilies (make sure it's not regular lilies, but true daylilies), or dandelion flowers as treats.

There is an excellent plant database on The Tortoise Table website.

 

[Tom]

As usual, the pet store is wrong. Did they sell you a big ramped water bowl, a 10 gallon tank and a coil type UV bulb too?
Sorry. Not frustrated with you. Just frustrated with pet store info that causes harm to animals.

Here is a list of suggestions for russian foods:

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

 

[teriangeletti]

thanks for the replies.....Tom, what you described is what I rescued him from! I wish I could find the flowers and weeds in the winter here in Ohio. I am so very much looking for spring...the Digger man is gonna be sooo happy! I will go back to the market tomorrow and get the

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endive....he is good with the mazuri but not so excited about the zoomed.

 

[teriangeletti]

thanks for the replies.....Tom, what you described is what I rescued him from! I wish I could find the flowers and weeds in the winter here in Ohio. I am so very much looking for spring...the Digger man is gonna be sooo happy! I will go back to the market tomorrow and get the
endive & radiccio....he is good with the mazuri but not so excited about the zoomed.
I didn't mind the store's advice so much as the "starve him until he only eats the kale , collards & mustard". This little guy trusts me.... the coolest time for me after I got him was when he would take food from my hand. There are so many wonderful choices, I don't think starving him is really right to "make" him eat a few.