Timothy Hay?

[turtlewurx]

I read that it's not a good idea to introduce hay into a sullie's diet when it's a baby. I have 2 questions:

1) Is this true?

2) If so, how big should they be before I introduce them to hay? I don't want to wait TOO long & have them refuse to eat it.

 

[Tom]

It can be offered anytime. They usually will not just eat it plain and dry until they are over a foot long. For babies I like to chop it up finely with some scissors and sprinkle it over some pre wetted greens. Then spray some more and let it rehydrate. I just use a little bit for babies and gradually more for older ones. I also prefer bermuda grass hay to timothy, especially for smaller sulcatas, since it is much finer and less coarse.

So, no, that is not true. And it can be introduced at any time. And it does not matter if they never see it until they are 20 years old. I have seen full size adults that have never eaten hay just walk up and start munching on it as soon as they see it their first time.

 

[turtlewurx]

It can be offered anytime. They usually will not just eat it plain and dry until they are over a foot long. For babies I like to chop it up finely with some scissors and sprinkle it over some pre wetted greens. Then spray some more and let it rehydrate. I just use a little bit for babies and gradually more for older ones. I also prefer bermuda grass hay to timothy, especially for smaller sulcatas, since it is much finer and less coarse.

So, no, that is not true. And it can be introduced at any time. And it does not matter if they never see it until they are 20 years old. I have seen full size adults that have never eaten hay just walk up and start munching on it as soon as they see it their first time.

Excellent news! Thanks!

I was chopping it up & adding it to their greens (but they always seemed to eat everything else & leave the hay). Then I read the article & stopped. I'll try introducing it again tonight. ...& I'll wet it down. Maybe that'll make it more palatable.

 

[JoesMum]

DeanS's Tortoise Meatball recipe is a great way of getting hay in the diet.

 

[pga7602]

I tried timothy hay when charlie was a baby but he just won't eat it. I tried cutting it up, except for the accidental ingestion because it's near food he wants, he ignores it. This all changed after he was about a foot long. Now it's his main diet. I do supplement with fruits and vegetables throughout the week.

 

[bfmorris]

My hatchlings are kept from day one, on orchard grass hay substrate. At first the eating of it is slow, but their eating of it drastically increases as they grow.

Years ago, before I first made the tortoise community aware that orchard grass could be considered an excellent tortoise feed, I also tried the adults on Timothy. They made it clear they didn't prefer it. There is another grass hay that is becoming more common, called Teff grass. I think adults could be trained to eat it, it is a bit richer than Bermuda but not as rich as Orchard, though still nice and green.

 

[drgnfly2265]

I gave Bowser hay to her since she was a week old, but she never ate it at that young of age. She started eating it when she was about 2 1/2 to 3 years old.......

 

[Snapper925]

I use the tortoise meatball diet mentioned above