Variety in meals

Sydnee

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Hello everyone! I am new to the forum, but have learned a lot while reading all of the posts. I have a russian named Todd. I've had him for almost two months. I've been feeding him a little over a hand full of greens/ weeds 6 days a week. I have been keeping as much variety as possible. I am putting a list down below of everything I have been feeding him. I just wanted some ideas from you guys. I buy everything organic.
Italian blend salad mix (no spinach)
Romaine
Collard greens
Dandelion greens
Baby kale
Sunflower sprouts
Wheat grass (and opinion on how often wheat grass should be fed)?
Mustard greens
Cilantro
Frisee
Arugula

Once a week I feed him a small amount of:
Carrots (a few shreads)
Broccoli
Squash

I have been dusting his food 3-4 times with calicum (without D3) and multivitamins. I have two bearded dragons and luckily they have similar needs. Please post any thoughts or suggestions! Thanks guys! ☺
 
Last edited:

Turtleneck123

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Jul 9, 2016
Messages
105
Hello everyone! I am new to the forum, but have learned a lot while reading all of the posts. I have a russian named Todd. I've had him for almost two months. I've been feeding him a little over a hand full of greens/ weeds 6 days a week. I have been keeping as much variety as possible. I am putting a list down below of everything I have been feeding him. I just wanted some ideas from you guys. I buy everything organic.
Italian blend salad mix (no spinach)
Romaine
Collard greens
Dandelion greens
Baby kale
Sunflower sprouts
Wheat grass (and opinion on how often wheat grass should be fed)?
Mustard greens
Cilantro
Frisee
Arugula

Once a week I feed him a small amount of:
Carrots (a few shreads)
Broccoli
Squash

I have been dusting his food with calicum (without D3) and multivitamins. I have two bearded dragons and luckily they have similar needs. Please post any thoughts or suggestions! Thanks guys! ☺
Looks good. I recommend including more weeds into his diet. Also how often do you use calcium powder?
 

Sydnee

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Aug 5, 2016
Messages
29
Looks good. I recommend including more weeds into his diet. Also how often do you use calcium powder?
I have just edited the post. I dust his greens 3-4 times a week. Well until my garden grows, I can only buy organic grocery store greens. What would you recommend from there? All I could find is dandelion greens. I am also concerned in the winter time I wont have any weeds to feed him since my garden will die
 

Turtleneck123

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Messages
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I have just edited the post. I dust his greens 3-4 times a week. Well until my garden grows, I can only buy organic grocery store greens. What would you recommend from there? All I could find is dandelion greens. I am also concerned in the winter time I wont have any weeds to feed him since my garden will die

The diet you listed seems healthy so I think you can sprinkle it 2 times a week.
As for the weeds here's a picture of weeds that are safe for your tortoise to eat. (Make sure you aren't using pesticides or any chemicals in your garden) ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1470544089.058276.jpg

You can also buy a testudo mix from this website which includes all the weeds that are good for your RT.
http://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix

For the winter you can just feed him the foods you listed. Hope this helps :)
 

Turtleneck123

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Messages
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Also romaine lettuce does not have a lot of nutrients so I don't feed my RT lettuce at all. Mustard and collard greens are good for them.
 

Sydnee

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The diet you listed seems healthy so I think you can sprinkle it 2 times a week.
As for the weeds here's a picture of weeds that are safe for your tortoise to eat. (Make sure you aren't using pesticides or any chemicals in your garden) View attachment 182689




You can also buy a testudo mix from this website which includes all the weeds that are good for your RT.
http://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix

For the winter you can just feed him the foods you listed. Hope this helps :)
The diet you listed seems healthy so I think you can sprinkle it 2 times a week.
As for the weeds here's a picture of weeds that are safe for your tortoise to eat. (Make sure you aren't using pesticides or any chemicals in your garden) View attachment 182689

You can also buy a testudo mix from this website which includes all the weeds that are good for your RT.
http://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix

For the winter you can just feed him the foods you listed. Hope this helps :)

Great info! My tort is a spoiled butt!
I will drop sprinkling his food with his supplement down to twice a week.
My "garden" is only a long window pot. I don't have a back yard
I also read that if I feed him high nutritious food to often he will start pyramiding? Any thoughts?
 

Jodie

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Russians can hibernate in winter. Your current diet is decent for winter. Cut the broccoli and carrots, and add endive and escarole. When weeds and leaves are available They are best. In the Sulcata care guide there is a great list of food. Russians will not eat much grass, and no hay.
 

Sydnee

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Also romaine lettuce does not have a lot of nutrients so I don't feed my RT lettuce at all. Mustard and collard greens are good for them.
I feed it to him with high nutritious foods evry once and a while. I will do 2/3 dandelion weeds and 1/3 romaine. I read that feeding them super nutritious food can cause pyramiding? Any recommendations on wheat grass? Thoughts?
 

Sydnee

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Russians can hibernate in winter. Your current diet is decent for winter. Cut the broccoli and carrots, and add endive and escarole. When weeds and leaves are available They are best. In the Sulcata care guide there is a great list of food. Russians will not eat much grass, and no hay.
Okay so I shouldn't feed him wheat grass too often?
I will definitely add endive and escarole in next! Thanks!
Do they have to hibernate? He is housed inside. Should I open another thread about this? Please excuse me lol im a newbie
 

Jodie

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I spray his cage each morning and his shell. I also soak him 3 times a week. Sound ok?
Soaks are great. If he is an adult, that is fine. If he is still growing, you might need to raise humidity. Do you know what his humidity is in the enclosure?
 

Sydnee

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I have the mazuri, but my little guy wont eat it. Ill keep feeding him a mix of everything.
 

Sydnee

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Soaks are great. If he is an adult, that is fine. If he is still growing, you might need to raise humidity. Do you know what his humidity is in the enclosure?
He is about 4 1/2 inches. Still growing. I am getting a humidity monitor next week. His enclosure is open though. I would spray in his hide-a-hut, but I am scared it will mold.
I read to pour water in corners so the top isn't wet, but that also worries me.. as far as mold goes
 

Turtleneck123

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He is about 4 1/2 inches. Still growing. I am getting a humidity monitor next week. His enclosure is open though. I would spray in his hide-a-hut, but I am scared it will mold.
I read to pour water in corners so the top isn't wet, but that also worries me.. as far as mold goes
What is your substrate ?
 

Jodie

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Coco coir doesn't mold. That is one of the reasons I love it. I use straight coco coir. For larger messier tortoises I put coco husk fiber on top of it. My substrate is 4 to 5 inches deep. I keep it very moist by dumping water in, like I would water a plant.
 

Gillian M

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Hello everyone! I am new to the forum, but have learned a lot while reading all of the posts. I have a russian named Todd. I've had him for almost two months. I've been feeding him a little over a hand full of greens/ weeds 6 days a week. I have been keeping as much variety as possible. I am putting a list down below of everything I have been feeding him. I just wanted some ideas from you guys. I buy everything organic.
Italian blend salad mix (no spinach)
Romaine
Collard greens
Dandelion greens
Baby kale
Sunflower sprouts
Wheat grass (and opinion on how often wheat grass should be fed)?
Mustard greens
Cilantro
Frisee
Arugula

Once a week I feed him a small amount of:
Carrots (a few shreads)
Broccoli
Squash

I have been dusting his food 3-4 times with calicum (without D3) and multivitamins. I have two bearded dragons and luckily they have similar needs. Please post any thoughts or suggestions! Thanks guys! ☺


I'd love to see pics of your tort, and of course his enclosure.

And a very warm welcome to the forum!
 

Sydnee

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Joined
Aug 5, 2016
Messages
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Coco coir doesn't mold. That is one of the reasons I love it. I use straight coco coir. For larger messier tortoises I put coco husk fiber on top of it. My substrate is 4 to 5 inches deep. I keep it very moist by dumping water in, like I would water a plant.
Oh wow! Great to know! Yours has never molded? His is only 2 inches deep. Should I make it deeper?
 

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