What’s Everyone Feeding With the Lettuce Shortage?

[wellington]

This is a good point, Barb. But for those of us feeding many animals, a couple heads of romaine a day added into the many other things in the tub, is sorely missed.

I understand what your saying. But with so many other greens/things to feed, I just wouldn't think it would be a problem. Kinda forgetting too, living in a big city, there are tons of things available here that might not be in smaller cities.

 

[wellington]

For me mine doesn’t eat romaine but the stores here have pulled all greens pretty much.

I don't understand their reasons for doing that. That's crazy.

 

[wellington]

Does anyone know if "green leaf" and romaine are the same thing?
The romaine all disappeared and green leaf showed up overnight in it's place. It sure looks like romaine.
Any lettuce makes up a small part of my tortoise diet. But I feed some to my fish a few times a week.(koi)

My stores sell both so I don't think they are the same.

 

[drew54]

Does anyone know if "green leaf" and romaine are the same thing?
The romaine all disappeared and green leaf showed up overnight in it's place. It sure looks like romaine.
Any lettuce makes up a small part of my tortoise diet. But I feed some to my fish a few times a week.(koi)

Not the same thing.

 

[AZtortMom]

Does anyone know if "green leaf" and romaine are the same thing?
The romaine all disappeared and green leaf showed up overnight in it's place. It sure looks like romaine.
Any lettuce makes up a small part of my tortoise diet. But I feed some to my fish a few times a week.(koi)

As far as I know, the green leaf and the romaine are not the same. I feed my girls this, and I don’t have any issues with it

 

[jsheffield]

I picked up a box of this mix while shopping this morning ... a nice variety for Darwin to munch on, organic, and local.

He's tearing through a serving right now.

Jamie

 

[daniellenc]

View attachment 258195

I picked up a box of this mix while shopping this morning ... a nice variety for Darwin to munch on, organic, and local.

He's tearing through a serving right now.

Jamie

Very similar to what I feed and unfortunately has been pulled. Hopefully only another week or two of boring greens, extra fruit, and mazuri. He did get some turkey last night and was over the moon.

 

[drew54]

Has any of your stores got their produce back yet?

 

[daniellenc]

I went yesterday and grabbed radicchio and endive to add to my bag of baby kale, chard, and spinach. Other than that no mixes were restocked yet and I don't feed much green/red leaf lettuce. It was nice to see at least some stuff has returned but he's missing his mix of 10 organically grown lettuces all premixed and washed, lol. Luckily being a redfoot he is being spoiled with fruit, turkey, and Mazuri.

 

[drew54]

I went yesterday and grabbed radicchio and endive to add to my bag of baby kale, chard, and spinach. Other than that no mixes were restocked yet and I don't feed much green/red leaf lettuce. It was nice to see at least some stuff has returned but he's missing his mix of 10 organically grown lettuces all premixed and washed, lol. Luckily being a redfoot he is being spoiled with fruit, turkey, and Mazuri.

I often feel my tort eats way better than I do lol I'm glad some stuff came in. I'm internally freaking out because my winter plan for grass has proved to be a flop. So, I'm going to have to figure out this grass issue. Growing indoors isn't working out too well.

 

[Peggy Sue]

I use wheat grass I buy at the store along with grass from my backyard. The wheat grass is relatively inexpensive and you can get several feelings from a small pot

 

[daniellenc]

I don't have a grass eater but wish I did, lol. Our grass is going strong still!!

 

[Sisypha]

Kale, Turnip greens, mustard greens, we have a store here called Fresh Market that sells dandelion greens too.

 

[Sisypha]

Kale, Turnip greens, mustard greens, we have a store here called Fresh Market that sells dandelion greens too.

How far down in FL are you? I'd drive a couple hrs. to get to this Fresh Mkt. for dandelion greens for my leopard torts…

 

[libscoot]

Does anyone know if "green leaf" and romaine are the same thing?
The romaine all disappeared and green leaf showed up overnight in it's place. It sure looks like romaine.
Any lettuce makes up a small part of my tortoise diet. But I feed some to my fish a few times a week.(koi)

Green leaf is a different species. I'm assuming it's safe given how much romaine-adjacent stuff everyone is pulling!! I can't believe how bare this section of my grocery is right now.

My Russian HATES the kale/arugula mix I got in place of the spring mix that's typically his core winter food. The store was also out of turnip & collard greens which are my usual secondary greens (he HATES mustard and dandelion greens, and isn't a fan of kale either, but I think it's the arugula that's turning him off so much this week).

I'm even "sweetening" his meal with a bit of shredded cabbage because he loves it (though I know it's not great for him). But basically he's gone on food strike at this point and can't say I blame him. Tomorrow I'll probably add some Mazuri and some wild greens I blanched and froze from his outdoor pen this summer, just to make him that much more confused during this "troubled time"!

 

[Joma]

I’m lucky enough to have a local organic, grocer who stocks dandelion greens year round even though I live in a small town. The dandelion is my staple (everyday). I add oganic endive, frisbee, bok Choy, mustard greens, arugula and escarole to that and Mazuri every other day and sometimes organic butternut squash which I can buy in frozen cubes. Very occasionally a little strawberry, grape or apple. I’m growing weeds but they are too small yet.

Since my tortoise is so small and there is lots leftover, my dogs are getting giant salads with their evening meal each day. Win win lol.

 

[Razorback tortoise]

Find a feed store and call them to ask if they have orchard grass hay. Most grass-eating tortoises take to it very well.

MyMy leopard tortoises don't like any kind of hay...have a compressed bale for 2 months just sitting around....

 

[Yvonne G]

MyMy leopard tortoises don't like any kind of hay...have a compressed bale for 2 months just sitting around....

That compressed hay you buy in the pet store is too hard (stickery, brittle) for tortoises to eat. It's best to buy it fresh from a feed store. You can try soaking your compressed hay in water before adding it to the food.

 

[PharSytid]

As I’m sure everyone has noticed the ecoli outbreak has greatly reduced grocery store offerings. For those in warm climates this is an easy solve but for us northerners I’m struggling. Week one I bought a bunch of radicchio, arugula, endive, and some micro greens. Expensive for one tort and most of it rotted before it was eaten. He also did not eat as well but it is cooling off so I wasn’t worried. Friday I went back to stock up and now EVERYTHING except spinach, kale, and chard was gone. Sooo I bought it but I’ve never fed kale and spinach so Saturday he went on feeding strike because it’s new. This morning I emptied his bowl and he’s happily feeeding on Mazuri but I really rarely give Mazuri and don’t want to turn him into a monster and have him refuse greens later.

So what is everyone else feeding? He’s a Redfoot so I stocked up on fruit but I’m struggling with allowing him all the fruit and Mazuri he wants. When is this recall ending and does anyone know any indigenous Maryland plants still growing? My outdoor staples are rose of Sharon, hasta, clover, dandelion, mulberry, and plantains which are mostly gone.

Hi-
My Sulcata trio luvs them a mix of cilantro and Italian parsley ( I add a bit of cuke, dandelion greens and baby carrots that have been through my food processor to the mix).

 

[DDickie]

As I’m sure everyone has noticed the ecoli outbreak has greatly reduced grocery store offerings. For those in warm climates this is an easy solve but for us northerners I’m struggling. Week one I bought a bunch of radicchio, arugula, endive, and some micro greens. Expensive for one tort and most of it rotted before it was eaten. He also did not eat as well but it is cooling off so I wasn’t worried. Friday I went back to stock up and now EVERYTHING except spinach, kale, and chard was gone. Sooo I bought it but I’ve never fed kale and spinach so Saturday he went on feeding strike because it’s new. This morning I emptied his bowl and he’s happily feeeding on Mazuri but I really rarely give Mazuri and don’t want to turn him into a monster and have him refuse greens later.

So what is everyone else feeding? He’s a Redfoot so I stocked up on fruit but I’m struggling with allowing him all the fruit and Mazuri he wants. When is this recall ending and does anyone know any indigenous Maryland plants still growing? My outdoor staples are rose of Sharon, hasta, clover, dandelion, mulberry, and plantains which are mostly gone.

Mine has been hibernating since mid-October so I don’t have this problem!