What should I feed newly acquired adult bell's hingeback tortoise

Gabriel Mattei

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I have newly acquired the last ever hingeback tortoises to enter thailand as the government of thailand has finally banned the importation of any african wild caught species or any WC tortoises from other country. The only reason i bought it is because the seller had no idea how to keep them or feed them.
Anyways, the pair come from Uganda and they have been with me for 3 weeks already, I have seen one eating some cactus and slugs but no feeding action from the other they do move here and there. I offer mushrooms mixed with salads, grasses and other vegetables. I am just asking you guys that have ever had wild caught specimens as to what do you do to get them to eat. I am thinking that if i give them more time they will eat as the traveling stress they have to endure to get to the market must be immense. If you guys have any tricks or recommendations please say!

Thank you, will be posting pictures soon as they are really big and gorgeous hingebacks.
 

Korall

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I have a bells hingeback (Not a wild caught one though) and they seem to be very stubborn when it comes to food, I just recently got mine to try hibiscus.

Mushrooms, insects, vegetables and fruit seems to be the easiest to feed but they should only make up a part of their diet.
For leaves and flowers there is hibiscus, dandelions, grape leaves (Although mine doesn't seem to like grape leaves), clover etc.
You'll just have to try different things to see what they like.

And again, they can be very stubborn with food sometimes. There are multiple ways to make them try new food.
You can mix it with food they already like, or you can make the new food smell like fruit (I use watermelon)

Good luck!
 

TammyJ

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I would love to see some pictures of them.
Is there some commercial tortoise chow they might like?
Will they eat turtle pellets/koi fish food?
 

Korall

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I would love to see some pictures of them.
Is there some commercial tortoise chow they might like?
Will they eat turtle pellets/koi fish food?

I've never fed my hinge back much commercial food. I've tried some tortoise pellets though he showed no interest.
 

William Lee Kohler

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Confucius says when not liking food offered provide what will be eaten. Artificial man made "food" is last option.
 

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