What to feed

[Elnewman622]

I have read a lot of things on what to feed my greek what I mostly feed him is zucchini , dandelion , and different king of lettus that's good for them and I was wondering what else is easy to get and healthy for my tortoise and yes i know this question is very amature but I just want him to be the healthiest he can be . So I was wondering if I'm feeding him good or bad and what else I could be feeding

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

cut down on the zucchini it should only be provided as a treat. feed your torts grasses and not toxic weeds, this could be his main diet.

 

[Elnewman622]

cut down on the zucchini it should only be provided as a treat. feed your torts grasses and not toxic weeds, this could be his main diet.

What other than grasses would be a good idea like are carrots or anything like that ?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

carrots are fine in moderation but grass should really be the bulk of his diet.

 

[Elnewman622]

carrots are fine in moderation but grass should really be the bulk of his diet.

What kind of grasses ( I feel like I'm a pain) I just don't understand what you mean by grasses I need more in depth of what you mean by grasses

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

What kind of grasses ( I feel like I'm a pain) I just don't understand what you mean by grasses I need more in depth of what you mean by grasses

trust me your not a pain! lawn grasses, wheat grass are some examples. if you don't have a lawn go to a hard ware store buy some grass seeds and grow them in a container.

 

[Elnewman622]

trust me your not a pain! lawn grasses, wheat grass are some examples. if you don't have a lawn go to a hard ware store buy some grass seeds and grow them in a container.






View attachment 96881

So would it be a good idea to grow my own lawn grasses ?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

So would it be a good idea to grow my own lawn grasses ?

yea you can grow your own lawn grass.

 

[Elnewman622]

yea you can grow your own lawn grass.

So most grasses should be good ?

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

yea most grasses just chop it up so your tort can eat it well.

 

[tglazie]

I disagree with russian/sulcata/tortoise. Not to call you out, but I find that my Greek (and Testudo in general) doesn't tend to eat grass that much. What they do eat is broadleaf weeds. For this, I recommend mallow, plantain, red clover, white clover, dichondra or kidney weed, chickory, dandelion, hibiscus (leaves and flowers), althea (flowers), flowering maple or Chinese lantern (flowers), mulberry (preferably fruitless; the fruit is very high in sugar, which can cause diarrhea), optunia cactus (the spineless kind is preferable), and others. There are many good posts in the tortoise diet forum. Basically, to keep a tortoise, you have to become a gardener. There's just no way around it, unfortunately. You can supplement the diet with spring mix, and you can dry some of the herbs mentioned before for the winter months. If you have access to a green house, this will prove invaluable during winter. I live in south Texas, where the winters are mild but it rains with some frequency. I divert the rain water into an irrigation system for my winter feed, but my collection is a large one, and invariably, I have to resort to supplemental spring mix feeding during the early spring when I'm allowing my garden to recover.

T.G.

 

[Elnewman622]

Ok so kinda how yours is

 

[Elnewman622]

I disagree with russian/sulcata/tortoise. Not to call you out, but I find that my Greek (and Testudo in general) doesn't tend to eat grass that much. What they do eat is broadleaf weeds. For this, I recommend mallow, plantain, red clover, white clover, dichondra or kidney weed, chickory, dandelion, hibiscus (leaves and flowers), althea (flowers), flowering maple or Chinese lantern (flowers), mulberry (preferably fruitless; the fruit is very high in sugar, which can cause diarrhea), optunia cactus (the spineless kind is preferable), and others. There are many good posts in the tortoise diet forum. Basically, to keep a tortoise, you have to become a gardener. There's just no way around it, unfortunately. You can supplement the diet with spring mix, and you can dry some of the herbs mentioned before for the winter months. If you have access to a green house, this will prove invaluable during winter. I live in south Texas, where the winters are mild but it rains with some frequency. I divert the rain water into an irrigation system for my winter feed, but my collection is a large one, and invariably, I have to resort to supplemental spring mix feeding during the early spring when I'm allowing my garden to recover.

T.G.

Like I have a garden but where would u in general find these things to feed my greek

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

I disagree with russian/sulcata/tortoise. Not to call you out, but I find that my Greek (and Testudo in general) doesn't tend to eat grass that much. What they do eat is broadleaf weeds. For this, I recommend mallow, plantain, red clover, white clover, dichondra or kidney weed, chickory, dandelion, hibiscus (leaves and flowers), althea (flowers), flowering maple or Chinese lantern (flowers), mulberry (preferably fruitless; the fruit is very high in sugar, which can cause diarrhea), optunia cactus (the spineless kind is preferable), and others. There are many good posts in the tortoise diet forum. Basically, to keep a tortoise, you have to become a gardener. There's just no way around it, unfortunately. You can supplement the diet with spring mix, and you can dry some of the herbs mentioned before for the winter months. If you have access to a green house, this will prove invaluable during winter. I live in south Texas, where the winters are mild but it rains with some frequency. I divert the rain water into an irrigation system for my winter feed, but my collection is a large one, and invariably, I have to resort to supplemental spring mix feeding during the early spring when I'm allowing my garden to recover.

T.G.

omg I'm so sorry i didn't see greek part i feel really dumb now. tglazie thank you!

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

elnewman listen to tglazie! im so sorry for giving you wrong info!

 

[Elnewman622]

elnewman listen to tglazie! im so sorry for giving you wrong info!

It's no biggie

 

[tglazie]

You can order them online. I order my seed in the fall from Amazon.com. A number of vendors on there have wild flower seeds by species. You can get a pound of clover seed for five bucks, and a pound makes for a lot of clover. You can also get five thousand dandelion seeds for four bucks. Are you in the US? If so, another good place to look is tortoisesupply.com. Tyler has a wide variety of seed mixes, one specifically for Testudo that include broadleaf weeds. Arizona Tortoise Compound also has several proprietary seed mixes that are genus specific. Just google search some of the plants I've listed. You can find a more complete list at the tortoise table website. They're somewhat strict on that site as far as the advantages/disadvantages of certain plants. Reading it, you might find that nothing is suitable for your tortoise. But don't lose heart. The trick with feeding tortoises is variety. Lots and lots of variety. I heavily plant my tortoise enclosures, so they have constant access to a wide variety of edible weeds. These plants tend to become bitter in the summer, and many of them die off under the intense heat, but the tortoises tend to follow suit, remaining hidden for much of the warmest period. Similarly, there is a massive die off time during the winter, and at that time, I brumate my torts in an insulated garage inside a fridge for maximum temp stability. Once they awaken in the early spring, most of my grazing areas (which are covered by a cold frame to keep them from dying off completely during the winter, not to mention all the hibiscus and tropical evergreens in the greenhouse) have recovered to the point that the hungry tortoises have ample food when they get back to the great outdoors.

T.G.

 

[tglazie]

Also, keep in mind that planting things such as collard greens, mustard greens, and even romaine lettuce aren't a bad idea either. People on this forum are always poopooing these "store bought" greens as bad, and they have a point, especially if you get these store bought. The problem with store bought ones is that they've been treated with pesticides and fertilizers, even the organic stuff. They can also carry dangerous levels of E. coli and other biological agents that will wreak havoc on your tortoise's digestive system. When you grow the stuff yourself, you can control what goes in the soil, what goes on the plants as they grow. Also, you can choose when to harvest the plants, which is the single most important aspect of feeding. You see, lettuce, when it reaches maturity, becomes this bitter, unappetizing plant that looks more like a stock of sow thistle than it does a head of lettuce. To humans, this is unpalatable green stuff that's been left too long in the field. But to tortoises, this plant has fiber comparable with young dandelion, and a maximized mineral content to boot. It is, in many a respect, of a completely different dietary makeup than it's younger form. Collars, mustard, turnip, romaine, and even carrot greens, in this mature, flowering form, are as nutritious to tortoises as any broadleaf weed. Well, perhaps that's debateable, but they are certainly more nutritious than the pesticide riddled stuff at the store. Oh yes, and I neglected to mention grape leaves. Grapes grow well just about anywhere. Maybe not Pinot Noir grapes, but there are, increasingly, more and more grape types that grow well in a wide variety of climates. Speak to someone at an organic nursery about these, specifically ones with leaves that are good for eating (this is very popular in Greek cuisine). Plant a few on the southern end of your garden, allowing them to creep up a fenceline or any vertical structure. Tortoises love grape leaves.

T.G.

 

[tglazie]

No need to feel bad, russian/sulcata/tortoise. Your sulcata looks great. I miss my sulcata, Jerry. He would be fourteen years old this past summer. He unfortunately contracted a spinal wasting disease that my vet couldn't treat. There are days I think of getting another, but I don't know. I had fewer marginated tortoises back then, and even then, Jerry was starting to really strain my efforts. The area he once roamed is now a huge neutral grazing field for my female margies, and my greenhouse now sits where his heated tortoise shed used to sit. As I have things now, I can't conceive of keeping another sulcata. Maybe one day, if I ever get the opportunity to buy my neighbor's house and double my yard. A man can dream.

T.G.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

No need to feel bad, russian/sulcata/tortoise. Your sulcata looks great. I miss my sulcata, Jerry. He would be fourteen years old this past summer. He unfortunately contracted a spinal wasting disease that my vet couldn't treat. There are days I think of getting another, but I don't know. I had fewer marginated tortoises back then, and even then, Jerry was starting to really strain my efforts. The area he once roamed is now a huge neutral grazing field for my female margies, and my greenhouse now sits where his heated tortoise shed used to sit. As I have things now, I can't conceive of keeping another sulcata. Maybe one day, if I ever get the opportunity to buy my neighbor's house and double my yard. A man can dream.

T.G.

im so sorry for your loss, its always really sad to loose a tort or any pet. my families dog died a couple years back and that was so hard to deal with because we had her for so long(she was older then me). if you ever decide to get another sulcata let me know!