What will your picky eater avoid (and eat)?

[succulentsandsunshine]

We've grown all kinds of flowers for our Sulcata but it's always interesting to see what he likes and what he'll avoid eating.

He loves mallow, hibiscus, pansies, chia, and grasses. And he loves his "mash" (rehydrated pellets) with vitamins sprinkled on top.

He will barely touch elephant bush, snap dragons, and zinnias.

I'm sure there's a bunch more too. But I'm curious what you find your tortoises love most and what they won't eat (even though they can).

 

[Tom]

I have yet to have a single tortoise refuse African hibiscus the very first time they see it. Mallow is a favorite, and they all like lavatera flowers.

Most of mine don't like Concord grape leaves, but love other varieties. They will eat some London rocket or some wild mustard, but they don't seem to "like" either of them much. Mine don't care for aloe. Most of them love clover varieties, but many seem to shun the alfalfa. Older ones eat the alfalfa, but younger ones don't seem to care for it much.

 

[SinLA]

I have yet to have a single tortoise refuse African hibiscus the very first time they see it. Mallow is a favorite, and they all like lavatera flowers.

Most of mine don't like Concord grape leaves, but love other varieties. They will eat some London rocket or some wild mustard, but they don't seem to "like" either of them much. Mine don't care for aloe. Most of them love clover varieties, but many seem to shun the alfalfa. Older ones eat the alfalfa, but younger ones don't seem to care for it much.

Oh... mine refused for a long time. Took me FOREVER to get him to eat any hibiscus, and even then he mainly likes yellow and shies away from the blue (which are Alyogyne huegelii). I've planted some red and orange tropical hibiscus as well, plus some mallow, but they are only a few months planted so I won't know for almost a year to see if he likes the other colors. My yellow and blues were planted years ago, pre-tortoise, so are ok to feed at the moment. He also doesn't seem like rose or geranium petals, but he does like hollyhock! Given his druthers he'd eat nothing but radiccio, escarile, and endive.

 

[EricW]

I have actually struggled some with hibiscus/mallow myself. Not sure why. I have several different types from African, to native Texas, to Rose of Sharon, to Globe mallows, etc. They sure aren't pounding the leaves. Flowers they do a bit better with, but not crazy.

I wouldn't say mine are picky, but they definitely change their palate preference for me. Appears to change depending on what they are looking for (more fiber, more moisture, etc.) and is also seasonal. They were smashing pansies earlier this year, but no longer want anything to do with them. It is nearly the end of the season here for them, so maybe it's the flavor or they are looking for other plant types this time of year. Opuntia, they come racing sometimes for it, other times it sits there with not much more than a nibble. Same happened with my plantain weeds, they were pounding it, but now want nothing to do with them. They are also ending their season for me as well. I just keep rotating around the food, take advantage of what they like until they no longer want it. Rarely, like once or twice a month, do they get anything store bought and usually they don't care much for it anyway.

They do the same with ZooMed grassland and Mazuri (Regular and LS). At times they race to it and eat all I will give them. Other times, do not really touch it.

So I don't know if mine are really picky, because they eat everything. It just matters on the season and what they want.

 

[Tom]

Oh... mine refused for a long time. Took me FOREVER to get him to eat any hibiscus, and even then he mainly likes yellow and shies away from the blue (which are Alyogyne huegelii). I've planted some red and orange tropical hibiscus as well, plus some mallow, but they are only a few months planted so I won't know for almost a year to see if he likes the other colors. My yellow and blues were planted years ago, pre-tortoise, so are ok to feed at the moment. He also doesn't seem like rose or geranium petals, but he does like hollyhock! Given his druthers he'd eat nothing but radiccio, escarile, and endive.

African hibiscus is a different plant than the regular or the blue hibiscus. It is also known as African rosella, or Hibiscus sabdariffa. Its the one that grows the calyx that people make "hibiscus tea" from.

And mine don't like geranium leaves or flowers either. I forgot to add that one.

 

[Tom]

I have actually struggled some with hibiscus/mallow myself. Not sure why. I have several different types from African, to native Texas, to Rose of Sharon, to Globe mallows, etc. They sure aren't pounding the leaves. Flowers they do a bit better with, but not crazy.

I wouldn't say mine are picky, but they definitely change their pallet preference for me. Appears to change depending on what they are looking for (more fiber, more moisture, etc.) and is also seasonal. They were smashing pansies earlier this year, but no longer want anything to do with them. It is nearly the end of the season here for them, so maybe it's the flavor or they are looking for other plant types this time of year. Opuntia, they come racing sometimes for it, other times it sits there with not much more than a nibble. Same happened with my plantain weeds, they were pounding it, but now want nothing to do with them. They are also ending their season for me as well. I just keep rotating around the food, take advantage of what they like until they no longer want it. Rarely, like once or twice a month, do they get anything store bought and usually they don't care much for it anyway.

They do the same with ZooMed grassland and Mazuri (Regular and LS). At times they race to it and eat all I will give them. Other times, do not really touch it.

So I don't know if mine are really picky, because they eat everything. It just matters on the season and what they want.

I also see some of what you describe... What tortoise species are you working with that do this?

 

[EricW]

I also see some of what you describe... What tortoise species are you working with that do this?

Eastern Herman's, Leopard, and Burmese Stars. They all seems to do. The Herman's is probably the worst, Leopard Tort 2nd, and the Burmese least. But they all do it. Probably no surprise the order of tort species.

Burmese turn their nose at the pansies and snapdragons now, but were happy to have them a month ago.

 

[SinLA]

African hibiscus is a different plant than the regular or the blue hibiscus. It is also known as African rosella, or Hibiscus sabdariffa. Its the one that grows the calyx that people make "hibiscus tea" from.

And mine don't like geranium leaves or flowers either. I forgot to add that one.

Yeah I don't have any African Rosella, just Tropical and the Blue one which has very different leaves...

 

[Guts]

I guess my girl is just a dumpster, she will try anything I offer. She has clear preferences but nothing I can think of that’s a 100% no go

 

[Tabby0318]

My Tabby loves evening primrose, she doesn't stop to breath when I put a handful in front of her.
Mimulus, mallows and campanula is some of her favorites.
If I put down in front of her anything she doesn't like she puts her head in her shell. Ones she is not sure about she smells for ages, tentatively takes a nibble, but doesn't swallow if she doesn't like it.

I try different weeds and flowers every now and again, she soon let's me know if it is not to her standard 😂

 

[Megatron's Mom]

My little ones are still babies. So far I have noticed the sulcata will not touch the opunia. The loepard will go straight for it. Rose petals I have tried just this week. One bite from the sulcata. nothing from the leopard. I chopped some up to hide in there regular mix. Clover, purple deadnettle, and grasses have been added to their mix. Clover straight up was ok the both at least took a few bites. The others needed to be chopped up and mixed in.

 

[Michael Bird]

I don't have any African tortoises, but I thought I'd share my experiences as well.

Oddly enough, my Hermann's tortoise turns away from dandelions, echeveria (hen and chicks), and sedum.

But he keeps trying to eat things that aren't particularly good for him (but not toxic) like Shepherd's Purse, Henbit, and Meadow Buttercup that are growing wild in some parts of our new back yard right now.

He also keeps trying to run to the Oregon Grape bush in the corner of the yard which is a type of Barberry and not a true grape, but I've read that it's a bad one for tortoises so I haven't let him get all the way to it. I really don't like the nasty spiked leaves on that monstrosity, but the wild birds seem to love it so I haven't decided yet if I'll tear it out or leave it where it is.

I need to get his outdoor enclosure finished so I can let him wander without having to worry about him getting to things that he shouldn't eat.