Won't eat the hay

[FloresGurl]

My sulcata won't eat the two different hay's I got for it, but loves the spring mix. what should I do?

 

[wellington]

Try chopping it up small and soaking it in water. Then mix it into the other foods.

 

[cemmons12]

How old is your Sulcata?

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

mine won't eat it is well.. they like just the fresh grass and weeds and all that stuff... but no hay

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[FloresGurl]

How old is your Sulcata?

I don't know the age and don't know how to determine the age. My tortoise is as big as my palm.

 

[cemmons12]

Normally then need to be a little older to even try and start them on hay. And it will most likely take some time. Cooper started eating it around 10-12 months I believe. But he is also very big for his age. And he still don't eat it very well even now at 31 months old.

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[FloresGurl]

Normally then need to be a little older to even try and start them on hay. And it will most likely take some time. Cooper started eating it around 10-12 months I believe. But he is also very big for his age. And he still don't eat it very well even now at 31 months old.

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so what do you suggest I feed my tortoise, keep with the spring mix?

 

[bigjohn]

My 15 month old is 4inches i mix about 60% collard greens and 40% hay chop them up together then soften the hay up with water my 10 inch will eat a mix of 90% hay and 10% greens i don't chop it just mix greens in an soften hay with water

 

[Tom]

Most of mine don't start eating plain dry hay until they are around 12".

In general tortoises are creatures of habit. It will take a few weeks or months of trying to introduce a new food to get them to eat it reliably. They don't recognize new foods as food sometimes. They have to see it for many meals and have it mixed in with other foods. It's a similar process for people trying to switch birds from a seed diet onto a pelleted diet.

 

[cemmons12]

Well on top of Tom's advice. You really need to use more then just spring mix. Read on on Tom's threads about what to eat. Mine get spring mix, red leaf, green leaf, and romaine. Plus mustard, collard greens, and kale. You need to offer a good mix for them. There is plenty more you can feed. I also use Mazuri on both my kids.

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[Tom]

Here is what Cemmons is talking about:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html

 

[cemmons12]

FloresGurl: Believe me when I say you can trust Tom's info. He IS the man, in my opinion. And as you can read in my Cooper Update thread, you can see he is very healthy and I go by Tom's info. Best of luck to you!