question about hermann diet

Copper · Jun 25, 2014

Is it okay to feed Hermann tortoise a little Timothy Hay from time to time with their main diet?

Yvonne G · Jun 25, 2014

It's ok if he'll eat it, which I doubt. It is not harmful to him, however, they prefer the more broad-leaf weeds and plants.

Tom · Jun 25, 2014

Are you trying to add fiber to grocery store greens? If yes, you will probably need to blend it so its very finely minced up, rehydrate it and mix small amounts with the greens. If you are looking to just feed grass hay to a hermanni, it is not likely to eat it, as Yvonne noted. Here are some suggestions for good foods:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

Copper · Jun 25, 2014

Yvonne G said:
It's ok if he'll eat it, which I doubt. It is not harmful to him, however, they prefer the more broad-leaf weeds and plants.

Thanks Yvonne, I figured he might not like it I just wondered if it was safe for him. I have some left over from our hamster and was wondering if it was safe to try once in awhile mixed with his food.
Thanks!

Copper · Jun 25, 2014

What a great informative list of things for my Hermann to eat, I already feed him a few from that list but some I did not know about, I really appreciate the list I will copy and print it to have as a reference.
Thanks Tom!
ps. I will skip the Timothy Hay

Copper · Jun 25, 2014

One more quick question, I use coco coir for bedding/enclosure right now while my Hermanni Tortoise is still so young, but when he is older what else would be a good choice?

missmarilyn · Jul 25, 2014

Tom said:
Are you trying to add fiber to grocery store greens? If yes, you will probably need to blend it so its very finely minced up, rehydrate it and mix small amounts with the greens. If you are looking to just feed grass hay to a hermanni, it is not likely to eat it, as Yvonne noted. Here are some suggestions for good foods:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

missmarilyn · Jul 25, 2014

I'm a new owner a a very young hermann. I've seen your list and similar lists of all the wonderful things he can eat. Currently he will only eat Romaine lettuce and he did once take a tiny piece of zucchini--not the leaf or flower, just the squash. i grow so many things in my garden but he just walks over everything i offer. Does this take time for his appetite to broaden or is there something i should do to encourage more variety in his diet. He's about 4 months old.

Yellow Turtle01 · Jul 25, 2014

missmarilyn said:
I'm a new owner a a very young hermann. I've seen your list and similar lists of all the wonderful things he can eat. Currently he will only eat Romaine lettuce and he did once take a tiny piece of zucchini--not the leaf or flower, just the squash. i grow so many things in my garden but he just walks over everything i offer. Does this take time for his appetite to broaden or is there something i should do to encourage more variety in his diet. He's about 4 months old.

More variety. Lettuce is void of nutrition, and squch should only be treat. He won't starve himself, so keep putting good foods out for him, and stop offering the lettuce, and wean him off the fruit.

Tom · Jul 25, 2014

missmarilyn said:
I'm a new owner a a very young hermann. I've seen your list and similar lists of all the wonderful things he can eat. Currently he will only eat Romaine lettuce and he did once take a tiny piece of zucchini--not the leaf or flower, just the squash. i grow so many things in my garden but he just walks over everything i offer. Does this take time for his appetite to broaden or is there something i should do to encourage more variety in his diet. He's about 4 months old.

I would finely chop up some romaine, then finely chop up a small amount of the new stuff, and thoroughly mix it all up together. Over time, gradually increase the ratio toward more good stuff and less romaine. Do not worry about it if the tortoises chooses to skip a day or two or just nibble. Keep doing it and over time your tortoise will learn to eat everything. Your tortoise could go two weeks with no feed at all, and it wouldn't hurt a thing, so don't panic and give in if he doesn't eat it at first. Only use a VERY small amount of the new stuff for the first few days. The idea is to introduce the new smell taste and texture gradually. Right now your tortoise has no idea that that is food. Imagine you went to a restaurant in a foreign country and they plopped down some object that you've never seen, much less eaten, onto the plate in front of you. Would you eat it?

question about hermann diet

Copper

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Yvonne G

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Tom

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Copper

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Copper

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Copper

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missmarilyn

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missmarilyn

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Yellow Turtle01

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Tom

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