Albino Sulculta Won't Eat Greens

[tort74]

We need any suggestions or help....
Our baby Little Fella, an albino Suculta, will only eat Mazuri. No greens. Even tried mixing the 2 but picks around greens. Now he is housed with another baby, Coco, our leopard tortoise who eats twice as much and anything and everything. Is there harm in only eating Mazuri? Should we remove Mazuri from his diet to insist he eats some greens? Would he starve himself? What to do? Any suggestions would most be appreciated! Happy tort trails!!!

 

[dmarcus]

He will not let himself starve, if you take away the Mazuri he will eat the greens once he gets hungry. Tough love is the way to go...

 

[jeffbens0n]

First, I would suggest NOT housing your sulcata and leopard together.

It sounds like he just really likes the mazuri, I would try mixing some finely cut greens in with some mashed up mazuri, so he cannot avoid eating the greens. Then slowly lessen the mazuri:greens ratio until you get him to eat more greens. Once you get him comfortable eating the greens this way you can add the mazuri back in to his diet.

 

[EricIvins]

What's worng with feeding Mazuri? A bunch of my Tortoises are raised on a strictly Mazuri diet, and I've been doing so since I was first able to get ahold of the stuff...........

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm with Eric on this one. While I don't do it myself, I know of several keepers who use Mazuri exclusively and the pictures of their tortoises show beautiful, healthy-looking animals.

 

[DeanS]

Don't worry about the greens! As long as he's eating something! The advantage with Mazuri is that he will grow bigger, faster... I hate to say it but mine will ONLY eat Mazuri now and occasionally graze. They even shun cactus now! I'm gonna try lasagne again when winter sets in...but I think they're gonna stick with the Mazuri. Now...I always soak the Mazuri...because if that's all they're gonna eat, I can make sure they're hydrated, as well!

 

[yagyujubei]

If you chop up the greens and mix with the Mazuri, it will have to eat them. Personally, I swear by the stuff.

 

[tort74]

Well both torts are just few months old and get along great. Maybe this way when they get older they will totally get along since they are used to each other. I have always heard and read that it's best to feed both greens and Mazuri. Maybe not? I did chop greens really small and mix it with the Mazuri and now they both ate fine getting best of both worlds! Thanks for all y'all's advice and input!!!

 

[dmarcus]

You have to make the choice on whats best for you and your tortoises. I feed both Mazuri and greens on a daily basis and I don't get upset if my torts doesn't eat one of the other just as long as they are eating. If you want your tortoise to eat greens then you can finely chop them up and mix it so your tortoise can't pick the greens out or you can use tough love. They both work, just do what you feel will work for you...