Am I Feeding Him Correctly?

[p-lizzle]

I've had Aioki for a couple days now so we're still getting into our schedules.

I usually put a little under a handful of the mix on a terra cotta saucer every morning around 9 am as this is usually right before I head off to work and is easy to get into a habit of changing his food and water saucers at this time. The only exception is Mondays and Saturdays when I don't work, then its closer to 10 or 11 when I'll get around to putting fresh food in there.

The past two days, I've given him some of my spring mix with a little kale mixed in(I'm vegetarian and this is my usual lunch as well), and tomorrow I've got some dandelion that I found at the grocery store. Anything else I should add into his mix? (I am also sprinkling a little calcium on his food Monday Wednesday Friday)

 

[Tom]

What species are we talking about?

Kale should only be offered once in a while, not as a staple. Grocery store greens lack fiber, lack calcium, and tend to have a low calcium to phosphorous ratio. A better diet would be weeds, leaves, succulents and flowers, as well as grass for some species.

 

[p-lizzle]

What species are we talking about?

Kale should only be offered once in a while, not as a staple. Grocery store greens lack fiber, lack calcium, and tend to have a low calcium to phosphorous ratio. A better diet would be weeds, leaves, succulents and flowers, as well as grass for some species.

He's a Russian. I garden, so I'll be growing him some better foods if the weather could finally decide to get above 50. I've got him some dandelion greens, should I give him more of that?

 

[Tom]

He's a Russian. I garden, so I'll be growing him some better foods if the weather could finally decide to get above 50. I've got him some dandelion greens, should I give him more of that?

Dandelion greens are one good option, but lots of variety is the key. Favor endive and escarole as staples, but use lots of everything else too. Mustard, turnip and collard greens, carrot tops, cilantro, water cress, bok choy, squash leaves and blooms, etc… Then start mixing in something for fiber. You can use blended grass hay, soaked horse hay pellets, ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Chow, etc… Start with a tiny amount of the hay or grass at first and mix it in thoroughly. It will take weeks to introduce it. This will add the needed five to the grocery store greens. When you can begin adding more weeds and leaves like mulberry and grape leaves, you can reduce the grass hay content.

Skip all the text in this thread and scroll down to the list of plants to feed. Your russian is not a grass eater, so the text doesn't really apply:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[RosemaryDW]

P-lizzle, I probably missed it but did anyone comment on your tortoise when you first got him and posted his picture? His beak looks a little overgrown to me but it could just be the angle of the camera lens.

 

[p-lizzle]

P-lizzle, I probably missed it but did anyone comment on your tortoise when you first got him and posted his picture? His beak looks a little overgrown to me but it could just be the angle of the camera lens.

No, no one commented on him (except my friends to tell me he was cute). I was thinking it looked a little on the long side, google hasn't been helpful as all the pictures of an overgrown beak are EXTREME. I've attached a picture of him from a side view.

As this is my first tortoise and my last experience helping my sister trim her kitten's nails went horribly wrong, I'm letting the vet do it when he goes for a wellness check up next week. I'm lucky enough there's a reptile specialist at my local animal hospital that owns a russian of her own! I wish I could get him into the vet sooner, as I just want to be sure he's happy and healthy.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Hmm, perhaps just the tiniest bit but I'm no expert. Your vet will only need a minute to fix it up, if needed. Nothing that would be a problem for him until then.

He is cute.

I know the feeling of wanting that vet checkup ASAP!

 

[p-lizzle]

Hmm, perhaps just the tiniest bit but I'm no expert. Your vet will only need a minute to fix it up, if needed. Nothing that would be a problem for him until then.

He is cute.

I know the feeling of wanting that vet checkup ASAP!

I got him a cuttlefish bone today as I've read that'll help.

Thanks, he's so social too! I let him have his space to get used to his new home, but he kept staring at me like "Um are you going to pay attention to me??" I think he got used to seeing me as I visited him everyday for a week before I bought him home.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Thanks, he's so social too! I let him have his space to get used to his new home, but he kept staring at me like "Um are you going to pay attention to me??" I think he got used to seeing me as I visited him everyday for a week before I bought him home.

Maybe. But he might also know you are the food god. Perhaps a little of both.

 

[TammyJ]

All the best for his happy and healthy life with you!