Concerning cracks 😬

[Hershey]

Hello everyone, I'm grateful to get your help on Hershey's shell. She is about 3 years old, yet still the size of a torta sandwich.

It recently warmed up here in So. Cal, so Hershey has been outside lately unless there is a chance of rain or it is too windy or cold outside, the she is brought inside and given lettuce and apples and carrots mixed with some calcium powder sprinkled on top.

When she is outside, she grazes on dandelions and grass mostly, yet her appetite has seemed to slowed. She takes cover in shade a lot but energetically tours the backyard.

Please suggest anything at all, or ask any questions. Thank you!

 

[Yvonne G]

Her indoor diet isn't good. Try to find things outside to gather for her - mulberry leaves, edible weeds, grape leaves, cactus pads - and at the store look for endive, escarole, raddicho (Smart and Final sells this pre packaged and labelled Santa Barbara Salad), turnip and mustard greens, collards, etc. Sulcata digestion isn't set up to use too much fruit, so you should stop feeding fruit except as an occasional treat.

I'm not sure, but I THINK the new growth 'cracking' is due to poor diet and not enough humidity.

 

[wellington]

Totally agree with Yvonne. Too dry for sure and the fruit, I say don't feed any except one in a great while in hot summer watermelon which is mostly water so helps with hydration in the heat
But occasionally is not once a week, but once or twice a month.

 

[Hershey]

Thank you everyone. I will shop immediately for more variety of veggies and will stop the fruit. Thank you for the insight and suggested foods!

 

[Hershey]

Just wanted to show some pictures from today. I have Hershey some veggies and coconut oil on her shell. She ate some squash and red lettuce. Now I'm going to soak her and place her outside.

 

[2wgasa]

Just wanted to show some pictures from today. I have Hershey some veggies and coconut oil on her shell. She ate some squash and red lettuce. Now I'm going to soak her and place her outside.

Not sure about beans, carrots and squash. Please see https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/ and https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/