Food for the sulcatas

[IntoTheWildReptiles]

Ok I have done alot of reading about the husbandry and types of food to give. Right now they are both eating well and the shy one is now a eating machine. They have all the grass they can eat plus I give them spring mix also gave them hay ( Timothy Hay ). Lastnight they got alittle cucumber and carrots. Does this sound ok? Like I said I have been reading nonstop but I rather hear from the people on here. I am more than willing to change whatever I have to. Thanks for all the help

We took them out front so they can have some fun.

Then it was our DT's turn

 

[Laura]

They probably should be crusiing in the same areas, even at different times..
Natural grazing is best. Treats occasionally. Look at thier wild diet.. try to match that as much as possible. All the extra things like fruit and other veggies, we do for ourselves. they dont really need it, but we like to give it. its ok, but moderation.

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Should NOT be cruising in the same areas..

 

[tortoisenerd]

Can you scatter some weed and broadleaf seeds to provide some variety? How much land do you have? Ideally you want to have enough land and variety to sustain a tort off your yard. I would never feed cucumber or carrots or other veggies or fruits. Better treats are Mazuri, pumpkin, butternut squash, and hibiscus and other edible flowers, and cactus pads. Plant some stuff like grape leaves too. No reason to be feeding Sulcatas that size spring mix unless you don't have enough yard, and at their size that is a bad sign!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Grass seeds... they don't eat the same broadleaf stuff as do Russians. Bermuda grass would be the best IMHO...

 

[chadk]

Grass AND broadleaf is ideal in my opinion. My tort yard is overflowing with many types of grass, plantain, dandilions, various clover, etc.
I feed the outdoor torts Mazuri about once a month. Greens from my garden a few times per week (mustard greens, collard greens, a little kale, a little spinach, romaine, and other greens). Then some squash and pumpkin and a few treats here and there (a strawberry or mellon - just a few bites per month).

 

[IntoTheWildReptiles]

Thank you for the replies!
Tortoisenerd. Thank you I have more than enough land for these torts no matter how big they get. I was just looking for options to mix it up alittle.
I will go look for some seeds to start growing some different stuff around here.

 

[Tom]

Grasses and weeds. Grape, mulberry, rose and hibiscus leaves and flowers, opuntia cactus and occasional store bought leafy greens. Mazuri is good once or twice a week.

I skip the veggies and fruits. A little once in a while won't kill them, but they don't need it and too much is not good for them.

Grass hay is a good staple when they get a little bigger, but you can start to introduce it now. I like the bermuda grass hay and I start them on it by cutting it up with scissors and sprinkling it on their other food. Usually I'll spray it with water, so it rehydrates first.

These are the things I prefer to feed. Others do it differently and their torts are still alive too.

 

[DeanS]

Grasses and weeds. Grape, mulberry, rose and hibiscus leaves and flowers, opuntia cactus and occasional store bought leafy greens. Mazuri is good once or twice a week.

I skip the veggies and fruits. A little once in a while won't kill them, but they don't need it and too much is not good for them.

Grass hay is a good staple when they get a little bigger, but you can start to introduce it now. I like the bermuda grass hay and I start them on it by cutting it up with scissors and sprinkling it on their other food. Usually I'll spray it with water, so it rehydrates first.

These are the things I prefer to feed. Others do it differently and their torts are still alive too.

So you do soak your hay?

 

[Tom]

Only a small amount when I'm starting a young tort on it.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Grass AND broadleaf is ideal in my opinion. My tort yard is overflowing with many types of grass, plantain, dandilions, various clover, etc.
I feed the outdoor torts Mazuri about once a month. Greens from my garden a few times per week (mustard greens, collard greens, a little kale, a little spinach, romaine, and other greens). Then some squash and pumpkin and a few treats here and there (a strawberry or mellon - just a few bites per month).

I wonder why your yard has so much stuff growing in it, yet you have 3 Sulcata. I recently spent over $50 for seeds to add to my tort yard but Bob doesn't let anything grow in his yard. It's grazed daily and I see new green shoots coming up but Bob heads straight for them. I have 9 other torts and they eat what Bob leaves.

 

[DeanS]

Grass AND broadleaf is ideal in my opinion. My tort yard is overflowing with many types of grass, plantain, dandilions, various clover, etc.
I feed the outdoor torts Mazuri about once a month. Greens from my garden a few times per week (mustard greens, collard greens, a little kale, a little spinach, romaine, and other greens). Then some squash and pumpkin and a few treats here and there (a strawberry or mellon - just a few bites per month).

I wonder why your yard has so much stuff growing in it, yet you have 3 Sulcata. I recently spent over $50 for seeds to add to my tort yard but Bob doesn't let anything grow in his yard. It's grazed daily and I see new green shoots coming up but Bob heads straight for them. I have 9 other torts and they eat what Bob leaves.

Sounds like my house...everyone eats what I leave behind...Ahhhhhhhhhh! The benefits of being the Alpha Male.

 

[chadk]

Grass AND broadleaf is ideal in my opinion. My tort yard is overflowing with many types of grass, plantain, dandilions, various clover, etc.
I feed the outdoor torts Mazuri about once a month. Greens from my garden a few times per week (mustard greens, collard greens, a little kale, a little spinach, romaine, and other greens). Then some squash and pumpkin and a few treats here and there (a strawberry or mellon - just a few bites per month).

I wonder why your yard has so much stuff growing in it, yet you have 3 Sulcata. I recently spent over $50 for seeds to add to my tort yard but Bob doesn't let anything grow in his yard. It's grazed daily and I see new green shoots coming up but Bob heads straight for them. I have 9 other torts and they eat what Bob leaves.

It is a pretty big space. And this time of year, the stuff grows like crazy. I have been determined not to mow it and just let the torts eat it down, but they can't keep up. Now I'll have to go out with the weed whacker before it get's much more crazy. I recently moved my fruit trees in there, otherwise I'd let my goats in there from time to time to help...

I weighed Dozer the other day. He has gained 10-15 lbs since last year (now he is between 45 and 50lbs). Not sure what normal growth is for a tort his size, but I think that is pretty good.