Indoor adult enclosure

[Pearly]

Check out your supermarket or Whole Foods, or farmers market, they maybe selling opuntia cactus pads and dandelion greens. I don't know about the sulcata, but have some experience in getting a sick baby tort to eat and feeding it for many months until things get turned around and he started thriving and growing/putting on weight. Now he is not-so-little anymore heavy "moving rock" and eating machine. Your little sully does look pretty emaciated. How much food do you offer? How often? I'd treat him as "sick or recovering tort" and as such soak daily, feed twice a day or more if needed. The amt I offered to mine for 1 feeding was at least a size of his carapace, 2-3 times a day. And we are not talking about "fluffy salad" that if you squish it down becomes thin pancake. I chop up my food, everything: the greens, finely dice up cactus, soak and mash up Mazuri and mix it all up. The consistency of it is kinda like deli potatoe salad only much more finely chopped. Again my area of "expertise in tort nutrition" is in RFs who are omnivorous, but the principles are this same: pack good calories, vitamins, minerals (esp. calcium) in form that's easy for them to take in. Grazing takes work. Sometimes those sickly babies just don't have enough stamina to graze long enough to meet their nutritional needs this is the example of my torties' breakfast then i topped it with fresh edible flowers. This pile is about 1.5 cup of dense food. If they clean it up in like 10-20 min, I add more. If they don't I feed them again in the afternoon. Feed enough that there is ALWAYS some left over food. Bring him out and put in front of his food. If he nibbles and goes back to his hide, get him back out. You may need to repeat it many times before he catches on. Also keep him well hydrated, and warm, and UVB and with all that... I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you

 

[saginawhxc]

True but is it nutritious enough is what I mean ?

Nutritious enough that it should be 75-90% of its diet.

I agree with Sarah though, if this tortoise is underweight I am not against upping the amounts of Mazuri. I think weight gain and growth is really where Mazuri shines.

 

[Markw84]

If it were my tortoise, I would feed it Mazuri every day on top of a good mix of weeds and hay. With proper heat and hydration, I would be wanting to get some weight and mass on that tortoise. I think the orchard grass hay is better as the Timothy hay is quite thick with many grass shafts. I LIKE the additives in Mazuri as a "one a day" type vitamin. I don't use Mazuri as the only part of the diet, but use a mix of items to balance things. Mazuri is 15% protein which is a bit high but a good way to add weight. Most grasses and natural forage would be in the 7-8% protein range. So add Mazuri on top of the other good things.

I also have used RepCal tortoise diet on smaller tortoises for over 35 years now with great success. Some people seem to not like the "colored pellets", but I will tell you the small tortoises sure do and do well on it. The colors and smell seems to attract their attention. Over 20 years ago, I actually raised several groups of sulcatas their first year with RepCal as probably 75% of their diet. I bought in bulk directly from RepCal as I worked close by them. Their "nutritionists and scientist" told me they designed it to be a total diet and would love to see my results. I certainly would not do that now, but I will tell you those tortoises all did extremely well. Did not solve the pyramiding issue, but those tortoises were all very healthy. I still have three of them today.

 

[Nicholas Bova]

Yes about water, my tortoise always knocks over his water and spills it but when I soak him he always drinks for like 3 minutes straight. What can I do. ? Also to get this clear. Mazuri with a mixture of weeds and hay, 2-3 times a day with enough for him to consume in 30 minutes?

 

[Markw84]

Yes about water, my tortoise always knocks over his water and spills it but when I soak him he always drinks for like 3 minutes straight. What can I do. ? Also to get this clear. Mazuri with a mixture of weeds and hay, 2-3 times a day with enough for him to consume in 30 minutes?

What does your tortoise weigh? Can't tell from the picture.

I leave enough food so it is always there for them to eat when they come back to it. Does yours eat dry hay? If so that is a good base for the diet. If not I use scissors and cut 1" pieces and soak in water. Put that and some soaked Mazuri pellets on top of some good weeds and grass cuttings. Mine eat about 5% of their body weight a day

 

[Nicholas Bova]

What does your tortoise weigh? Can't tell from the picture.

I leave enough food so it is always there for them to eat when they come back to it. Does yours eat dry hay? If so that is a good base for the diet. If not I use scissors and cut 1" pieces and soak in water. Put that and some soaked Mazuri pellets on top of some good weeds and grass cuttings. Mine eat about 5% of their body weight a day

I havent weighed him yet, my sis will since I'm at work, and yes I actually have orchard grass and about a good handful of mazuri pellets soaked in water, the problem is he knocks over the water bowl that is placed in there but drinks when I soak him. Usually pisses right away too.

 

[Markw84]

I havent weighed him yet, my sis will since I'm at work, and yes I actually have orchard grass and about a good handful of mazuri pellets soaked in water, the problem is he knocks over the water bowl that is placed in there but drinks when I soak him. Usually pisses right away too.

What are you using for a water bowl? I use the terracotta plant saucers like in Pearly's last photo above. For my tortoises over 6", I use a 14" saucer. They can sit in it, and no way can they tip it over. Even my 10" 3000g platynota can't budge it! Certainly get it dirty though!!

 

[Nicholas Bova]

I was using a tupperware cap but I have seen the terra cotta tops I will need to get one ASAP.

 

[Markw84]

I was using a tupperware cap but I have seen the terra cotta tops I will need to get one ASAP.

It is the BOTTOM that goes under a pot.

 

[Nicholas Bova]

It is the BOTTOM that goes under a pot.

Oops lol that's what I meant ! What temp should his water be ?

 

[Markw84]

Oops lol that's what I meant ! What temp should his water be ?

You are talking about the water dish, right? The one to leave in the enclosure? = That will assume the temp of the enclosure.

 

[Nicholas Bova]

Okay cool! Thank you for all the help !