I've created a monster...

[Lillysmytort]

When Miss Lilly came home, she was shy and timid. She wouldn't eat if I were watching, and ignores her water dish like it was a Petri dish for tortoise plague. So you can imagine my excitement when she took her first bite of Romain FROM MY HANDS!!

However...

Now she won't start her meal unless I hand feed her first. I almost have to use a leaf to lure her to her dish.

Any idea how I can crush the princess complex?

 

[PetPlanet]

Hmmm a tricky one, you could try putting a trail of food towards her bowl or you could put a treat inside the bowl to see if she will come to the food and eat the treat and the food. Its worth a try.

 

[MzNENA]

I actually have the same situation with my little Greek tort.
Started hand feeding him right away in hopes he would get used to me & now that's all he wants.
To be hand fed.
He'll walk to his food dish, eat a few bites although it's tricky for him to properly grip the green pieces & gives up, walking back to his basking spot.

If he sees me near, he starts waving his little claw at me & I know that means he's searching & wants food from my hand :dodgy: :dodgy:
Lol these lazy boogers

 

[wellington]

Put the food in and walk away. Do not give in. They won't starve themselves when the food is right there. They will give in and eat. If you have too, put something on top of the food pile they can't resist.

 

[Jacqui]

eat a few bites although it's tricky for him to properly grip the green pieces & gives up, walking back to his basking spot.

So your Greek has a problem with picking up his food? Why?

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and ignores her water dish like it was a Petri dish for tortoise plague.

I love this!

The way to break the "princess complex" is to stop being her handmaiden and treating her like a spoiled princess. Like Barb said, you have to do the tough love and normally they will start eating rather then starve.

 

[MzNENA]

eat a few bites although it's tricky for him to properly grip the green pieces & gives up, walking back to his basking spot.

So your Greek has a problem with picking up his food? Why?

---

Well I rip his greens into pieces, not too small of pieces, large enough to grasp on. And set them together in a small pot saucer for him. He'll try and grab a corner with his tongue, after about 5 attempts if he hasn't grasped onto the green he'll give up and move on to another green, or just walk off and go under his basking light. He does eat though because a majority of his greens are gone by the end of the day.
Think he may be shy around me to eat as well because when he gives up, is usually when I've been caught watching him.

---

 

[TommyZ]

Like Barb and Jaqui said, tough love is the best. I know it hard...much harder on us than it is on them though. Im only a year into my tort'in, so its not that long off I was in your shoes:nervous to mess up. These torts are natures Panzers, gotta try harder than you know to mess them up. Dont worry, youre doin just fine.

 

[WillTort2]

I gave up on the feeding bowl and just feed them on pieces of slate that I've brushed the coco coir off. Some of my Russians are so considerate that they will walk out of the way when I bring out the brush.

 

[MzNENA]

Think I may turn to the piece of slate myself pretty soon.
Just tricky even with the pot saucer now to prevent this little one from dragging coconut coir into his food all the time, mixing it with his greens :s
Hoping it won't cause him impaction seeing as I'm sure he swallows it down with his food.