Hello,
I was wondering can you feed spinach (small amount) to a leopard tortoise or will this be to much fibre for them?
I was wondering can you feed spinach (small amount) to a leopard tortoise or will this be to much fibre for them?
leopard tortoise food.
- Thread starter David Harmon
- Start date
Spinach is high in oxalates which bind with calcium and make it unavailable to the tortoise. Its okay to feed some once in a while, but not too often or too much. Spinach is not too high in fiber.
Hi Tom,
I was trying to think in advance for the winter time as to which foods I should feed them?
David.
The best way is to grow your own weeds and cactus pads.
If you must use grocery store foods, then favor endive, escarole, and "rocket salad", but mix in cilantro, dandelion greens, squash leaves, parsley carrot tops, occasional squash, watercress, collard, turnip and mustard greens, etc...
Over here we also have Mazuri. You have a similar product over there called "Komodo" tortoise food. Not a bad idea to mix in some of that once or twice a week year round.
which cactus would be best? and i also use komodo and grassland tortoise food along with mazuri but there don't entertain the mazuri at all.
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- Apr 3, 2013
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hello grandpa turtle,
which cactus is that please? also i noticed you have a few leopards, i was wondering which plants i could use in a vivarium which they could eat and like use to hide under? i have used mazuri but it is quite difficult to get hold of in the uk, but they don't even try it.
There are many varieties of "spineless Opuntia". Over here we have Mexican grocery stores that sell them, as this is an ingredient used in some Mexican dishes. It is called "Nopales" when sold in these stores. I have around 45 stands of cactus and 9 different varieties of Opuntia. It grows outside here very well for me.
ok thanks, i have placed the order on amazon for one of these, can i grow this in the vivarium for them? is it easier to look after the tortoises where you live?
It will quickly outgrow any normal vivarium, but the bigger problem is they will eat it. Easier to grow it in pots.
Yes, I'd have to say it is easier to raise tortoises in a warm sunny climate. Starting babies is probably a similar process in any climate, but I am able to put them out in the sun for most of every year. We have "cold" winter spells where the day time high only climbs to about 15 C, but most winter days are 20-27 C , sunny and dry. Makes it easy to have large outdoor enclosures and use them daily for small tortoises.
The big difference is when the tortoises start getting too big to be inside. At this point I can simply move them to an outside enclosure with a heated night box. I lock them in every night to keep them warm and safe, and then I open the door in the morning, so they can come and go from their warm boxes at will. All I have to do to care for them is make sure their heating equipment is working, clean the boxes as needed, and give them food and water each day. I don't know how it could be easier.
Has anyone heard of cavolo nero, its kale but a black version, I was wondering is this ok to feed the leo's?
I feed mine a mix of red leaf, green leaf and spring mix lettuce, with some Mazuri twice a week or so. You can find the different lettuces in grocery stores.
Hi Greg,
Mine had some mazuri today on the thinest slice of cucumber but he would only eat out of mine hand as he would pick the cucumber out of his food and just eat that, today he had a mixture, kale, komodo, mazuri and finally spring greens but he always goes for the cucumber but i hardly give it, thats why i tried to put the mazuri on the cucumber and feed him which he did. I noticed he goes to the food sniffs it then just turns around and walks off, so i presume he doesn't like the food or picky?
sounds like he is picky, which is pretty normal. If I put strawberries, melon, mazuri, and even mixed lettuces out, they will go for what they like best first, usually strawberry or mazuri. Leave the other food there, let him eat what he wants now and if he is still hungry, he will come back for the rest.
Thanks Greg, I've done that and he just doesn't eat it for the day but then i have to remove and put fresh down, its like he doesn't want to eat at all and wants to starve, I've weigh him and his weight goes up and down, should i still try to feed him with the mazuri on the cucumber or just leave the food? i have tried grassland food and grass. Am just bothered as i don't want him to go hungry.
I have never had luck with grassland food or hay with mine. I'm assuming you are soaking the mazuri in warm water to soften it up, like about 2 minutes. I'll smush the pellets for the babies but my big ones can eat them whole. I would continue to provide the diet you have, including the mazuri, and just let him eat what he wants. If he were outside, he would just graze throughout the day, so if he gets hungry, he'll come back to the food. Don't worry, he won't starve himself if he is healthy. Going a day or two without food isn't bad, but if it continues longer then something is not right.
Yep i soak the mazuri till its completely soft and mush it then i add it to there normal food, perhaps am just worrying of the leo, as i can't watch him eat as i go to work, when he goes outside, weather permitting as been raining here a lot lately, he does graze the weeds and grass, how often would you weigh the tortoise? As i do this once a week after bathing them. I was going to try growing some seeds in his vivarium so he can hide and graze, what you think of this idea?
