Limited diet.

[PrincessToad]

My russian does not consume many of the foods I offer him! I grow hibiscus flowers for him. I attempt to feed him multiple varieties of salads spring mix Etc. He only eats romaine lettuce preferably the stalks. Is this normal? I've had many of you say tortoises would be attracted to colorful foods but he seems to avoid them all together. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

 

[wellington]

Chop up the better foods and also the romaine, leaving the romaine just a little bigger then the other stuff. Pile it all together and spritz with water. If he wants the romaine, he will have to eat some of the others in order to do so. Then slowly mix in less and less romaine, until he is readily eating the others.

 

[PrincessToad]

Thank you!

 

[Tom]

And don't be afraid to let him get hungry during this process. Hungry tortoises are not picky tortoises, as long as they are healthy.

 

[JoesMum]

I agree with Tom, you have be a tough about this. A healthy tort can easily go a couple of weeks without eating, but not drinking.

If he goes on hunger strike in protest, soak him daily so he stays hydrated. Don't give in... treat him like a child refusing dinner because it only wants candy.

Offer what you want him to eat and walk away. It usually takes 3 or 4 days for the tort to decide that they will have to eat whaton offer, but some will hold out longer.

If you give in and go back to the desired food, you are back at square one.

 

[PrincessToad]

Ill take care of it! Thank you all!

 

[Leopard Tortoise Lover 16199]

This is one picky tortoise. Good luck

 

[rocky1998]

I deal with picky eaters they come round to it eventually, rocky might be a big guy but he likes his dinner fresh and he hates trying new stuff !

 

[PrincessToad]

He's definitely a brat. I wonder where he gets it from!

 

[PrincessToad]

Chop up the better foods and also the romaine, leaving the romaine just a little bigger then the other stuff. Pile it all together and spritz with water. If he wants the romaine, he will have to eat some of the others in order to do so. Then slowly mix in less and less romaine, until he is readily eating the others.

This definitely worked! Though I did see him digging around for the romaine he did eat plenty of the other food. Thank you so much!

 

[JoesMum]

Re: RE: Limited diet.

Chop up the better foods and also the romaine, leaving the romaine just a little bigger then the other stuff. Pile it all together and spritz with water. If he wants the romaine, he will have to eat some of the others in order to do so. Then slowly mix in less and less romaine, until he is readily eating the others.

This definitely worked! Though I did see him digging around for the romaine he did eat plenty of the other food. Thank you so much!

Got him! Well done

 

[jjsull33]

Keep it up and eventually you won't have to mix in the romaine to get him to eat other things!

 

[PrincessToad]

Thank you so much guys!