New Sulcata Mom//Food? Vitamin C?

[paigefaneller]

I have been doing research for months prior to having my 2 hatchlings and after I got them. I have 2 of the PICKIEST EATERS!!!
This is my list of what I've given them so far & they actually like it, but I'm not sure if it's okay for them to have
Kale
Bok Choy
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Carrot
Watermelon
Oranges- Cuties/Halos
Tomato

they DO NOT LIKE Mazuri diet, nothing like that where it's hard and you moisten it up... but I know that's what their main diet is suppose to be!! They just hate it!!!

Another thing I've noticed is they get Urates for a whole week but it's like once every 2 weeks. I give them water & I soak their veggies in water. I just did the research on the Vitamin C situation- currently can't find the Vitamin C powder itself but I bought little pebble looking things that contain Vitamin C & the oranges should do that too right?

Thanks Again
Paige
Cindy & Trudy the Sulcatas

 

[JoesMum]

Hi

Ypur sulcatas cannot digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so sweet foods, fruit, bell pepper, carrot and tomato should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally.

The Tortoise Table Plant Database is a reliable place to checkout what is good for your torts to eat
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp

Just lookup anything you can buy or that grows around you.

 

[paigefaneller]

But giving them oranges is okay do to the fact of it being a 'sweeter' fruit?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

I'm confused by what you mean of the vitamin C issue. Tortoises produce their own vitamin C. It's also found in pretty much all greens, so they also have a dietary source too. Being deficient in vitamin C is not a concern for tortoises.

 

[JoesMum]

No oranges are citrus and citrus is not suitable for sulcatas. No fruit at all.


http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plants_19.asp?st=true&mode=main&catID=411

Their diet is leafy weedy greens and grasses

 

[paigefaneller]

I'm confused by what you mean of the vitamin C issue. Tortoises produce their own vitamin C. It's also found in pretty much all greens, so they also have a dietary source too. Being deficient in vitamin C is not a concern for tortoises.

I thought they lack Vitamin C when they're babies

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

I thought they lack Vitamin C when they're babies

Where did you hear this? There is no need to specially supplement vitamin C at any age. Just feed your tortoise the correct diet.

If you are concerned they're not eating a solid diet (sometimes hard to achieve for new keepers), a tiny pinch of multi-vitamin and mineral supplement can be added to their greens once a week. A tiny pinch of calcium supplement with vitamin D can be added two days a week.

I recommend reading this http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/nutrientanalysis.htm to learn more about tortoise nutrition. The Tortoise Trust also has a good vitamin/mineral rundown: http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/vitamins.html. I also recommend reading the thread by Tom on how to raise a healthy sulcata pinned at the top of the sulcata section as well as his diet thread http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index....ho-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/#post-716928

 

[JoesMum]

I think you need to read these

For those who have a young Sulcata
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

How to raise a healthy sulcata
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[paigefaneller]

Where did you hear this? There is no need to specially supplement vitamin C at any age. Just feed your tortoise the correct diet.

If you are concerned they're not eating a solid diet (sometimes hard to achieve for new keepers), a tiny pinch of multi-vitamin and mineral supplement can be added to their greens once a week. A tiny pinch of calcium supplement with vitamin D can be added two days a week.

I recommend reading this http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/nutrientanalysis.htm to learn more about tortoise nutrition. The Tortoise Trust also has a good vitamin/mineral rundown: http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/vitamins.html. I also recommend reading the thread by Tom on how to raise a healthy sulcata pinned at the top of the sulcata section as well as his diet thread http://www.tortoiseforum.org/index....ho-Have-a-Young-Sulcata....76744/#post-716928

omg I misspoke, CALCIUM is what I mean, not Vitamin C... my apologies!!

 

[JoesMum]

Your tort will get vitamin C and calcium from the greens it eats. However, a tiny pinch of calcium powder on food 3 times a week is beneficial. No more than that as you can overdo it

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

omg I misspoke, CALCIUM is what I mean, not Vitamin C... my apologies!!

Then you are correct about calcium
- definitely don't feed them oranges trying to get calcium into them.

A tiny pinch of calcium onto their greens three times of week should do it. You should also provide a cuttlebone or a calcium block in the enclosure so they can eat additional calcium if they want. Learn about oxalic acid and the importance of the calcium : phosphorous ratio when selecting greens (http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/nutrientanalysis.htm).

 

[paigefaneller]

Your tort will get vitamin C and calcium from the greens it eats. However, a tiny pinch of calcium powder on food 3 times a week is beneficial. No more than that as you can overdo it

Do you know where to find the powder, I've looked at places like Petsmart & Petco because I thought it would be cheapest there,
I have yet to look where We originally got the torts from

 

[JoesMum]

Do you know where to find the powder, I've looked at places like Petsmart & Petco because I thought it would be cheapest there,
I have yet to look where We originally got the torts from

I'm in the UK. @SarahChelonoidis?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

All of the big box pet stores - like the two you named - should carry calcium supplements.

Ex. http://m.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-repti-calcium-with-d3-reptile-supplement#

http://m.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/repashy-super-foods-calcium-plus-supplement#

http://m.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zilla-calcium-supplement-reptile-food-spray#

http://m.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-reptivite-reptile-vitamins#

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/foo...andtrade-calcium-supplement-powder-26775.html

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/foo...itamin-d3-indoor-reptile-supplement-4675.html

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/foo...e-repti-calcium-reptile-supplement-21812.html

Etc.

 

[paigefaneller]

All of the big box pet stores - like the two you named - should carry calcium supplements.

Ex. http://m.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-repti-calcium-with-d3-reptile-supplement#

http://m.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/repashy-super-foods-calcium-plus-supplement#

http://m.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zilla-calcium-supplement-reptile-food-spray#

http://m.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-reptivite-reptile-vitamins#

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/foo...andtrade-calcium-supplement-powder-26775.html

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/foo...itamin-d3-indoor-reptile-supplement-4675.html

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/foo...e-repti-calcium-reptile-supplement-21812.html

Etc.

thank you!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Paige, and welcome to the Forum!

I had to chuckle when reading your post. You said you KNOW what a sulcata's diet should be, but you listed all kinds of foods that are NOT on their diet. Here's a list for you to choose from:

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food

 

[Stuart S.]

Hey Paige, I had a problem early on getting my Sulcata hatchling to eat Mazuri. There are 3 different size pellets and the first 2 I bought were a no go but the 3rd time was the charm.. which kind(s) have you tried thus far? I ended up having to order the original size pellets from Amazon. Petco here only sold the 2 smaller size pellets and they just didn't do the trick. I now soak the big pellets in water for a while, soften them up and Spur gets after! Hope this helps!

 

[Big Charlie]

Hi Paige,

Is there any reason you got two sulcatas instead of just one? Do you realize that tortoises are solitary animals and you will need to provide separate enclosures for them?

 

[Tom]

I have been doing research for months...

Hi Paige. I think I see the problem...

You will quickly discover that there is a lot of contradictory care info of this species out in the world. Most breeders do not start them correctly, and most of the care info out in the world for this species is out-dated, based on incorrect assumptions about their lives in the wild, and just plain wrong. In most cases the wrong heating and lighting info is given, the wrong substrate is recommended, and the wrong diet is suggested.

About the food: Tortoises eat what they have eaten before. Most breeders do not introduce them to enough different foods. Raising babies the right way is a lot of work. Most people don't do it. They just throw some grocery store greens in the enclosure and soak them once a week. I feed my babies a different food everyday for their first two weeks or so. They don't see the same thing twice for a long time. I feed them all sorts of the things on that list. The end result is that people who buy my babies come back and tell me how their new baby will eat anything they put in front of it. Since the breeder of yours didn't do this work, you will have to do it. You'll need to cut up a very small amount of the new stuff, and mix it in to the day's greens that they already like. If you chop and wet the familiar foods, the tiny pieces of the new stuff will stick to it better. Gradually, over time, add more and more of the new stuff.

Make sure the Mazuri you've got is the original type and not the new LS type.

Here is the correct care info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Read those threads and see what is different in your care routine. I'm giving you this info as someone who has been keeping, breeding and raising 100's of babies of this species since 1991. In the past I followed all the wrong advice and did all the wrong things and through decades of trial and error, I figured out what was really needed. Literally 1000s of people all over the world are now doing it the way I've outlined in those threads and all of them have the same ideal results that I now achieve. In time, you will also learn what I/we already know, but we'd like to save you a lot of time and also save your tortoise from what will happen if the typical advice is followed. Please feel free to come back and ask all of your questions. We don't mind clarifying and explaining any or all of this new info.

 

[paigefaneller]

Hi Paige,

Is there any reason you got two sulcatas instead of just one? Do you realize that tortoises are solitary animals and you will need to provide separate enclosures for them?

I got them for Christmas, one is mine the other one is my sister's