Kaycee
New Member
I recently just got my new Russian Tortoise this week and he's eating but the problem is he only eats the carrot i put out for him, and he won't eat out of a dish.
New tortoise only eats carrot
- Thread starter Kaycee
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Bambam1989
Well-Known Member
Carrots are not a healthy food for your tort. If I'm not mistaken, Russians should have a diet with lots of weeds like dandelion (not just dandelion, that's just an example).
It sounds like it's time for some tough love. You might shred a small amount of carrot and mix it in with some chopped greens so that he can't pick it out. Then slowly cut back on the carrot each day. That should be nothing more than a rare treat, if ever.
Have you been to http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/index.php#.We6_g8plDqA it has a really good list of what's ok to feed.
There is also some great care info on the forum.
What kind of dish are you feeding him in? Most use a Terra Cotta plant saucer because they are shallow and help wear the beak and claws.
We all love to see pictures of torts and their enclosures and can give advice.
There are alot of highly experienced and great tortoise enthusiasts here that are happy to help. (I am not one of these highly experienced and am mostly repeating what I myself have learned)
It sounds like it's time for some tough love. You might shred a small amount of carrot and mix it in with some chopped greens so that he can't pick it out. Then slowly cut back on the carrot each day. That should be nothing more than a rare treat, if ever.
Have you been to http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/index.php#.We6_g8plDqA it has a really good list of what's ok to feed.
There is also some great care info on the forum.
What kind of dish are you feeding him in? Most use a Terra Cotta plant saucer because they are shallow and help wear the beak and claws.
We all love to see pictures of torts and their enclosures and can give advice.
There are alot of highly experienced and great tortoise enthusiasts here that are happy to help. (I am not one of these highly experienced and am mostly repeating what I myself have learned)
the Turtle Shepherd
Active Member
lol of course he will not eat anything else
carrots are crazy high in sugars after the tortoise eats sweet foods he will not eat anything else simply because he can coast on it indefinitely lol redfoots do that after each banana i literally do not waste food anymore for two days after giving them sweet snacks, which I DO NOT DO VERY OFTEN, before you all tear me apart but yes, they get spoiled instantly give him nothing but greens, and make sweet snacks like carrots and apples rare and very little, otherwise they will gorge and will not eat for a week it is normal, my russian male Slonik has a sweet tooth, silly creeper
carrots are crazy high in sugars after the tortoise eats sweet foods he will not eat anything else simply because he can coast on it indefinitely lol redfoots do that after each banana i literally do not waste food anymore for two days after giving them sweet snacks, which I DO NOT DO VERY OFTEN, before you all tear me apart but yes, they get spoiled instantly give him nothing but greens, and make sweet snacks like carrots and apples rare and very little, otherwise they will gorge and will not eat for a week it is normal, my russian male Slonik has a sweet tooth, silly creeper
I third what they said.
Russians have a sweet tooth (beak ), but sugars cause digestive and kidney problems so should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally if at all.
To introduce a new food you have to take it very slowly. Your tort is behaving like a child that only wants to eat chips and chocolate - you're the parent in charge!
Here's a step by step guide:
1. Chop the foods your tort will eat very small and wet them
2. Chop a tiny amount of new food very small and mix it with the rest. The water will stick it together so the new stuff cannot be picked out.
3. If your tort eats everything, at the next feed increase the amount of new food very slightly and decrease the liked food by the same amount.
4. If your tort refuses to eat then leave the food in place for 24 hours and then replace with fresh in exactly the same proportions.
Very gradually, over weeks not days, your tort will start accepting the new food as normal. Take it slowly and don't try to hurry it. A hungry tort will give in and eat.
Your tort can go a long time without food, but not water. A thirty minute soak is essential on days when there is a hunger strike.
Russians have a sweet tooth (beak
), but sugars cause digestive and kidney problems so should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally if at all. To introduce a new food you have to take it very slowly. Your tort is behaving like a child that only wants to eat chips and chocolate - you're the parent in charge!
Here's a step by step guide:
1. Chop the foods your tort will eat very small and wet them
2. Chop a tiny amount of new food very small and mix it with the rest. The water will stick it together so the new stuff cannot be picked out.
3. If your tort eats everything, at the next feed increase the amount of new food very slightly and decrease the liked food by the same amount.
4. If your tort refuses to eat then leave the food in place for 24 hours and then replace with fresh in exactly the same proportions.
Very gradually, over weeks not days, your tort will start accepting the new food as normal. Take it slowly and don't try to hurry it. A hungry tort will give in and eat.
Your tort can go a long time without food, but not water. A thirty minute soak is essential on days when there is a hunger strike.
Kaycee
New Member
So this morning i tried chopping everything into tiny bits and re-introduced his terracotta dish (When i used to have it in there he would just always avoid it, he would only eat the things that fell onto the ground.)
Congrats!
Part of his not eating may have been simply the stress of adjusting to a new home; that puts most tortoises off their feed for a few days.
It look in that dish as if it is mostly lettuces? I can’t tell. If it is, you’ll want to work on moving him to other foods down the line as well. They don’t have enough fiber. But getting him off the carrots is a great start!
Part of his not eating may have been simply the stress of adjusting to a new home; that puts most tortoises off their feed for a few days.
It look in that dish as if it is mostly lettuces? I can’t tell. If it is, you’ll want to work on moving him to other foods down the line as well. They don’t have enough fiber. But getting him off the carrots is a great start!
The easy answer to the only eats carrots conundrum is don't give him any carrots. They can only eat what you give them.
Looks like you also need a much larger enclosure. Keeping them in a tiny tank can add enough stress to hamper appetite. Also, restricting their ability to walk can hamper digestion and slow down the GI tract, which will also make them eat less.
Are you soaking regularly?
What heating and lighting equipment are you using? UV? What type?
Here is some care info for russians:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
Kaycee
New Member
Other people have said the size of my tank is just fine, and yes i soak 2 or 3 times a week, sometimes more if hes not eating. i'm not sure what the heating and uvb is since my dad worked on that but the temperature always varies from 70 at night to 80 at day
Please can you show your Dad the following.
They're written by species experts working hard to correct the outdated information widely available on the internet and from pet stores and, sadly, from some breeders and vets too.
Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
Russian Tortoise Care
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
You tortoise must be able to bask at 95-100F directly under the basking lamp. It is very important for it to be able to digest food and be active.
They're written by species experts working hard to correct the outdated information widely available on the internet and from pet stores and, sadly, from some breeders and vets too.
Beginner Mistakes
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
Russian Tortoise Care
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
You tortoise must be able to bask at 95-100F directly under the basking lamp. It is very important for it to be able to digest food and be active.
Kaycee
New Member
What i usually feed him is a mix of lettuce, kale, dandelion leaves, carrot shavings, and spinach. not always all of these in one
Your tortoise cannot digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so sweet foods like carrot, fruit, tomato and bell pepper should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally.
Your tortoise's diet should be weedy and leafy greens.
You can look up the greens you can buy and those that grow around you on The Tortoise Table Plant Database for suitability to feed
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk
Who told you that size tank was fine? Was it the person selling it? What did this person have to say about why your tortoise is only eating carrots?
70 is fine for the overnight low, but you need to know and maintain 4 different temperatures. Warm side, cool side, basking area and overnight low. We know 70 is your overnight low, but where and when is it 80? Is that the cool side or warm side? What is the temperature directly under the basking lamp?
Kaycee
New Member
what size tank is ideal for an adult then?
You need to learn about some better foods. In time, the diet you are offering will lead to malnutrition. In the wild your tortoise would be eating mostly broadleaf weeds. The closer you can reasonably get to that in captivity, the better. Learn to ID the weeds that grow around your house. Lots of rain and lots of weeds in Washington. You can post pics here and we will help you learn which ones to feed, or you can take samples to a local nursery and ask from help from the local weed experts. Plus, as an added bonus, the weeds are free!
If you must use grocery store greens, favor endive and escarole, but use lots of variety. Cilantro, collard, mustard and turnip greens, bok choy, water cress, swiss chard, etc… Lettuce, kale and spinach should only be fed occasionally and in small amounts mixed in with better things. None of those are good staples. Carrots really shouldn't be fed to them at all. It will take time and effort to get your tortoise used to eating all these new things, but persistence will reward you with a healthy tortoise that lives for decades.
A tank is too small for an adult. An adult needs an open enclosure at least 4'x8' (1.5 x 2.2 metres) floor area... Outside apart from the coldest months.
They are very active tortoises that love to dig and climb. They needs lots of space to move about and the enclosure must be secure from escape, especially by climbing.
A minimum of 4x8 feet. Bigger would be better. They need room to roam in their safe enclosure.
What I like to do is have a large indoor enclosure that meets all of their needs, and then have an even larger outdoor enclosure that I can use during nice weather.
Kaycee
New Member
So for now i should just work on feeding him the dandelion leaves i have and head to the store and outside to try and find other weeds
I am putting links to The Tortoise Table for each of these so you can read for yourself about each plant and pictures of what they look like
Kale can be fed in moderation
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=529&c=8#.We-YSaXTXo4
Spinach is high in Oxalates and should not be fed
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=608&c=8#.We-YeqXTXo4
Dandelion may be fed in moderation
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=5&c=6#.We-YpaXTXo4
Escarole may be fed in moderation
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=90&c=8#.We-Y-aXTXo4
Endive may be fed in moderation
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=112&c=8#.We-ZO6XTXo4
Turnip Greens may be fed in moderation
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=823&c=8#.We-Zm6XTXo4
Here's a list of suitable greens
Look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database if you're not sure what they look like.
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/
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
Look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database if you're not sure what they look like.
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/
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
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