Pickie russian tortoise

[Shellim]

We have a russian tortoise who is very pickie that's why his name is pickie lol my 5 yr old named him anyway he will only eat kale,apples,spring mixs and celery leaves and ands grapes on occasion I have tried squash cucumbers. oh and he loves hibiscus flowers but my hibiscus is not flowering right now and thoughts on what I could try? thanks

 

[JoesMum]

First off the fruit isn't good for your tortoise. It can't digest the sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so sweet foods including fruit, carrot, bell pepper and tomato need to come off the menu. At most they should be fed very sparingly and very occasionally.

Just like children, tortoises know what they like and like what they know.

Given the opportunity, children will only eat chocolate and chips. You're the parent providing the food; your tort can only eat what you give it. A hungry tortoise will eat, but you have to be tough and not give in to the sulks.

If your tort refuses to eat then it must be soaked for at least 30 minutes in warm water so it stays hydrated.

Step by step guide
1. Chop the food your tort will eat up real small and wet it
2. Chop a tiny amount of new healthy food up real small and mix it with the rest. The water will stick it together so your tort can't pick out the best bits.
3. If your tort eats what you fed it then, at the next feed, increase the new/healthy food slightly and decrease the unhealthy food slightly.
4. If your tort refuses to eat, leave the food for 24 hours - it doesn't matter if it goes limp. At the next feed, replace it with the same mixture in the same proportion.

Take it slowly, don't expect to change your tort's diet quickly, and don't give in. We're here to support you. Your tortoise will eat when it's hungry.

 

[JoesMum]

Your tortoise definitely needs more variety in its diet. Don't be afraid to supplement with a good pelleted food in winter when greens are hard to come by.

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. (You can also look up store bought greens for suitability on this website)
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp

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

 

[dmmj]

First off the fruit isn't good for your tortoise. It can't digest the sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so sweet foods including fruit, carrot, bell pepper and tomato need to come off the menu. At most they should be fed very sparingly and very occasionally.

Just like children, tortoises know what they like and like what they know.

Given the opportunity, children will only eat chocolate and chips. You're the parent providing the food; your tort can only eat what you give it. A hungry tortoise will eat, but you have to be tough and not give in to the sulks.

If your tort refuses to eat then it must be soaked for at least 30 minutes in warm water so it stays hydrated.

Step by step guide
1. Chop the food your tort will eat up real small and wet it
2. Chop a tiny amount of new healthy food up real small and mix it with the rest. The water will stick it together so your tort can't pick out the best bits.
3. If your tort eats what you fed it then, at the next feed, increase the new/healthy food slightly and decrease the unhealthy food slightly.
4. If your tort refuses to eat, leave the food for 24 hours - it doesn't matter if it goes limp. At the next feed, replace it with the same mixture in the same proportion.

Take it slowly, don't expect to change your tort's diet quickly, and don't give in. We're here to support you. Your tortoise will eat when it's hungry.

what's wrong with chocolate and chips?

 

[JoesMum]

what's wrong with chocolate and chips?

I don't need to answer that Fine in small quantities but not as the main diet which some children will try for!

 

[Shellim]

First off the fruit isn't good for your tortoise. It can't digest the sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so sweet foods including fruit, carrot, bell pepper and tomato need to come off the menu. At most they should be fed very sparingly and very occasionally.

Just like children, tortoises know what they like and like what they know.

Given the opportunity, children will only eat chocolate and chips. You're the parent providing the food; your tort can only eat what you give it. A hungry tortoise will eat, but you have to be tough and not give in to the sulks.

If your tort refuses to eat then it must be soaked for at least 30 minutes in warm water so it stays hydrated.

Step by step guide
1. Chop the food your tort will eat up real small and wet it
2. Chop a tiny amount of new healthy food up real small and mix it with the rest. The water will stick it together so your tort can't pick out the best bits.
3. If your tort eats what you fed it then, at the next feed, increase the new/healthy food slightly and decrease the unhealthy food slightly.
4. If your tort refuses to eat, leave the food for 24 hours - it doesn't matter if it goes limp. At the next feed, replace it with the same mixture in the same proportion.

Take it slowly, don't expect to change your tort's diet quickly, and don't give in. We're here to support you. Your tortoise will eat when it's hungry.

Idk all the stuff I have read say that fruits are ok to give but not all the time and I don't he eats just wanted to know what what else there is since he eats the same thing all the time

 

[JoesMum]

Idk all the stuff I have read say that fruits are ok to give but not all the time and I don't he eats just wanted to know what what else there is since he eats the same thing all the time

I have given you a list of new foods and a way of looking up the plants you can buy or grow around you.

I do know. I've had over 40 years of experience with a tortoise that has a very sweet tooth (sweet beak?) Sweet foods must not form a regular part of the diet and it sounds like they are at the moment. Irregular would be a tiny amount maybe once a month. You have to get tough here. A parent would tell a child that they'd get no dessert unless they ate their meal.

You have to take the fruit away and not feed it until your tort will eat a good range of other foods normally. We have a cherry tree. I work hard to make sure my tortoise doesn't eat the windfalls when the fruit is in season. The stones in my tortoise's poop show when I have failed. In the cherry season, Joe can get to the point where he only wants cherries if I am not careful. The fruit has to go completely until you have widened the variety of greens in the diet otherwise you will not succeed

 

[Shellim]

I have given you a list of new foods and a way of looking up the plants you can buy or grow around you.

I do know. I've had over 40 years of experience with a tortoise that has a very sweet tooth (sweet beak?) Sweet foods must not form a regular part of the diet and it sounds like they are at the moment. Irregular would be a tiny amount maybe once a month. You have to get tough here. A parent would tell a child that they'd get no dessert unless they ate their meal.

You have to take the fruit away and not feed it until your tort will eat a good range of other foods normally. We have a cherry tree. I work hard to make sure my tortoise doesn't eat the windfalls when the fruit is in season. The stones in my tortoise's poop show when I have failed. In the cherry season, Joe can get to the point where he only wants cherries if I am not careful. The fruit has to go completely until you have widened the variety of greens in the diet otherwise you will not succeed

OK I said I don't give it to.him all the time! you don't have to be rude about my question! He gets an apple slice maybe once a month ! mostly he eats kale, and spring mix like I said in my first post! thanks for your the list if things that are good for a turtle

 

[JoesMum]

OK I said I don't give it to.him all the time! you don't have to be rude about my question! He gets an apple slice maybe once a month ! mostly he eats kale, and spring mix like I said in my first post! thanks for your the list if things that are good for a turtle

I sincerely apologise if I came over as rude. It wasn't my intention at all

I am genuinely just trying to help you and your tortoise.

I am very sorry that what I wrote did not come over as I meant it.

 

[saginawhxc]

I don't think JoesMum came off rude at all. She took some of her personal time to give you really helpful advice. In my opinion that is the opposite of rude.

I don't know what sources you have that said some fruit is okay, but it was bad advice. They are not a fruit eating species. It isn't necessarily poisonous to them, but it will mess with their biochemistry and eventually make them sick. You weren't clear in making it apparent to us that it was occasional food item. That is why she said something. She merely wants to see your tortoise thrive and make sure your avoid the heartbreak of a sick or dead tortoise.

Nobody here is judging. We have all been in the position of doing unhealthy things for our tortoises before we learned better. We simply don't want you to learn the hard way.

You asked a food question and she gave a fantastic answer. I am 100% certain that she never meant to come across as rude. I think you just took it wrong.

 

[Gopherus Guy]

Wasn't being rude just concerned and helpful. That's what this forum is about. Sharing knowledge. Chill!