Pumpkin

[Jenblalock003]

Just a quick question. We ran across a story where a couple made s pumpkin shaped as a turtle and their little ones are the pumpkin. I know sulcatas can have pumpkin purée, but can they eat a real pumpkin if we remove the seeds?

Thank you all. Ps picture attached! They will be 1 year in 2 weeks!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yes

 

[DeanS]

Just a quick question. We ran across a story where a couple made s pumpkin shaped as a turtle and their little ones are the pumpkin. I know sulcatas can have pumpkin purée, but can they eat a real pumpkin if we remove the seeds?

Thank you all. Ps picture attached! They will be 1 year in 2 weeks!

When you say pumpkin puree, I hope you're referring to ground up with a processor...because canned pumpkin offers little more than a treat. To reap any benefits at all, they need the meat (shell), guts and seeds (cracked) all fresh. I ONLY use canned if they turn their noses the first time I offer raw...at that point I'll mix it in...but that's it. Canned is NO replacement for fresh!

 

[wellington]

The seeds are the important part, it works as a natural dewormer, so don't leave those out. Take every part of the pumpkin and blend it all up fine for little ones.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I even re purposed one of those little "mini" pumpkins I had on my desk at work for Halloween. It's as hard as a rock. I cut it open and microwaved it soft and then fed it once cooled.

 

[tortdad]

Yep, the entire pumpkin is good for them. You may need to soften it in the microwave and cut it up for small torts. Mine is a big guy so I just take a small pumpkin and break it in half and watch him go to town.
Just an FYI. The leaves and flowers from pumpkin are good for them too if you decide to grow your own.


0.0.1 Redfoot (Spike)
0.0.1 Cherryhead Redfoot (Bruce Wayne)
1.0 Sulcata (Hal Jordan)

 

[Tom]

For smaller tortoises I use a cheese grater and then mix the grated pumpkin in with greens. For larger tortoises I just throw a pumpkin hard onto the ground in their enclosure to crack it open and walk away. They make the whole thing disappear. It would be cool to see time lapse photography of that process...

 

[DeanS]

Why the f**k would you cook anything for tortoises! If it's too hard for them to eat, let them gnaw on it...great exercise! Otherwise stick it in a food processor or, as Tom says, use a grater! There are a bunch of morons on the SULCATA TORTOISE group at facebook that do the stupidest things! Don't let that trickle over here!

On a side note...I love how spell check has sulcata underlined

 

[Tom]

Why the f**k would you cook anything for tortoises! If it's too hard for them to eat, let them gnaw on it...great exercise! Otherwise stick it in a food processor or, as Tom says, use a grater! There are a bunch of morons on the SULCATA TORTOISE group at facebook that do the stupidest things! Don't let that trickle over here!

On a side note...I love how spell check has sulcata underlined

Spell check wants to call sulcatas "sulfates" on my computer. It can seem to learn otherwise even though I've typed sulcata 1000s of times...



Now about the cooking... Lighting could strike a wild tree, start a fire, and cook some of the local wild squash for them to eat.

C'mon! It could happen...


And I've not heard good things about that facebook group over there. They seem to wanna advocate desert conditions and dehydrating babies too. A friend from here on the forum has been over there arguing with them.

 

[turtlelady80]

Spell check wants to call sulcatas "sulfates" on my computer. It can seem to learn otherwise even though I've typed sulcata 1000s of times...



Now about the cooking... Lighting could strike a wild tree, start a fire, and cook some of the local wild squash for them to eat.

C'mon! It could happen...


And I've not heard good things about that facebook group over there. They seem to wanna advocate desert conditions and dehydrating babies too. A friend from here on the forum has been over there arguing with them.

Lol...sulfates...me too Tom.

 

[leigti]

You should see what Siri calls it whenever I dictate it.

 

[Smazril]

Since Terry is still on the uphill climb to be healthy I haven't given her any "treats" since getting her. I want her to keep wanting the right things. But I couldn't help myself and got a little pumpkin. I cut a few pieces out in different sizes. I was so excited to spoil her just this once.
But then she charged at the pumpkin? I was sure that couldn't be what she did so I kept watching. She pushed it all in the corner and pushed dirt on it and walked off?
Does anyone else have a sulcata that holds an apparent grudge to pumpkin?!

 

[Tom]

Since Terry is still on the uphill climb to be healthy I haven't given her any "treats" since getting her. I want her to keep wanting the right things. But I couldn't help myself and got a little pumpkin. I cut a few pieces out in different sizes. I was so excited to spoil her just this once.
But then she charged at the pumpkin? I was sure that couldn't be what she did so I kept watching. She pushed it all in the corner and pushed dirt on it and walked off?
Does anyone else have a sulcata that holds an apparent grudge to pumpkin?!

Terry probably thought it was another tortoise. Sounds like Terry might be a little "terrytorial"...

HA!


Seriously though, you might try grating up a little and mixing it with the regular food. Sounds like Terry didn't recognize the pumpkin as something to eat.

 

[Smazril]

Terry probably thought it was another tortoise. Sounds like Terry might be a little "terrytorial"...

HA!


Seriously though, you might try grating up a little and mixing it with the regular food. Sounds like Terry didn't recognize the pumpkin as something to eat.

I'll try grating it up like you mentioned. I wondered if she could have thought it was another vs a treat!
I suppose if she doesn't like it that's okay since it was just going to be something special, I was just so excited!
(haha, terrytorial!)

 

[DeanS]

Sounds like Terry might be a little "terrytorial"...

Really!?!?!?

 

[argus333]

pumpkins rule an after halloween u can get them for free almost everwhere! i take them from the side of the rd. i ask my neghbors, i go to farms, u name it. i just break them up an they go to town on them eat everything but stem!!!!

 

[Alaskamike]

I cut one up and put it in my blender. Used all the " guts" too. Took some work raw , but got nice blende pumpkin. It broke up the seeds too. I then bagged it in número use zip locks and froze it. One in my fridge I use at a time. A spoonful put on the greens once a week is devoured by my baby leopards. My sully and yearling aldabra like it too.