Recommended foods for Leopard Tortoise

[TheWarTortoise]

Was basically just wondering about the best recommended foods for my leopard. I've recently been feeding him a mix of Romain, kale, carrots, and sometimes a piece of strawberry. Was the best foods for him that one could find at an average supermarket? Not growing anything yet, as it just started to warm up here in Pennsylvania about a week or two ago. Also, is it safe to just grab some grass from my backyard and plop is right on his plate? One more question, how many times a week should he be fed? Asking this because I've seen different sources say different things.

Thanks

 

[wellington]

Feed every day. No grass if young, they usually won't touch it. You can try though to see. As long as your yard is chemical and fertilizer free you can just pull up some grass.
Check out the http://m.thetortoisetable.org.uk/m/tortoise_home_1.asp for a list of safe foods

 

[TheWarTortoise]

Feed every day. No grass if young, they usually won't touch it. You can try though to see. As long as your yard is chemical and fertilizer free you can just pull up some grass.
Check out the http://m.thetortoisetable.org.uk/m/tortoise_home_1.asp for a list of safe foods

Thanks. Would you consider 4 years old to be too young of an age to eat grass? Also, my yard is fertilizer and chemical free.

 

[wellington]

At four he might eat it. Mine started to eat a little of it at four while grazing though. Doesn't really like the grass I dried for winter feeding. Try to get some other stuff in the diet too. Like optunia cactus pads, dandelion, some clover, rose of Sharon flower and leaf. Check the site I gave and feed as much as possible. A wide variety diet is best.

 

[Jodie]

Grass should be part of the diet at that age. I am currently feeding my leopards some spring mix, endive, escarole occasionally kale, mustard or collard greens, some romaine. I add grass cut small and hydrated orchard grass hay also cut small. I supplement with grassland tortoise food and mazuri. I feed this to everyone over 1 year. They pick around the grass and hay some, but they eat some, and eat more and more as they grow.

 

[Jodie]

As weeds and grass grow more, I will feed less and less grocery greens.

 

[teresaf]

Mine LOVES dandelion weeds and cactus pads. He gets baby spring mix and mushrooms at groceries...moistened original (like picture) Mazuri every other day...

 

[TheWarTortoise]

Mine LOVES dandelion weeds and cactus pads. He gets baby spring mix and mushrooms at groceries...moistened original (like picture) Mazuri every other day...

I here everyone talking about those cactus pads. Where did you get yours? Are they easy to come across?

 

[teresaf]

I order mine on line. If you buy 6 pounds or so the cost isn't so horrible. You don't have to worry about them going bad either. Just stick the ones he's not going to eat in the first week or two in a pot of dirt and they grow roots! Just yank em out of the dirt and toss them in with the torty when you need to. Amazon and coastal silkworms are a couple of the places I've bought from. We would love to see pics of your Leo...

 

[Tom]

Regular leopards are often not interested in grass. Doesn't hurt to try though. Their wild diet is high in various weeds and succulents.

Here are some ideas. Just skip the text and scroll down to the list:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

Romaine has little nutritional value. It just takes up space in the stomach. Kale should only be fed sparingly and not often. Carrots should not be fed at all. Strawberries should never be fed.

If you must use grocery store foods, favor endive, escarole and spring mix, but use lots of variety. Kale can be a small part of that variety, but also use carrot tops, collard and turnip greens, celery tops, cilantro, etc… None of these things are great but they can hold you over until you get better stuff. If you must use grocery store foods, you should amend them a bit by adding some fiber. You can soak hay or alfalfa pellets for horses, or you can get ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food, and soak a pellet or tow of that. Mix the mush in thoroughly with the days other greens.

Mazuri a couple of times a week would be good too.

Spineless opuntia pads can be bought online. I believe Tyler at tortoisesupply.com sells them. They are easy to grow indoor in pots and this will help you meet the succulent portion of your tortoise diet.

 

[von345]

Excellent advice Tom