Russian Tortoise Feeding

[Niickster]

Mine will not eat Collards, Mustard, Turnips, Kale, celery or Spinach.
Only Romaine and a few bites of carrot.
Not a chance with pellets-wet, dry, mixed.
I do sprinkle calcium on the Romaine.

Really need to come up with something.

Can it eat tomatoes or bananas?
Anything but Romaine.

 

[Yvonne G]

You need to use tough love. The tortoise can't eat romaine or carrots if you don't ever put it with the tortoise.

No tomatoes, no banana. Fruit isn't good for Russian tortoises.

Buy some escarole or endive. Cut it up into smaller pieces. Put it with the tortoise and just walk away. If it doesn't eat, oh well. Do that every day and I guarantee the tortoise will eventually eat. They won't allow themselves to starve.

You might also go 'weed shopping.' This time of year there are quite a few edible weeds poking their little heads above the ground.

Filaree:

Sow thistle:

Prickly lettuce:

Miner's lettuce:

Wild radish:

Wild mustard:

and here's a link to a guide showing edible weeds:

http://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/garden...ds-and-flowers-for-your-dinner-table-pictures

 

[Niickster]

I'm afraid of poisoning the thing with weeds.
I am unable to locate escarole or endive.
I will try turnips, kale and mustard again and just not feed him anything else until he eats it.
Picky beast.

 

[GingerLove]

Ginger has also been refusing to eat lately. I present her with the food I want her to eat every day at the same time. She refused every time until today. Hunger will eventually take it's toll. I felt guilty, but it worked! Also, I found a bit of pumpkin from the can (no preservatives, just pumpkin) smeared on top of a piece of squash caught her attention. Pumpkin shouldn't be fed too often, though.