Won't eat Mazuri but will eat the broom

[maybeshoe]

Our hatchling Hermann is very picky. All the foods people say tortoises love go untouched. Mazuri, opuntia, flowers and even treats like cucumber or watermelon. Nope. But he/she will try to gnaw on a broom. Good news is he eats dandelions-unless we mix opuntia on it. We don't mind hiking off the beaten paths for dandelions but they won't last all year. How can we expand his palette? Starve him out? Seems harsh.

 

[leigti]

Almost all tortoises like Romain lettuce. It is not a good food to feed all the time but it is a good way to start introducing new foods. Mix together a little Romain lettuce with the food you want him to eat. I personally grind up the mazuri and zoo med grassland pellets in a coffee grinder and sprinkle it on top of the greens. You can also mix it all together with the greens. Overtime use less and less of the lettuce and more of the good stuff.

 

[JoesMum]

This is the way to introduce a new food to a picky eater:

- Chop the food your tort will eat really small and wet it

- Chop a very small amount of a new food very small and mix it with the rest. The water will make it stick and prevent your tort from picking out only what he likes.

- If your tort eats the food, at the next feed increase the quantity of the new food very slightly and decrease the old by the same amount

- If your tort refuses the mix, then leave it in place for 24 hours. It doesn't matter if it goes limp. Then clear it away and replace with a fresh mix in exactly the same proportions.

Your tort can go without food for days and stay healthy as long as he stays hydrated. It is very important to soak your tort for at least 30 minutes on days when food is refused. (And it will be!)

Take it very slowly. You will win, but you need to be strong and determined. We will support you. There are few of us that haven't had to do this at least once with our torts!

 

[Andy27012]

Try micro kale. It is kale that is less then 14 days old. Hands down the only thing I've seen them walk over fruit to get to and highly nutritious.

 

[maybeshoe]

Is a diet of 75-80% dandelions ok for a Hermann? Also, isn't lettuce and kale not ideal for tortoises? Just going by Tortoise Table which I'm sure everyone is familiar with. If I tough-love a new food option, I want it to be a staple rather than a treat or moderation. Well, except opuntia. I want him/her to eat it for calcium.

These are all good ideas. Mixing is how we dose calcium and vitamins. Definitely picks around but I'm sure some get in the tortoise. He/she will eat mixes except opuntia. Opuntia mixes are ignored. Maybe I should mix it with the broom.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Curious.
Do you have the regular, old style Mazuri or the newer Mazuri LS?
Most tortoises would eat a broom before they'd eat the LS.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

I feel a coffee grinder is the greatest for torts ! You run the Mazuri through the grinder and sprinkle it over the food your tort will eat it !

 

[Anyfoot]

Our hatchling Hermann is very picky. All the foods people say tortoises love go untouched. Mazuri, opuntia, flowers and even treats like cucumber or watermelon. Nope. But he/she will try to gnaw on a broom. Good news is he eats dandelions-unless we mix opuntia on it. We don't mind hiking off the beaten paths for dandelions but they won't last all year. How can we expand his palette? Starve him out? Seems harsh.

What species of broom is it, an eliads . . Ok ok ok this maybe another one of my jokes where the accent plays a major role.
Welcome BTW.

 

[maybeshoe]

Curious.
Do you have the regular, old style Mazuri or the newer Mazuri LS?
Most tortoises would eat a broom before they'd eat the LS.

Regular. Only eats it by accident. He's outside in his kiddie pool garden. I killed one of those sprouted wheatgrass plants you can buy at the grocery store but didn't care because he never ate it. It was all dried up so I cut it to use as mulch for his garden. He's chowing down on it. Maybe he just likes dead grass?

 

[RosemaryDW]

Is a diet of 75-80% dandelions ok for a Hermann?

In the long run, a diet of 75-80 percent anything isn't the best. It's also unlikely to have immediate short-term harm. Do the best you can with the tips above, most importantly being patient. That tortoise is a lot more stubborn than you and I; stay strong!

P.S. Our tortoise is "on" again with her love-hate relationship with cactus.

 

[Tom]

Also, isn't lettuce and kale not ideal for tortoises? Just going by Tortoise Table which I'm sure everyone is familiar with.

You, and they, are correct.

Those food suggestions above are just a means to get your tortoise eating the "right" stuff. You'll definitely want to move on to better things ASAP.

I have no idea what happened in your case, but I find that most breeders don't take the time to introduce new and novels foods to their hatchlings. They often just throw in something easy, like romaine. If your baby came from a breeder like that, then you will have to invest months in introducing the new foods and getting your tortoise to eat them.

P.S. How is your tortoise gaining access to a broom? Please reassure us all that you are not letting your tortoise roam loose on the floor.

 

[Andy27012]

Curious.
Do you have the regular, old style Mazuri or the newer Mazuri LS?
Most tortoises would eat a broom before they'd eat the LS.

I have not had the response from.

Curious.
Do you have the regular, old style Mazuri or the newer Mazuri LS?
Most tortoises would eat a broom before they'd eat the LS.

where can you purchase the older style mazuri, it's not listed on their website and all the tortoise mazuri I find is LS?

 

[cmacusa3]

I have not had the response from.

where can you purchase the older style mazuri, it's not listed on their website and all the tortoise mazuri I find is LS?

http://www.mazuri.com/mazuritortoisediet.aspx

That's the stuff you want but it only comes in 25 pound bags but you can find it on Amazon for smaller amounts but it's rather expensive.

 

[Andy27012]

http://www.mazuri.com/mazuritortoisediet.aspx

That's the stuff you want but it only comes in 25 pound bags but you can find it on Amazon for smaller amounts but it's rather expensive.

Thank you, I was able to find what i think I need from Arizona tortoise compound for 5 bucks for a 1 pound bag. It's just labeled mazuri tortoise food, (no ls) I will try them on this and see how they do, they walked over the LS to get to the greens so hopefully they will like this better.

 

[maybeshoe]

You, and they, are correct.

Those food suggestions above are just a means to get your tortoise eating the "right" stuff. You'll definitely want to move on to better things ASAP.

I have no idea what happened in your case, but I find that most breeders don't take the time to introduce new and novels foods to their hatchlings. They often just throw in something easy, like romaine. If your baby came from a breeder like that, then you will have to invest months in introducing the new foods and getting your tortoise to eat them.

P.S. How is your tortoise gaining access to a broom? Please reassure us all that you are not letting your tortoise roam loose on the floor.

He was on the lanai eating dandelions while the kids were rearranging his garden. The broom's an old Mexican handmade one that came with the place. He only roams his tortoise table inside and a kiddie pool garden on the lanai. But even in controlled environments he can vanish. He has shelters but prefers to bury himself. I'm getting good at figuring out where hatchlings hide.

 

[maybeshoe]

What species of broom is it, an eliads . . Ok ok ok this maybe another one of my jokes where the accent plays a major role.
Welcome BTW.

I just got that when I realized you're a Brit.

 

[Anyfoot]

I just got that when I realized you're a Brit.

Think your the only one that did, even those down south in the UK won't get it.
Bromeliad plant is pronounced broom-a-liad up north in the UK.
Why don't you feed a larger variety of weeds and flowers. I wouldnt try and purposely feed my torts groceries if they want weeds.

What you need to do is dig up some weeds and grow them in ya garden, then when it gets cold cover them so they grow on for longer into the winter.

 

[maybeshoe]

In the long run, a diet of 75-80 percent anything isn't the best. It's also unlikely to have immediate short-term harm. Do the best you can with the tips above, most importantly being patient. That tortoise is a lot more stubborn than you and I; stay strong!

P.S. Our tortoise is "on" again with her love-hate relationship with cactus.

I wonder if the size of the pad or season affects the taste? Our is starting to flower. He gulped it down the first time he tried it. Now, no way. Still not sure what a "good" diet is for a Eastern Hermanns. Geography from the Peloponnesus coast looks dry. Forests, fields with mostly weeds, grass. Mazuri has too much protein for that diet and no way would Wholefoods Spring Greens be growing in such an arid place. But then again, he from a breeder. Mom probably ate Mazuri.

 

[maybeshoe]

Think your the only one that did, even those down south in the UK won't get it.
Bromeliad plant is pronounced broom-a-liad up north in the UK.
Why don't you feed a larger variety of weeds and flowers. I wouldnt try and purposely feed my torts groceries if they want weeds.

What you need to do is dig up some weeds and grow them in ya garden, then when it gets cold cover them so they grow on for longer into the winter.

The irony is when we had a yard, weeds galore. Now we try and grow weeds, they die. I've been growing out dandelion flowers to spread the seeds. And I like how Brits say 'Zebra.'

 

[Tom]

And I like how Brits say 'Zebra.'

You should hear a pretty South African girl say it…