Indian Star and Dried Grasses

iamscottmoyers

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I have a 5 year old Indian Star tortoise. I mainly feed her on a mix of rocket, courgettes, coriander, parsley, dandelion and other leafy things.

I've heard from numerous places that dried grasses are very good for them and should form a large part of their diet. However, I'm having trouble finding dried grasses that she will eat. I've got bags of hay from Italian Rye grass, Orchard grass and Alfalfa. She doesn't seem interested in any of them. Well, she likes sleeping in the first two, but doesn't eat it.

Any recommendations on the type of dried grass and/or suppliers so I can try some others? Maybe I need to try giving her just hay as she might be filling up on the leaves and not learning that the hay is food?
 

Tom

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It doesn't need to be dry grass. Just grass. Grass is a good way to add needed fiber to a diet of grocery store greens.

You've got the right kinds of grass hay, but you need to introduce a little differently to get the tortoise to learn to recognize it as food and eat it.

Get some scissors or a blender and chop or blend a small amount of grass hay into tiny little pieces. Then put it in a little container with some water and let it soak for an hour or more. Then mix all that in with the day's greens so that the tortoise cannot eat around it. Only use a tiny amount at first. Just a little pinch. Gradually over time, you can add more and more.

Some pet stores and some grocery stores also sell little plots of sprouted grass for people to eat or for cats to munch on. Using this fresh grass might also help with the introduction of this new and unfamiliar food. I prefer to use fresh grass to introduce it to a tortoise that isn't used to it whenever possible. If you don't have real grass outside that is safe to use in your area, this store bought grass works well.
 

Tom

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And that star tortoise in your avatar pic is gorgeous!
 

iamscottmoyers

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Thanks! I'll give that a try. I do have grass outside, just need to check it's safe for her and wash is thoroughly I guess.
 

Tom

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Thanks! I'll give that a try. I do have grass outside, just need to check it's safe for her and wash is thoroughly I guess.

You need to know if whoever takes care of the lawn and foliage outside is using any chemicals. If its your house and you are the gardener, then you know what is, or isn't, out there. If you live in an apartment or condo, just assume that the grass is full of toxic chemicals and either grow your own or buy it elsewhere. Do not take the gardeners or managements word for it. In many cases those people don't know what the workers are really doing, or they just tell you what they think you want to hear.
 

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