Rosiegirl
New Member
Ok well I don’t have time to banter back and forth...so good luck with your sweet baby! I will leave you with this that I was sent by a veterinarian. Maybe he is wrong and I apologize to all my tortoises that have never had any health problems and have enjoyed an occasional strawberry, but here u go Good luck!
DIET OF SULCATA TORTOISES
The phrase used most commonly by sulcata owners to describe their tortoises is “eating machine.” Sulcatas graze and forage for hours during the day. In captivity, they need to be able to graze on pesticide- and herbicide-free grasses and weeds.
DIET OF SULCATA TORTOISES
The phrase used most commonly by sulcata owners to describe their tortoises is “eating machine.” Sulcatas graze and forage for hours during the day. In captivity, they need to be able to graze on pesticide- and herbicide-free grasses and weeds.
- Grasses and hay: Sulcata tortoises NEED access to grasses and hay on which to graze. This is the bulk of their diet (90%) and should be from pesticide- and herbicide-free grass and grass cuttings, cheat grass, clover, edible flowers (nasturtium, geraniums, hibiscus, rose petals) and shrubs.
- Avoid feeding predominately alfalfa hay, as this is high in oxalates and can cause stone formation within lthe bladder, kidney failure and decrease life-span.
- Grass hays to offer include: Timothy, meadow grass, oat hay, orchard grass.
- Greens and vegetables:
- Greens to offer include: collard greens, kale, mustard, turnip and dandelion greens. Limit greens that are high in oxalates, such as: parsley, spinach, rhubarb, beet greens and collard greens.
- Vegetables should be about 10-15% of the diet. These can include: grated raw carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, broccoli, corn on the cob; greens such as collards, dandelions, escarole, romaine, kale.
- Fruits:
- Fruits should be fed sparingly, as a treat. These tend to be high in sugar and water content, both of which sulcatas are not accustomed to receiving in the wild. Fruits that are appropriate to offer as treats include: strawberries, chunks of organically grown bananas with skin, cantaloupe with rind attached, berries; peaches (no pits), apricots (no pits), pears, apples.