For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...

Babytortmom

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Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
IA
I have a new little cutie and want to make sure I get him/her off to a good start. Your list is a huge help! He is one of three siblings that a friend brought back with him from CA. In a few months it will be cold here in IA and no grass/weeds for him to munch on. This list will help me get some things for him, to keep him healthy. The picture is just where we let them run and get some sun, but he does have a cedar tortoise house inside with good heat and humidity. Any other suggestions to keep him healthy
 

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Maro2Bear

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I have a new little cutie and want to make sure I get him/her off to a good start. Your list is a huge help! He is one of three siblings that a friend brought back with him from CA. In a few months it will be cold here in IA and no grass/weeds for him to munch on. This list will help me get some things for him, to keep him healthy. The picture is just where we let them run and get some sun, but he does have a cedar tortoise house inside with good heat and humidity. Any other suggestions to keep him healthy


I’ll defer to others, but cedar is usually frowned upon for use with torts due to its highly aromatic cedar scent. Maybe upload a pix of the tortoise house (and double check if it really is cedar).
 

MPappagallo

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Joined
Jun 8, 2019
Messages
368
Location (City and/or State)
Myrtle Beach, SC
I have a new little cutie and want to make sure I get him/her off to a good start. Your list is a huge help! He is one of three siblings that a friend brought back with him from CA. In a few months it will be cold here in IA and no grass/weeds for him to munch on. This list will help me get some things for him, to keep him healthy. The picture is just where we let them run and get some sun, but he does have a cedar tortoise house inside with good heat and humidity. Any other suggestions to keep him healthy
Welcome to the forum! I love your little outdoor "playground" for your new baby. You will find tons of great info here, and lots of folks that are willing to answer questions or offer advice. If you haven't already found it, Google "Tortoise Table" for a list of safe grasses, weeds, plants, veggies, etc for your tortie. It is a wonderful source of info to make sure everything you give him is safe. Have a great time getting to know your new little one!
 

Babytortmom

New Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
IA
I’ll defer to others, but cedar is usually frowned upon for use with torts due to its highly aromatic cedar scent. Maybe upload a pix of the tortoise house (and double check if it really is cedar).


It is cedar. We checked the box and it’s the zoomed brand.
 

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Babytortmom

New Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
IA
I’ll defer to others, but cedar is usually frowned upon for use with torts due to its highly aromatic cedar scent. Maybe upload a pix of the tortoise house (and double check if it really is cedar).


So what is a good base layer for the indoor house- if not cedar? We also have soil under the cedar chips. Both are chemical free
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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Joined
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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
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I have a new little cutie and want to make sure I get him/her off to a good start. Your list is a huge help! He is one of three siblings that a friend brought back with him from CA. In a few months it will be cold here in IA and no grass/weeds for him to munch on. This list will help me get some things for him, to keep him healthy. The picture is just where we let them run and get some sun, but he does have a cedar tortoise house inside with good heat and humidity. Any other suggestions to keep him healthy
Cedar is toxic. That is why it repels insects. It will kill small animals in indoor enclosures.

Here is the care info for them:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
 

Babytortmom

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Location (City and/or State)
IA

Tortoiseman65

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Deleon springs,Florida
Over and over I type up and answer diet questions and try to get people feeding the right stuff, but I find that the "norm" is grocery store food. Grocery store food is expensive, a hassle to obtain, and very low on the list of what is best for sulcatas.

These tortoises are GRASS eaters. From the moment they hatch, until the day they die, grass should be a large part of their diet. Spring mix, romaine, kale and other greens are okay as a small part of a varied diet, but should not be the bulk of the diet. If someone must feed grocery store foods, the pile should be sprinkled with grass clippings or "Salad Style". For those who like the convenience of pre-packaged, easy to handle stuff, "Salad Style" is basically finely blended up grass hay that can be sprinkled over any other food to add bulk and fiber. I got my "Salad Style" from Tyler at tortoisesupply.com.

For those that have a lawn, or access to one: Get a tub, get some scissors, get down on your knees, and go to work! It is so EASY to cut a few handfuls of fresh, green, tender, young grass, and dramatically improve your baby sulcatas diet. Any kind of grass will work. Finely chop it for little tortoises and sprinkle it all over the other food, or feed it by itself in a pile. Do be careful about lawn chemicals and pesticides. If you have a gardener, or its not your lawn, use extreme caution. Live in a condo or apartment complex? Don't do it. Not worth the risk, no matter what they tell you. Just grow your own grass in pots on your patio or window sills. Friends, family and neighbors might be able to help you out here.

For those who still just love the grocery store: Most stores are now selling little plastic pots of live, freshly sprouted, organic wheat grass. You can find it at many pet stores too. This is a great way to add grass to the diet of a young sulcata. Get your scissors, hold the pot over the food pile and chop away. Water it and keep the pot in a window sill, and in a few days, you'll have more. You might need several pots as your baby grows, or you can buy seed from one of our site sponsors (Thank you Carolina Pet Supply) and sprout even bigger trays of it yourself.

Some of you may find that your "grass eating" tortoise wants nothing to do with eating grass. This should surprise no one, since most breeders and most keepers never even attempt to feed actual grass to their grass eating tortoise babies. So sad! I can tell you from first hand experience with literally HUNDREDS of babies, they WILL eat it. It may take a month or more to slowly introduce it, but PLEASE, slowly introduce it.

Other items that are good for babies and young sulcatas:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food


When sulcatas get a little older and bigger, usually around 10-12" for me, they will start munching on plain, dry grass hay, all on their own. I like orchard grass hay the best for this, but I also used bermuda grass hay for years too. When they hit this stage, life gets MUCH easier. Just make sure you have drinking water readily available when they start eating hay, and consider soaking regularly if you are not 100% sure your tortoise is drinking enough, or if you live in a really dry area, like me.

I live in a desert and yet there is still green stuff all around me. I beg you to take a walk and learn about all the green stuff around you, INSTEAD of driving to the store again. Instead of a trip to the grocery store, take a trip to a local nursery for some weed IDs, and tips on growing your own stuff. What could be better than stepping out into your backyard and collecting all the free, healthy tortoise food you can carry? Think of the gas savings! Anyone who is a tortoise keeper, ought to be somewhat of a gardener too.

I beg of you... PLEASE stop the grocery store MADNESS!!! :D


How long & how often should my two 7 month old sulcatas be soaked ? Is it normal for one to be more active & eat more than the other ?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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How long & how often should my two 7 month old sulcatas be soaked ? Is it normal for one to be more active & eat more than the other ?
Every day for at least 30 minutes.

They should not live as a pair. If they are, that is why you are having a problem. Separate them ASAP.
 

Changa

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Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
152
Location (City and/or State)
Ca
Every day for at least 30 minutes.

They should not live as a pair. If they are, that is why you are having a problem. Separate them ASAP.
I have two Sully's I had together but separated them
My little one couldn't be happier I can see the difference my bigger sully was a bully pushing her way to eat Don food
My husband thinks having them together is good but really is not they have "I Want To Be Alone" attitude, LOL
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
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Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I have two Sully's I had together but separated them
My little one couldn't be happier I can see the difference my bigger sully was a bully pushing her way to eat Don food
My husband thinks having them together is good but really is not they have "I Want To Be Alone" attitude, LOL
Some people refuse to accept the facts about this matter. Glad you figured it out, and so are your tortoises. :)
 

Babytortmom

New Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
IA
Our tortoise won’t open one eye. He soaks his head every time he’s in his soaking tub and rubs at it, but it won’t open. He actually seems to be getting irritated about it. His other eye seems fine. He eats when he’s outside and active. It doesn’t look red around the edges. I’m at a lose- any suggestions?

E27EBB14-2FDF-4B62-9816-58879EB9D0DE.jpeg
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
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Buy a product called veterycin eye ointment, put a dab on a Q-tip and gently rub the closed eye along the slit. Do this several times a day.
 

Meika

New Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Houston, TX
Over and over I type up and answer diet questions and try to get people feeding the right stuff, but I find that the "norm" is grocery store food. Grocery store food is expensive, a hassle to obtain, and very low on the list of what is best for sulcatas.

These tortoises are GRASS eaters. From the moment they hatch, until the day they die, grass should be a large part of their diet. Spring mix, romaine, kale and other greens are okay as a small part of a varied diet, but should not be the bulk of the diet. If someone must feed grocery store foods, the pile should be sprinkled with grass clippings or "Salad Style". For those who like the convenience of pre-packaged, easy to handle stuff, "Salad Style" is basically finely blended up grass hay that can be sprinkled over any other food to add bulk and fiber. I got my "Salad Style" from Tyler at tortoisesupply.com.

For those that have a lawn, or access to one: Get a tub, get some scissors, get down on your knees, and go to work! It is so EASY to cut a few handfuls of fresh, green, tender, young grass, and dramatically improve your baby sulcatas diet. Any kind of grass will work. Finely chop it for little tortoises and sprinkle it all over the other food, or feed it by itself in a pile. Do be careful about lawn chemicals and pesticides. If you have a gardener, or its not your lawn, use extreme caution. Live in a condo or apartment complex? Don't do it. Not worth the risk, no matter what they tell you. Just grow your own grass in pots on your patio or window sills. Friends, family and neighbors might be able to help you out here.

For those who still just love the grocery store: Most stores are now selling little plastic pots of live, freshly sprouted, organic wheat grass. You can find it at many pet stores too. This is a great way to add grass to the diet of a young sulcata. Get your scissors, hold the pot over the food pile and chop away. Water it and keep the pot in a window sill, and in a few days, you'll have more. You might need several pots as your baby grows, or you can buy seed from one of our site sponsors (Thank you Carolina Pet Supply) and sprout even bigger trays of it yourself.

Some of you may find that your "grass eating" tortoise wants nothing to do with eating grass. This should surprise no one, since most breeders and most keepers never even attempt to feed actual grass to their grass eating tortoise babies. So sad! I can tell you from first hand experience with literally HUNDREDS of babies, they WILL eat it. It may take a month or more to slowly introduce it, but PLEASE, slowly introduce it.

Other items that are good for babies and young sulcatas:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food


When sulcatas get a little older and bigger, usually around 10-12" for me, they will start munching on plain, dry grass hay, all on their own. I like orchard grass hay the best for this, but I also used bermuda grass hay for years too. When they hit this stage, life gets MUCH easier. Just make sure you have drinking water readily available when they start eating hay, and consider soaking regularly if you are not 100% sure your tortoise is drinking enough, or if you live in a really dry area, like me.

I live in a desert and yet there is still green stuff all around me. I beg you to take a walk and learn about all the green stuff around you, INSTEAD of driving to the store again. Instead of a trip to the grocery store, take a trip to a local nursery for some weed IDs, and tips on growing your own stuff. What could be better than stepping out into your backyard and collecting all the free, healthy tortoise food you can carry? Think of the gas savings! Anyone who is a tortoise keeper, ought to be somewhat of a gardener too.

I beg of you... PLEASE stop the grocery store MADNESS!!! :D


Thank you for this! Do you recommend a certain grass to buy or grow?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Thank you for this! Do you recommend a certain grass to buy or grow?
Any of the grasses that are meant for pasture animals are great. Tyler and Sarah at Tortoisesupply.com have a few great options and I've used their stuff many times over the years. The little wheat grass plots sold in pet stores for cats are good too. Don't by grass seed from hardware stores or any seed that is meant for decorative lawns. Too many weird chemical additives.

When your sulcata gets up to about 12", I like to start feeding them all their other foods on a bed of grass hay. Orchard grass hay or Bermuda grass hay work the best. Some of them take to it immediately, and others take longer. Grass hay will be your saving grace when your little monster, and its appetite, get huge. Real grass is even better, but for some people hay is just easier, and its adequate to meet their needs.

In Houston, you should plant a bunch of different types of spineless opuntia cactus. The pads are really good food, and so easy to grow in a hot sunny climate. Mulberry trees are another favorite of mine, and my tortoises too!. Get the fruitless variety. The leaves makes such good shade and food all summer long, but allow winter sun to warm the tortoises up since the leaves fall off.
 

Oldbro

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
83
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago
Over and over I type up and answer diet questions and try to get people feeding the right stuff, but I find that the "norm" is grocery store food. Grocery store food is expensive, a hassle to obtain, and very low on the list of what is best for sulcatas.

These tortoises are GRASS eaters. From the moment they hatch, until the day they die, grass should be a large part of their diet. Spring mix, romaine, kale and other greens are okay as a small part of a varied diet, but should not be the bulk of the diet. If someone must feed grocery store foods, the pile should be sprinkled with grass clippings or "Salad Style". For those who like the convenience of pre-packaged, easy to handle stuff, "Salad Style" is basically finely blended up grass hay that can be sprinkled over any other food to add bulk and fiber. I got my "Salad Style" from Tyler at tortoisesupply.com.

For those that have a lawn, or access to one: Get a tub, get some scissors, get down on your knees, and go to work! It is so EASY to cut a few handfuls of fresh, green, tender, young grass, and dramatically improve your baby sulcatas diet. Any kind of grass will work. Finely chop it for little tortoises and sprinkle it all over the other food, or feed it by itself in a pile. Do be careful about lawn chemicals and pesticides. If you have a gardener, or its not your lawn, use extreme caution. Live in a condo or apartment complex? Don't do it. Not worth the risk, no matter what they tell you. Just grow your own grass in pots on your patio or window sills. Friends, family and neighbors might be able to help you out here.

For those who still just love the grocery store: Most stores are now selling little plastic pots of live, freshly sprouted, organic wheat grass. You can find it at many pet stores too. This is a great way to add grass to the diet of a young sulcata. Get your scissors, hold the pot over the food pile and chop away. Water it and keep the pot in a window sill, and in a few days, you'll have more. You might need several pots as your baby grows, or you can buy seed from one of our site sponsors (Thank you Carolina Pet Supply) and sprout even bigger trays of it yourself.

Some of you may find that your "grass eating" tortoise wants nothing to do with eating grass. This should surprise no one, since most breeders and most keepers never even attempt to feed actual grass to their grass eating tortoise babies. So sad! I can tell you from first hand experience with literally HUNDREDS of babies, they WILL eat it. It may take a month or more to slowly introduce it, but PLEASE, slowly introduce it.

Other items that are good for babies and young sulcatas:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food


When sulcatas get a little older and bigger, usually around 10-12" for me, they will start munching on plain, dry grass hay, all on their own. I like orchard grass hay the best for this, but I also used bermuda grass hay for years too. When they hit this stage, life gets MUCH easier. Just make sure you have drinking water readily available when they start eating hay, and consider soaking regularly if you are not 100% sure your tortoise is drinking enough, or if you live in a really dry area, like me.

I live in a desert and yet there is still green stuff all around me. I beg you to take a walk and learn about all the green stuff around you, INSTEAD of driving to the store again. Instead of a trip to the grocery store, take a trip to a local nursery for some weed IDs, and tips on growing your own stuff. What could be better than stepping out into your backyard and collecting all the free, healthy tortoise food you can carry? Think of the gas savings! Anyone who is a tortoise keeper, ought to be somewhat of a gardener too.

I beg of you... PLEASE stop the grocery store MADNESS!!! :D
 

Oldbro

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
83
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago
Great list. I got my hatchlings several months ago and tried lawn grass, dandelions, wild clover and they would not eat it. Kept trying to
climb out of pen. Put mixed organic salad greens and the dig in. The more wild greens I mix in the less interested they become. The adults they come from eat everything, but the breeder feeds store bought to youngens. I live
In Illinois so outdoors works but not all year.
Tried all pellets no interest. I pulverize it now and sprinkle it on the store bought. Don’t want
them malnourished. They seen finicky or am I not understanding something? Thanks
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Great list. I got my hatchlings several months ago and tried lawn grass, dandelions, wild clover and they would not eat it. Kept trying to
climb out of pen. Put mixed organic salad greens and the dig in. The more wild greens I mix in the less interested they become. The adults they come from eat everything, but the breeder feeds store bought to youngens. I live
In Illinois so outdoors works but not all year.
Tried all pellets no interest. I pulverize it now and sprinkle it on the store bought. Don’t want
them malnourished. They seen finicky or am I not understanding something? Thanks
How they are started is a HUGE factor. How many did you get and where did you get them?
 

Oldbro

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
83
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago
Tom

I got two. Keep them together but I’m set up to keep them separate. A family that breeds them in the Chicago suburbs. Have been bringing their adults to the Reptile show for many years. Say they feed the hatchlings mixed greens with a bit of calcium powder several time a week.
They are active and eat well but very selective.
Don’t want to starve them into field greens unless it’s recommended.
I’ve tried yard and garden foliage off the list with no luck.
 

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