Soaking. (no appetite)

Joined
Mar 31, 2021
Messages
15
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa
Hello everyone! just a quick question... does anyone have any tips on how to make their tortoise more food driven?

My leopard tort, Rosie, really was not fed much by her previous owners. The same old food would be left in her enclosure for five days at a time, and she was only fed iceberg lettuce. I believe that she really is small for her age because of it. As a result of the food situation, I thought that she would be very happy to get fresh and healthy food every day. However, that is not the case. She takes a few bites of her food and then leaves it alone. I don't really see any healthy weight gain either. But she is still very active and loves her water bowl. How can I help my tort to eat more and start growing at a steady pace? Any snippet of advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks!
 

csheikh

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Apr 5, 2021
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Lahore
When l first got my tortoise, l had the same problem. The previous owner only fed him lettuce and when l got him, he would barely eat. I think it is used to eating less, so maybe try a different diet? My tortoise started to eat more often once l introduced him to rose petals. I let him choose the colour and everything, and it really helped me. Also try prickly pear cactus, and some tortoise feed maybe. Make sure it is humid, that is how it will grow. 60% during the day and try to keep it 70-80% at night. Just experiment with new food and keep it humid and l think Rosie will be healthy and strong!
 

wellington

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Mix iceberg lettuce with better stuff. Use more iceberg then the others. Chop all of it up fine and spritz with water. As he eats better, use less and less of the iceberg until he is only eating the good stuff. Do this slowly over days maybe weeks. Tortoises do everything slow.
The mazuri may also help. Soak a pellet or two and smear it on the better chopped greens. Get the regular Mazuri not the LS.
 
Joined
Mar 31, 2021
Messages
15
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa
When l first got my tortoise, l had the same problem. The previous owner only fed him lettuce and when l got him, he would barely eat. I think it is used to eating less, so maybe try a different diet? My tortoise started to eat more often once l introduced him to rose petals. I let him choose the colour and everything, and it really helped me. Also try prickly pear cactus, and some tortoise feed maybe. Make sure it is humid, that is how it will grow. 60% during the day and try to keep it 70-80% at night. Just experiment with new food and keep it humid and l think Rosie will be healthy and strong!
Thank you so much for the advice. I will definitely add more of a variety to her diet, but allow her to choose what she likes and not. Will gradually get her into it.
 
Joined
Mar 31, 2021
Messages
15
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa
Mix iceberg lettuce with better stuff. Use more iceberg then the others. Chop all of it up fine and spritz with water. As he eats better, use less and less of the iceberg until he is only eating the good stuff. Do this slowly over days maybe weeks. Tortoises do everything slow.
The mazuri may also help. Soak a pellet or two and smear it on the better chopped greens. Get the regular Mazuri not the LS.
This is very good advice. I will start doing this right away. Thank you so much! Will get her back on track in no time.
 

TheTattooedTortoise

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Apr 20, 2021
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North Wales, UK
Try cutting a 1cm slice of cucumber, remove everything bar the watery pulp in the middle and then squeeze the juice and pulp out into the rest of your food and mix it all up.
Sheldon doesn't get cucumber as a staple because of the lack of nutrition in it but if he's ever a bit un-enthusiastic about his dinner I smush some cucumber juice into it and he thinks he's onto a winner and savages it.

May be worth a go for you too ?
 
Joined
Mar 31, 2021
Messages
15
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa
Try cutting a 1cm slice of cucumber, remove everything bar the watery pulp in the middle and then squeeze the juice and pulp out into the rest of your food and mix it all up.
Sheldon doesn't get cucumber as a staple because of the lack of nutrition in it but if he's ever a bit un-enthusiastic about his dinner I smush some cucumber juice into it and he thinks he's onto a winner and savages it.

May be worth a go for you too ?
Wow... I love this plan. This is definitely something I will incorporate if she is being stubborn for too long. Rosie LOVES cucumber with all of her heart, and I only give it as a treat every now and then. Thank you so much! ?
 

Cleopatra 2020

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Feb 1, 2020
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El Mirage. Az
Yes cucumber sounds great I was recently advised to try cucumber since my Rosie had ingested some of the plastic plants in her enclosure which I have given her Cactus pad to slime her up hopefully they will pass but I like the idea of cucumber being that it retains a lot of liquid which can help hydrate her as it's flushing the leaves out hopefully but yes as mentioned in the previous posts mazuri works great it seems like it's a drug they can't refuse it... LOL
 
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