queen koopa

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They can be so stubborn! I tried the chop and mash technique and also a food shredder (eh, the ones you have to use by hand and I think are typically are used for cheese) it totally didn’t work. I swear half the time Lumos would give me the dirtiest look, like, “You really think I can’t tell the difference?” And he would proceed to search for lettuce. The processor has been a lifesaver! He doesn’t even glare at me for it. Maybe with the lettuce mixed in it still tastes enough like the Romaine for him not to care.
They just love that damn Romaine!
 

Sue Ann

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Well done, @AllieKat1997 !

Even I have an extremely picky tortoise (Oli). Ed @ZEROPILOT sent me mazuri from the USA as it's not available here in Jordan. (Thanks Ed!) However, I am still having difficulty with Oli: he refuses to eat it unless I "force" him to. Incredible how stubborn tortoises can be.
Are you soaking the pellets in water do they are mushy? They don’t like them hard as babies. Mine is 9 mo old and attacks and devours themazuripellets
 

Gillian M

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Are you soaking the pellets in water do they are mushy? They don’t like them hard as babies. Mine is 9 mo old and attacks and devours themazuripellets
Oh yes, I do soak the mazuri in water. With all my respect, I believe that here's something more than that to it.
 

Gillian M

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They can be so stubborn! I tried the chop and mash technique and also a food shredder (eh, the ones you have to use by hand and I think are typically are used for cheese) it totally didn’t work. I swear half the time Lumos would give me the dirtiest look, like, “You really think I can’t tell the difference?” And he would proceed to search for lettuce. The processor has been a lifesaver! He doesn’t even glare at me for it. Maybe with the lettuce mixed in it still tastes enough like the Romaine for him not to care.
Extremely stubborn little animals. That sounds so much like Oli. He would begin a hunger strike rather than be "fooled!"
 

AllieKat1997

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Extremely stubborn little animals. That sounds so much like Oli. He would begin a hunger strike rather than be "fooled!"

It is good to know Lumos isn’t the only one but geez can it be annoying, haha! I absolutely love the little guy though. No one understands how freaking perfect I find him, but everything he does is just cute! Sleeping... glaring at me... slooooowly walking... actually almost sprinting because I gave him food... tortoises are just so personable!
 

Archie's mom

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View attachment 283431 So I have a golden Greek tortoise and we, unfortunately, have to substitute a little bit of his food with store-bought food. Which is how my problem started - Lumos got addicted to Romain Lettuce. *Face Palm* I tried everything - straight up removing the lettuce: he wouldn’t eat, and on day four I called it, and fed the poor, stubborn, guy. So, I tried to chop it up as finely as possible (it wasn’t much for possible, Lumos wasn’t impressed). Soooo on a last ditch effort to cure is picky eating and to get him on better, more tortoise-appropriate, diet I got a food processor. I really didn’t think it would work, nothing else did, but low n behold he gobbled up the lumpy, gross-looking mass that posed as his food. He didn’t just like it - he loved it! With this technique (can I call it that?) Slowly, very slowly, I was able to incorporate more tortoise-friendly food into his diet without him seeming to notice. He still gets a couple of grocery-store food items but in our location we just can’t help it. I also went ahead and was able to put his tortoise pellets (which he despised) into the processor. The machine turned the pellets to a golden dust, and Lumos probably doesn’t even realize that the pellets are involved. Overall, for a picky eater, I’ll take it. For $20 Lumos is now eating a far better tortoise-appropriate diet. I highly suggest trying a food processor if you have a picky eater of your own.

(I’m sure soemone else discoverer the power of a food processor but I had to share! Picture is below but it’s a bad one, I tried, and the reason he’s on a white cardboard platform is to try and keep bedding out of his food and water.)
 

AllieKat1997

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Thanks Allie, I tried the food processor idea and Archie's eating more of the greens although he still gobbles the colored pellets and sweet potato first.

I’m glad you tried it! Do you put the pellets and sweet potato in the processor with the other food? That’s what I do so it’s all blended up and Lumos can’t pick out what he wants.
 

Archie's mom

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Good idea, I'll try that too, thanks....my concern though is every 1-2 days I wake him up, soak him, he eats, and goes right back in his hide-a-way and sleeps. I'm wondering if he is getting enough UVB for his digestion. I wake him up, soak him first in warm water, then give him his food under the UVB light and heat light. He's only under there for about 10 minutes or less...then back to sleep. He hasn't been leaving any matter in his bath water either...I do see him drink and leave him in there about 15-20 minutes. Is there anything I should or shouldn't be doing
 

AllieKat1997

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Good idea, I'll try that too, thanks....my concern though is every 1-2 days I wake him up, soak him, he eats, and goes right back in his hide-a-way and sleeps. I'm wondering if he is getting enough UVB for his digestion. I wake him up, soak him first in warm water, then give him his food under the UVB light and heat light. He's only under there for about 10 minutes or less...then back to sleep. He hasn't been leaving any matter in his bath water either...I do see him drink and leave him in there about 15-20 minutes. Is there anything I should or shouldn't be doing

what’s your temp? I got a golden Greek because I’m new to tortoise keeping and I wanted a hardy species just in case I messed up. He had a closed chamber for his hatchling days. He had a basking light of 100 watts and I didn’t realize with it being a closed chamber that it was a bit too warm for him. Of course he had humidity and the works but all he’d do is eat and hide. He me ever really basked. I didn’t figure it out until he moved to his adult habitat - an open tortoise table. He still has 100 watt basking light and a 75 watt night light at night only. He’s out way more and more active.
 

Archie's mom

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what’s your temp? I got a golden Greek because I’m new to tortoise keeping and I wanted a hardy species just in case I messed up. He had a closed chamber for his hatchling days. He had a basking light of 100 watts and I didn’t realize with it being a closed chamber that it was a bit too warm for him. Of course he had humidity and the works but all he’d do is eat and hide. He me ever really basked. I didn’t figure it out until he moved to his adult habitat - an open tortoise table. He still has 100 watt basking light and a 75 watt night light at night only. He’s out way more and more active.
He's not in an enclosed space just retreats to the corner under a platform and ramp and buries himself in the shavings...the temp is low 70s at night and high 70s during the day. Outside in the enclosure under the light is 90-100 during the day and high 70s and 80s in other spots
 

AllieKat1997

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He's not in an enclosed space just retreats to the corner under a platform and ramp and buries himself in the shavings...the temp is low 70s at night and high 70s during the day. Outside in the enclosure under the light is 90-100 during the day and high 70s and 80s in other spots

Huh that is odd. Maybe he’s just a more timid version of his variety or he could be young. Lumos is a year old and while he does bask he certainly loves burying himself in substrate and sleeping. I’m no expert but if he looks good and he’s eating he should be fine. Tortoises don’t do too much unless food is involved, in my experience at least. If your worried I’d ask for more experienced keepers advice.
 

reinbogrl

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View attachment 283431 So I have a golden Greek tortoise and we, unfortunately, have to substitute a little bit of his food with store-bought food. Which is how my problem started - Lumos got addicted to Romain Lettuce. *Face Palm* I tried everything - straight up removing the lettuce: he wouldn’t eat, and on day four I called it, and fed the poor, stubborn, guy. So, I tried to chop it up as finely as possible (it wasn’t much for possible, Lumos wasn’t impressed). Soooo on a last ditch effort to cure is picky eating and to get him on better, more tortoise-appropriate, diet I got a food processor. I really didn’t think it would work, nothing else did, but low n behold he gobbled up the lumpy, gross-looking mass that posed as his food. He didn’t just like it - he loved it! With this technique (can I call it that?) Slowly, very slowly, I was able to incorporate more tortoise-friendly food into his diet without him seeming to notice. He still gets a couple of grocery-store food items but in our location we just can’t help it. I also went ahead and was able to put his tortoise pellets (which he despised) into the processor. The machine turned the pellets to a golden dust, and Lumos probably doesn’t even realize that the pellets are involved. Overall, for a picky eater, I’ll take it. For $20 Lumos is now eating a far better tortoise-appropriate diet. I highly suggest trying a food processor if you have a picky eater of your own.

(I’m sure soemone else discoverer the power of a food processor but I had to share! Picture is below but it’s a bad one, I tried, and the reason he’s on a white cardboard platform is to try and keep bedding out of his food and water.)
 

reinbogrl

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Florida
View attachment 283431 So I have a golden Greek tortoise and we, unfortunately, have to substitute a little bit of his food with store-bought food. Which is how my problem started - Lumos got addicted to Romain Lettuce. *Face Palm* I tried everything - straight up removing the lettuce: he wouldn’t eat, and on day four I called it, and fed the poor, stubborn, guy. So, I tried to chop it up as finely as possible (it wasn’t much for possible, Lumos wasn’t impressed). Soooo on a last ditch effort to cure is picky eating and to get him on better, more tortoise-appropriate, diet I got a food processor. I really didn’t think it would work, nothing else did, but low n behold he gobbled up the lumpy, gross-looking mass that posed as his food. He didn’t just like it - he loved it! With this technique (can I call it that?) Slowly, very slowly, I was able to incorporate more tortoise-friendly food into his diet without him seeming to notice. He still gets a couple of grocery-store food items but in our location we just can’t help it. I also went ahead and was able to put his tortoise pellets (which he despised) into the processor. The machine turned the pellets to a golden dust, and Lumos probably doesn’t even realize that the pellets are involved. Overall, for a picky eater, I’ll take it. For $20 Lumos is now eating a far better tortoise-appropriate diet. I highly suggest trying a food processor if you have a picky eater of your own.

(I’m sure soemone else discoverer the power of a food processor but I had to share! Picture is below but it’s a bad one, I tried, and the reason he’s on a white cardboard platform is to try and keep bedding out of his food and water.)
So mine won’t eat anything but the pellets and a weekly fruit treat any suggestions on how to get her to eat any greens at all?
 

AllieKat1997

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So mine won’t eat anything but the pellets and a weekly fruit treat any suggestions on how to get her to eat any greens at all?

Have you tried a blender? This is how I cured my picky eater. You may need to give more pellet than blended greens at first but slowly adjust the ratio of pellets to greens until it’s where you want it. My guy wanted nothing but romaine lettuce until I started to blend it. It tasted like romaine but had a bunch of other healthier stuff inside it too. I also had a turtle hooked on strawberries. I think as hatchlings a variety of food is super important because it seems to me that tortoises and turtles can imprint on their food, so variety is a must, IMO.
 

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