Baby Redfoot Only Wants to Eat Fruits & Pellets

[rumantra]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to tortoise keeping. I have a baby Redfoot that's about 7-8 cm and super cute : ) I offer my baby Redfoot various mixed salads every day, but he/she never seems interested in eating any greens (kale, mulberry leaves, hibiscus leaves) and only wants to eat fruits and pellets. I also offer some flowers; sometimes he really loves the butterfly pea flower, but he's not interested in hibiscus flowers (which kind of took me by surprise since I've seen so many videos of RFs eating hibiscus flowers).

Any tips on how to make my baby RF eat greens? Or should I just let it be?

 

[mojo_1]

It takes some time for them to get use to their new environment. You can soak the pellets and smear them on the greens to get it to start eating them. You can stop giving it the fruits and pellets and just give it the greens (sort of a toughlove approach) it will not starve to death. They will start eating when it gets hungry enough to not be picky. Also what are the lighting,temps, and humidity readings these things also play into them eating, and having a properly working digestive system.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

This article might also be helpful: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tortoise-diet/introducing-a-new-diet/

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'd stop the pellets together and offer less fruit. But chop it up ultra fine and mix it in with other foods.
Redfoot can get spoiled just like a child. He/she won't starve. I promise.

 

[rumantra]

Thank you so much for all of your great informations, I'll gradually do the tough love approach, hopefully he will eat some greens : )
Temps and Humidity are good, I live in Island of Bali we have tropical humid climate here similar to where they from.

 

[rumantra]

On day 2 stopping fruits / pellets and just offering greens, baby RF eating the greens (not super enthusiastic about it tho hahahaha)
This is harder for me than the baby RF

 

[mojo_1]

On day 2 stopping fruits / pellets and just offering greens, baby RF eating the greens (not super enthusiastic about it tho hahahaha)
This is harder for me than the baby RF

It usually is. Just wait till it throws a tantrum after it gets to 10 cm. It will turn into a bulldozing A-hole that over turns everything in the enclosure. Cue appropriately theme music (Miley cyrus wrecking ball) oh and then has the audacity to give you the look, like what are you going to do about it. In the end you can't help but love them.😁

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Great that you are making progress with feeding the greens 😅 Hopefully the end result will be a happy and healthy tortoise