Baby Sulcata Tortoise Diet Questions

[MyaFitzgerald9]

Hi all my fellow tortoise lovers:

My name is Mya and my love and joy, Rua, is my Sulcata tortoise. I come from the snake side of the reptile community, and have recently added a wonderful little tort to my home. I want to make sure that she is not just surviving, but absolutely thriving. Below: Diet & Enclosue & My love <3

Tortoise size: 4-4.5 inches
Enclosure size: 4x2x1

I have found some debate among different tortoise experts & owners on what they feed their Sulcata. Below I am going to post her current diet: I want to make sure she is getting all of the necessary foods & best foods. My current routine is to buy a 2-3 different types of greens or veggies for the week, and vary it each day. My reasoning for this is to distribute the different nutrients each day. I pick from a list each week based on what she has had previously, etc. On hand, I always have Timothy hay, Mazuri tortoise food, and NatureZone nutritious soft moist food (orange pellet). For supplements I have a calcium powder with D3 from zoo med. I give calcium 2-3x a week. My tortoise does NOT want to eat her timothy hay. I have tried soaking it and cutting it up into smaller bites. However, no luck. I understand that this can be normal for baby sulcatas, but everyone else is always stressing grass/hays to be the bulk of their diet.

My question is: Please critique me and let me know what you normally feed. Additionally, if there is anything I should switch up. Also, how much do you typically feed your baby sulcata?

ALSO: I do not normally feed her kiwi or grape.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Hi all my fellow tortoise lovers:

My name is Mya and my love and joy, Rua, is my Sulcata tortoise. I come from the snake side of the reptile community, and have recently added a wonderful little tort to my home. I want to make sure that she is not just surviving, but absolutely thriving. Below: Diet & Enclosue & My love <3

Tortoise size: 4-4.5 inches
Enclosure size: 4x2x1

I have found some debate among different tortoise experts & owners on what they feed their Sulcata. Below I am going to post her current diet: I want to make sure she is getting all of the necessary foods & best foods. My current routine is to buy a 2-3 different types of greens or veggies for the week, and vary it each day. My reasoning for this is to distribute the different nutrients each day. I pick from a list each week based on what she has had previously, etc. On hand, I always have Timothy hay, Mazuri tortoise food, and NatureZone nutritious soft moist food (orange pellet). For supplements I have a calcium powder with D3 from zoo med. I give calcium 2-3x a week. My tortoise does NOT want to eat her timothy hay. I have tried soaking it and cutting it up into smaller bites. However, no luck. I understand that this can be normal for baby sulcatas, but everyone else is always stressing grass/hays to be the bulk of their diet.

My question is: Please critique me and let me know what you normally feed. Additionally, if there is anything I should switch up. Also, how much do you typically feed your baby sulcata?

ALSO: I do not normally feed her kiwi or grape.

View attachment 314585View attachment 314586View attachment 314587View attachment 314588

Babies don't and won't eat hay until they grow some

 

[MyaFitzgerald9]

Figured! Thx. Just want to make sure she is getting everything she needs

 

[Maggie3fan]

Figured! Thx. Just want to make sure she is getting everything she needs

This might help you. (and you know that she might be a he too small to tell now)

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[MyaFitzgerald9]

This might help you. (and you know that she might be a he too small to tell now)

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Yes! For now she is a “she” but I understand it remains a mystery

 

[Chubbs the tegu]

Hello and welcome.
1. You will be needing an enclosure upgrade soon( preferably a closed chamber to hold ur heat and humidity) you want ur ambient temps no lower than 80 day or night and humidy 80+
2.Your feeding is not terrible. I would cut out the fruit completely and squash maybe once a month. If you dont have access to weeds and grass during winter months u can add dried goods from kapidollo farms or tortoise supply and mix with ur greens.. also you can grab some wheat grass and mix it in. They usually wont take hay until much larger.
Good luck with ur lil cutie!

 

[Aloysius Taschse]

Everything looks good, but the enclosure is a bit small for a 4.5 inch tortoise. Mine is under 4 inches and will have a 4x4 inch enclosure soon. Also, do you have a closed chamber? Humidity is quite important. Having a closed chamber is totally worth it. All the other info you need is in that precious care sheet, which I personally worship. Good luck and I love the name!

 

[Tom]

Hi all my fellow tortoise lovers:

My name is Mya and my love and joy, Rua, is my Sulcata tortoise. I come from the snake side of the reptile community, and have recently added a wonderful little tort to my home. I want to make sure that she is not just surviving, but absolutely thriving. Below: Diet & Enclosue & My love <3

Tortoise size: 4-4.5 inches
Enclosure size: 4x2x1

I have found some debate among different tortoise experts & owners on what they feed their Sulcata. Below I am going to post her current diet: I want to make sure she is getting all of the necessary foods & best foods. My current routine is to buy a 2-3 different types of greens or veggies for the week, and vary it each day. My reasoning for this is to distribute the different nutrients each day. I pick from a list each week based on what she has had previously, etc. On hand, I always have Timothy hay, Mazuri tortoise food, and NatureZone nutritious soft moist food (orange pellet). For supplements I have a calcium powder with D3 from zoo med. I give calcium 2-3x a week. My tortoise does NOT want to eat her timothy hay. I have tried soaking it and cutting it up into smaller bites. However, no luck. I understand that this can be normal for baby sulcatas, but everyone else is always stressing grass/hays to be the bulk of their diet.

My question is: Please critique me and let me know what you normally feed. Additionally, if there is anything I should switch up. Also, how much do you typically feed your baby sulcata?

ALSO: I do not normally feed her kiwi or grape.

View attachment 314585View attachment 314586View attachment 314587View attachment 314588

Hello and welcome.

Most of the care info you find for Sulcatas is just plain wrong. We've been doing it all wrong for decades, and most of the "experts", breeders, authors and vets have not kept up.

Your current enclosure is going to produce very slow growth and pyramiding. You can't maintain the necessary warm humid monsoon style conditions with an open top.

I'd skip the Nature Zone stuff, but the Mazuri is good once or twice a week as a supplemental food.

You can skip the hay until she's around 12 inches. When you do start feeding hay, use orchard grass hay or Bermuda hay. I feed them on a bed of it, and they start eating it pretty soon after that.

Babies need freshly sprouted tender young grass, cut and mixed in with their other greens.

The care sheet that Maggie linked for you will explain all of this and more in detail. There is a whole feeding section in it too.

Questions are welcome.

 

[MyaFitzgerald9]

Hello and welcome.

Most of the care info you find for Sulcatas is just plain wrong. We've been doing it all wrong for decades, and most of the "experts", breeders, authors and vets have not kept up.

Your current enclosure is going to produce very slow growth and pyramiding. You can't maintain the necessary warm humid monsoon style conditions with an open top.

I'd skip the Nature Zone stuff, but the Mazuri is good once or twice a week as a supplemental food.

You can skip the hay until she's around 12 inches. When you do start feeding hay, use orchard grass hay or Bermuda hay. I feed them on a bed of it, and they start eating it pretty soon after that.

Babies need freshly sprouted tender young grass, cut and mixed in with their other greens.

The care sheet that Maggie linked for you will explain all of this and more in detail. There is a whole feeding section in it too.

Questions are welcome.

Thank you for the reply! My fiance and I will work on the enclosure ASAP and create a closed top for humidity. I will be back with more questions!

 

[Tom]

Thank you for the reply! My fiance and I will work on the enclosure ASAP and create a closed top for humidity. I will be back with more questions!

I forgot to mention that those ramped water bowls are extremely dangerous for tortoises and should not be used. You can replace it with a terra cotta saucer sunk into the substrate instead.

 

[MyaFitzgerald9]

I forgot to mention that those ramped water bowls are extremely dangerous for tortoises and should not be used. You can replace it with a terra cotta saucer sunk into the substrate instead.

Thank you so much for that. We quite literally just got it to urge her to go into the water. She doesn’t really “love” being soaked or hanging out in water. Already took it out.

 

[MyaFitzgerald9]

Hello and welcome.

Most of the care info you find for Sulcatas is just plain wrong. We've been doing it all wrong for decades, and most of the "experts", breeders, authors and vets have not kept up.

Your current enclosure is going to produce very slow growth and pyramiding. You can't maintain the necessary warm humid monsoon style conditions with an open top.

I'd skip the Nature Zone stuff, but the Mazuri is good once or twice a week as a supplemental food.

You can skip the hay until she's around 12 inches. When you do start feeding hay, use orchard grass hay or Bermuda hay. I feed them on a bed of it, and they start eating it pretty soon after that.

Babies need freshly sprouted tender young grass, cut and mixed in with their other greens.

The care sheet that Maggie linked for you will explain all of this and more in detail. There is a whole feeding section in it too.

Questions are welcome.

How often do you feed baby sulcatas? And about how much

 

[Tom]

Thank you so much for that. We quite literally just got it to urge her to go into the water. She doesn’t really “love” being soaked or hanging out in water. Already took it out.

If your baby was not soaked daily (it should have been), then it might not be used to the soaks. Do it anyway. It is necessary and your baby will come to love the warm water in short order.

How often do you feed baby sulcatas? And about how much

You should feed your baby as much of the correct foods as it can eat every day. Tortoises are grazers. They need to be able to eat all day every day. The "right" foods are high in fiber and calcium. Weeds, leaves, grass, flowers, succulents, etc... If you have to use grocery store greens, be sure to add some good stuff to it for variety and fiber. Favor endive and escarole.

 

[MyaFitzgerald9]

If your baby was not soaked daily (it should have been), then it might not be used to the soaks. Do it anyway. It is necessary and your baby will come to love the warm water in short order.

You should feed your baby as much of the correct foods as it can eat every day. Tortoises are grazers. They need to be able to eat all day every day. The "right" foods are high in fiber and calcium. Weeds, leaves, grass, flowers, succulents, etc... If you have to use grocery store greens, be sure to add some good stuff to it for variety and fiber. Favor endive and escarole.

Awesome! That’s exactly what I’ve been doing. Coming here to ask for a refined and correct list of foods has helped me a TON.
Like I said, I want to do everything I can to let her thrive & grow healthy and strong

 

[Tom]

Awesome! That’s exactly what I’ve been doing. Coming here to ask for a refined and correct list of foods has helped me a TON.
Like I said, I want to do everything I can to let her thrive & grow healthy and strong

Here is a thread with a good starter list of stuff to feed:

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...

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...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Dustin43]

Wow very detailed, I love it. I had 2 baby sulcata torts and raised them for about 10 years. I had a similar issue with mine, they eventually started to eat the hay after they were about 1yo. They were eating me out of house and home because of all the fresh greens they would eat. I always assumed it was just something they did or maybe aquire a taste for it after they age a bit.make friends with local grocery stores, they throw away greens after a few days, perfect for growing sulcata torts...

 

[Tom]

perfect for growing sulcata torts...

Not really. Grocery store greens are low on the list of good tortoise foods and must be amended. Perfect foods for them are weeds, grasses, leaves, flowers, and succulents like opuntia pads. I avoid grocery store foods entirely when I can, but use them when I must.

 

[Dustin43]

Sure many other things they can eat.. I live in nys, so in the winter months, no grasses or succulents.. lots of great greens from the grocery store, not saying feed them a diet of iceberg lettuce LMAO.. turnip,collard mustard greens, all sorts of bokchoy, spinach edible flowers sometimes, along with fruits veggies and tort kibble mix IMO is fine for a picky spur tort until they get the taste for different hay... Maybe I was doing something wrong, but I raised to healthy sulcata torts

 

[MyaFitzgerald9]

Here is a thread with a good starter list of stuff to feed:

For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...

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...

tortoiseforum.org

Do you recommend this feed?

 

[Happytort27]

Yes, Herbal Hay is an excellent dried supplement to add with their daily greens. Kapidolo Farms also sells a variety pack of dried foods for your tortoise.