Baby Sulcatas and Food Choices

[Yeetster]

In West Virginia it is beginning to get colder and most of the weeds and plants I try to feed my sulcatas are dying so what are some of the better grocery store foods for them or foods I can order online for them....( they already get mazuri, grass clippings, and the few weeds and plants I have left in my ward)

 

[DeanS]

Go to your local feed and tack and have them set you up with milled alfalfa. If they don't mill it for you...you'll have to chop it up yourself. The BEST thing you can give your baby is a mash consisting of 50/50 Mazuri/alfalfa. Forget ALL the nonsense you may have heard about alfalfa being too high in protein. When they can't graze...this should be the main staple in their diet. Also, try to feed out opuntia (prickly pear cactus) at least once ot twice a week. If you can leave them a cuttlebone to gnaw on...GREAT! Between the cuttlebone and cactus...you'll eliminate the need to use a calcium supplement!

 

[Yeetster]

Go to your local feed and tack and have them set you up with milled alfalfa. If they don't mill it for you...you'll have to chop it up yourself. The BEST thing you can give your baby is a mash consisting of 50/50 Mazuri/alfalfa. Forget ALL the nonsense you may have heard about alfalfa being too high in protein. When they can't graze...this should be the main staple in their diet. Also, try to feed out opuntia (prickly pear cactus) at least once ot twice a week. If you can leave them a cuttlebone to gnaw on...GREAT! Between the cuttlebone and cactus...you'll eliminate the need to use a calcium supplement!

Okay thank you!

 

[Yvonne G]

Go to your local feed and tack and have them set you up with milled alfalfa. If they don't mill it for you...you'll have to chop it up yourself. The BEST thing you can give your baby is a mash consisting of 50/50 Mazuri/alfalfa. Forget ALL the nonsense you may have heard about alfalfa being too high in protein. When they can't graze...this should be the main staple in their diet. Also, try to feed out opuntia (prickly pear cactus) at least once ot twice a week. If you can leave them a cuttlebone to gnaw on...GREAT! Between the cuttlebone and cactus...you'll eliminate the need to use a calcium supplement!

You can buy alfalfa pellets (manufactured and packaged as horse food) and when you soak them, the pellet falls apart and you end up with "milled" alfalfa!

 

[DeanS]

You can buy alfalfa pellets (manufactured and packaged as horse food) and when you soak them, the pellet falls apart and you end up with "milled" alfalfa!

I prefer to keep processed food to a minimum! Mazuei is ALL the processed food i use. My guy mills this stuff fresh for me! Preferences! Plus...do you get more leaves or sticks with the cubes! I like when the just throw a whole bale in and I get perfection!

 

[Tom]

In West Virginia it is beginning to get colder and most of the weeds and plants I try to feed my sulcatas are dying so what are some of the better grocery store foods for them or foods I can order online for them....( they already get mazuri, grass clippings, and the few weeds and plants I have left in my ward)

If you must use grocery store foods, favor endive and escarole as your main staples, but use lots of variety. The problem with grocery store foods is they tend to lack calcium, lack fiber, and some have a poor calcium to phosphorous ratio. To "amend" the grocery store greens, you need to add in something with lots of fiber. I like to use soaked ZooMed Grassland pellets for this purpose. Grass hay cubes from the feed store will work too. Or sprouted wheat grass from those little plots they sell. Start with a small amount of the high fiber stuff and gradually add more over time. I also like the "Herbal Hay" from Tyler and Sarah over at https://www.tortoisesupply.com/HerbalHay

 

[DeanS]

If you must use grocery store foods, favor endive and escarole as your main staples, but use lots of variety. The problem with grocery store foods is they tend to lack calcium, lack fiber, and some have a poor calcium to phosphorous ratio. To "amend" the grocery store greens, you need to add in something with lots of fiber. I like to use soaked ZooMed Grassland pellets for this purpose. Grass hay cubes from the feed store will work too. Or sprouted wheat grass from those little plots they sell. Start with a small amount of the high fiber stuff and gradually add more over time. I also like the "Herbal Hay" from Tyler and Sarah over at https://www.tortoisesupply.com/HerbalHay

I'm noticing that more and more markets are carrying arugula...this is as good a choice as endive and escarole...and radicchio is excellent as well! But please remember, there is no substitute for grass and weeds...everything else should be viewed as a side dish!