Can tortoises be really picky

[cueball]

I have a russian tortoise and all he seems to eat is romaine lettuce. I mean baby romaine lettuce. That is all he likes although I have tried him on various other things like swiss chard and a bunch of other lettuces that I don't know the names to. I haven't fed him spinach ever because I heard that it was bad to feed the tortoise spinach. I only feed him tomatoes once in a blue moon because of the water content in tomatoes. He absolutely loves tomatoes. Its like cheeseburgers to us!!!

 

[Seiryu]

I have a russian tortoise and all he seems to eat is romaine lettuce. I mean baby romaine lettuce. That is all he likes although I have tried him on various other things like swiss chard and a bunch of other lettuces that I don't know the names to. I haven't fed him spinach ever because I heard that it was bad to feed the tortoise spinach. I only feed him tomatoes once in a blue moon because of the water content in tomatoes. He absolutely loves tomatoes. Its like cheeseburgers to us!!!

Tortoises generally won't starve themselves. Mine was pretty picky too, but then I offered things he wouldnt eat without the good stuff (romaine in your case) and he eventually came around to it. He hated radicchio but now loves it. I find some days he won't eat things he usually scarfs down too.

If you try offering him JUST things he doesn't like or rarely eats and he doesn't eat, I would go ahead and feed him what you know he'll eat the next day and try again the day after that.

Can always try cutting it up too and sprinkling it over the romaine etc.

 

[Yvonne G]

Buy a bag of Spring Mix. That's a packaged baby greens mixture in the produce section of the grocery store. Chop up a lot of romaine and chop up a little of the Spring Mix. Mix them together. Every time you feed him, add more of the Spring Mix and less of the romaine. You can also pick weeds like dandelion, clover, fillaree, mallow, etc and chop and add them also.

Tortoises aren't as dumb as we give them credit for. He knows that if he turns up his nose at the "good stuff" you will cave and give him his favorite.

Yvonne

 

[cueball]

Oh he loves dandelions too. But we have no dandelion in our back yard. Its basically weed free now.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Have you tried all the greens on russiantortoise.org? What about spring mix, collard greens, mustard greens, etc? A varied diet is best. I wouldn't feed chard as a main part of the diet anyways as it has a high oxalic acid content (same as spinach). I also would never feed tomato, but that's my opinion (too sugary and they can't digest sugars). What about keeping an area of your yard without pesticides/fertilizers and planting some weeds and greens for him? That is the ideal diet as it's what they get in the wild--grasses and weeds.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

He can only eat what you feed him, so if he is only eating romaine that's because that's what you're feeding him. I would do as Yvonne suggested with the Spring Mix. My Russian was a very picky eater too, until I fed her some dandelions and she just went insane! She loves dandelions and other weeds as well. I walk around my neighborhood and collect weeds and blossoms and leafs and you can do that also. It's free food and your tort will eat a better more varied diet...

 

[tortoisenerd]

As long as the weeds are fertilizer and pesticide free that is a great option. Tough love with food works great--feed a varied diet of foods the tort doesn't yet like. They will either eat them or go hungry. Worked great with my little guy and turnip greens. You don't have to try and make your tort like everything, but it does need more variety than romaine.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I live in Oregon, where they don't believe in pesticides, and I live out in the country where there aren't any people to apply pesticides. But you can roam around and find pesticide free weeds and stuffs it just takes a little work......

 

[dmmj]

YES, sorry for the caps. They can be very very picky but I think what is happening here is that he was raise don lettuce and decided not to eat anything else, Since I don't know his history I can not say for sure. I feed my a variety of htings including hibiscus flowers, radish tops (tops only) Artichoke leaves, sqaush flowers and leaves, and many many pthe rhtings. I know some people don't have lot of pace to grow stuff so I would suggest a spring mix bag, lettucee while not bad is also not good. From what I have been able to gather over the years is that it's nutritional value is so low that he would have to eal a lot of it (like pounds and pounds worth) to get the value. Also no tomatoes, I hope this helps and enjoy your russian they are great little torts.