Does your tort like cactus pads?

[Ariza]

I finally bought spineless cactus pads from TortoiseSupply.com. They sent me two big pads. I planted the bigger one and left the other by Ariza's burrow entrance (to get her attention). She took a couple of bites and left it untouched after that. Will she grow to like it? She has in the past devoured stuff and ignored it other times. I figure she knows what she wants. She's an adult, 9 inches long.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Mine won't eat it.

 

[Jodie]

My big leopards and my Russians love it. 2 previous leopard hatchlings that I had Did also. T he 3 yearlings that I have do not so much. They will eat it mixed with mazuri, but they won't bite a pad.

 

[mike taylor]

All of my tortoises love it . I have to cut it in bite size pieces .

 

[leigti]

My Russian tortoise loves it.

 

[Ariza]

{{ I have to cut it in bite size pieces .}}

Hmm, maybe I'll do that and mix it in with her twice a week treats, romaine lettuce or kale. Maybe it's an acquired taste? I have read cactus is very nutritious and has lots of calcium.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

I use the pad as a dish . I place their food on the pad and while they eat their food they taste test the pad and all of my torts love the pads !

 

[Yvonne G]

My tortoise partner, Will, taught me a trick that works pretty well with the smaller tortoises. You cut off a chuck of the pad then wipe it over the slicer on the cheese grater. This slices it up into pretty thin slices and makes it very easy for the weaker-mouthed, smaller tortoises to bite - even the hard outer skin.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Four RF here. Two do and two don't eat it.

 

[Blakem]

My sulcata didn't like it when she was younger. I even tried blending it up into mush and that got only a few bites. Now, beyond mazuri, it's the first thing she will eat most of the time.

 

[Dizisdalife]

My sulcata didn't like it when she was younger. I even tried blending it up into mush and that got only a few bites. Now, beyond mazuri, it's the first thing she will eat most of the time.

I had a similar experience. Opuntia pads are Chuck's favorite, unless mulberry or grape leaves are available. Lately I have seen him "fill up" on muberry leaves and ignore the opuntia pads. I have also seen him push over one of the opuntia plants that I have potted to get to the pads.

 

[Big B]

All mine love cactus pads Russians, redfoot, sulcata, and leopard. They don't like grape leaves at all.

 

[Tom]

All of my tortoises (four species) devour cactus pads. Start tortoises that are new to it with smaller more tender new pads. The bigger older pads are more fibrous and they will have a tougher time with it. Even my bigger sulcatas have a tough time with the older pads. When your newly planted one takes off, try feeding out some of the thinner, soft, new pads.

 

[Blakem]

I had a similar experience. Opuntia pads are Chuck's favorite, unless mulberry or grape leaves are available. Lately I have seen him "fill up" on muberry leaves and ignore the opuntia pads. I have also seen him push over one of the opuntia plants that I have potted to get to the pads.

Maybe it's because he got a spine in his eyeball! I hope to never experience that. I haven't seen a Chuck update I'm a while.

 

[stoltetortoise261]

Mine loves it.

 

[Ariza]

Well, today I did what Yvonne suggested and sliced some and gave to Ariza. She took a few bites and then walked away. I'm hoping she'll start liking it after I do that a few times. And when the new young pads come out I will give to her like Tom advised. I've heard good stuff about cactus pads and it will be worth it trying to get her to like them. I've also two days ago planted the Testudo mix seeds, bird seed mix, and what is called Winter Grass from Carolina Pet Supply. The grass is fast growing (one week) and very soft and even my cats go crazy over it. Ariza doesn't care much for grass but I'm still hoping she'll learn to like this grass.