Eastern boxie not eating veggies

[crissyshine]

So I've posted previously about this and I have not had any luck as far as my boxie, Tate, eating a mixed diet.
Now he doesn't even eat protein anymore and only eats the box turtle pellets.
I used to be able to give him a bit of raspberry & strawberry as an occasional treat and he would love it, he's also tried a leafy green here and there. But now he refuses all foods other than box turtle pellets that I put calcium powder on. If it's not the pellets, he doesn't eat at all.

I've tried hiding the veggies, getting squash/carrots/tomatoes something that will draw his eye/ smell, putting kale in a blender to make it look like his pellets, tempting with fruit, etc.
Nothing works now. He can see through my attempts to get him to eat a variety of foods.

Should I go back to live protein? Try some boiled egg? (Although I don't like doing this but this was a tip someone gave me) not feed him for a few days then give him some leafy greens until he gives in and eats.
Literally at my wits end with his stubbornness.

He's a very healthy turtle. Active. Clear eyes and nose. Nice shell. Soaks himself regularly and uses the bathroom regularly.

Any advice will help!

 

[Alaskamike]

I've found my boxies ( Florida box + Easterns) to be a bit picky too. My solution to this has been to use a chopping board , put on there what I want them to eat , and chop it all up together.

Typical is
A boiled egg ( shell & all)
A strawberry or 2
Piece of cooked chicken
Mazuri pellets ( usually the cocadillian mix , but I've used the tort diet too)
Hybiscus leaves or flower
Spring mix - blackberry tree leaves
Purslane
Squash ( cooked )
Green beans

I don't always have all of these , but I chop up what I have - I wet the mazuri.

Then I put that in their enclosure. A few hours later it's usually all gone.

When I fist started doing this , my new Easterns left it alone. So I was feeding them super worms daily. But wow that got old.

So I stopped the worms entirely. And just put the mix in the enclosure. Took a week before they started eating it ( probably waiting for their worms lol )

Now I feed worms about 3 X / week , but not till late in day after the chopped food.

I found that getting hungry is a great motivator.

 

[crissyshine]

I've found my boxies ( Florida box + Easterns) to be a bit picky too. My solution to this has been to use a chopping board , put on there what I want them to eat , and chop it all up together.

Typical is
A boiled egg ( shell & all)
A strawberry or 2
Piece of cooked chicken
Mazuri pellets ( usually the cocadillian mix , but I've used the tort diet too)
Hybiscus leaves or flower
Spring mix - blackberry tree leaves
Purslane
Squash ( cooked )
Green beans

I don't always have all of these , but I chop up what I have - I wet the mazuri.

Then I put that in their enclosure. A few hours later it's usually all gone.

When I fist started doing this , my new Easterns left it alone. So I was feeding them super worms daily. But wow that got old.

So I stopped the worms entirely. And just put the mix in the enclosure. Took a week before they started eating it ( probably waiting for their worms lol )

Now I feed worms about 3 X / week , but not till late in day after the chopped food.

I found that getting hungry is a great motivator.

Thank you!
This sounds like a great mix and hopefully things he will like. I only have the one boxie so I'll have to figure out portion control/ storage options for what I cook for him.

Hopefully I can find purslane and spring mix of blackberry tree leaves at my local grocer/ farmers market.

He is super stubborn but he knows I can give him he evil eye like he gives it to me. So he'd better eat up!

 

[crissyshine]

I've found my boxies ( Florida box + Easterns) to be a bit picky too. My solution to this has been to use a chopping board , put on there what I want them to eat , and chop it all up together.

Typical is
A boiled egg ( shell & all)
A strawberry or 2
Piece of cooked chicken
Mazuri pellets ( usually the cocadillian mix , but I've used the tort diet too)
Hybiscus leaves or flower
Spring mix - blackberry tree leaves
Purslane
Squash ( cooked )
Green beans

I don't always have all of these , but I chop up what I have - I wet the mazuri.

Then I put that in their enclosure. A few hours later it's usually all gone.

When I fist started doing this , my new Easterns left it alone. So I was feeding them super worms daily. But wow that got old.

So I stopped the worms entirely. And just put the mix in the enclosure. Took a week before they started eating it ( probably waiting for their worms lol )

Now I feed worms about 3 X / week , but not till late in day after the chopped food.

I found that getting hungry is a great motivator.

Also, do you still put calcium on the food since you throw the eggshells in?
Do you put any other supplements on their food? I read that purslane is high in Omega 3

I've found my boxies ( Florida box + Easterns) to be a bit picky too. My solution to this has been to use a chopping board , put on there what I want them to eat , and chop it all up together.

Typical is
A boiled egg ( shell & all)
A strawberry or 2
Piece of cooked chicken
Mazuri pellets ( usually the cocadillian mix , but I've used the tort diet too)
Hybiscus leaves or flower
Spring mix - blackberry tree leaves
Purslane
Squash ( cooked )
Green beans

I don't always have all of these , but I chop up what I have - I wet the mazuri.

Then I put that in their enclosure. A few hours later it's usually all gone.

When I fist started doing this , my new Easterns left it alone. So I was feeding them super worms daily. But wow that got old.

So I stopped the worms entirely. And just put the mix in the enclosure. Took a week before they started eating it ( probably waiting for their worms lol )

Now I feed worms about 3 X / week , but not till late in day after the chopped food.

I found that getting hungry is a great motivator.

Do you put any supplements on their food since they can get calcium from egg shells and omega 3 from the purslane?

 

[Alaskamike]

I don't use any other supplements with the Boxies -but couldn't hurt.

Also , I do vary the greens , and will so times use broccoli or cauliflower if I have it.

My feeding philosophy is one of variety. I stick to a mix
Protein - veggies - fruit.
Whatever is available.

In that way their metabolism a can absorb and use what they need.

I find it fairly easy if I take this approach.

For the strawberries , I bought a big bag of frozen ones , that way they don't get old. I just take a couple out daily to thaw.

As far as quantity , I make sure they have all they will eat - and toss out the next day what they didn't. If I make up a batch I make enough for several days and keep it in refrigerator. Stays fine.

 

[Yvonne G]

You can try soaking the pellets until they're mush, then chop up the other food you want to feed and mix it all together so everything smells like the pellet mush.

 

[crissyshine]

@Yvonne G i have definitely tried this method. I usually get the evil eye from him when I do this.
But I will definitely try that again.
Thank you!