Food question

[Mattymac]

Hello all, I am new here and will be picking up my first Sulcata today. I will start a thread in the welcome section a little later but I really wanted to ask this question. Is there any grasses and weeds found commonly in our yards that Sulcata's can't eat? Will they avoid things they shouldn't have on their own? I ask because I want to start immediately letting this guy graze since it sounds like from the current owner it hasn't been out of the 29g tank he has kept it in much.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Mattymac

Take a read through this very informative link that is pinned to this Sulcata tortoise thread

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sulcata-diet-sheet.64290/

Lots of info on what to feed your sully. Good luck. Upload some pix when u can!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Babies don't graze really. You'll probably have to wait until he older for that. But while he's small, I feed my little ones packaged Spring mix with clover and grass added as well as and blooms, dandelions rose petals and all the Rose of Sharon that I can find for them...
PS....make sure he's protected from predators while he's out. Make sure he has water and can get to some shade....

 

[Mattymac]

Babies don't graze really. You'll probably have to wait until he older for that. But while he's small, I feed my little ones packaged Spring mix with clover and grass added as well as and blooms, dandelions rose petals and all the Rose of Sharon that I can find for them...
PS....make sure he's protected from predators while he's out. Make sure he has water and can get to some shade....

Thank you for the info, I have all of those things in my fridge and yard so that helps a lot. He doesn't seem to have any interest in things from the yard so I will mix some spring mix into it to help him along. Definitely will watch him outside, our yard is fenced and our dogs don't seem to care about him at all but we will always watch.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Thank you for the info, I have all of those things in my fridge and yard so that helps a lot. He doesn't seem to have any interest in things from the yard so I will mix some spring mix into it to help him along. Definitely will watch him outside, our yard is fenced and our dogs don't seem to care about him at all but we will always watch.

Yes please watch. Just because your dogs don't 'seem' to care, they can still fatally injure (or kill) a baby.

 

[Mattymac]

Definitely will.

Bit was I wrong about not eating from the yard. He just needed a minute to adjust and be left alone to forage, he's eating weeds and grass very well. Very cute to watch him try to pin down the wavy leaves.

 

[Jodie]

Please do not think for a second the dog doesn't care. Dogs and tortoises do not mix. Given even a minute of alone time together a dog will chew up a tortoise.