Food

[Julianabaz]

Hi, so I have a Greek tortoise and was wondering if it is okay that he only eats lettuce. Every now and then I try to give him new foods but he doesn’t even try to eat it. Do you guys have any tips on getting him to eat new foods. Also what should I be feeding him on a day to day basis.

(I do feed him calcium but for some reason he likes eating it by itself in its powder form? Is it okay that he eats it like that or does it have to be sprinkled over his food?)

 

[PinkPine]

Lettuce (even when dusted with calcium and vitamin supplements) doesn't provide anything close to the nutrition that a tortoise needs. Search the breed-specific forums on here. Lots of the mediterranean species, like yours, have similar dietary requirements.

Two of my tortoises were fed only pellets by their previous owner and it took a while of me mixing things and offering a huge variety for them to accept different food. Now, aside from the Mazuri, they eat many plants and grasses along with tortoise-safe dried flowers (I get them on Amazon) and prickly pear cactus pads(purchased on ebay). I found only specialty grocers near me have greens like endive and escarole, and it's a favorite among all my tortoises. Your tortoise may not like something at first, but it will eat what's available when it gets hungry enough. I know it can be frustrating but patience will pay off and your tortoise will be better off with the proper diet.

 

[TammyJ]

Do not give him so much calcium powder, please! It can make him sick. Could you post some pictures of the tortoise and setup so we can help you more? Thanks!