Grocery store base diet

JoFisch

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Going into winter I need to figure out the best way to feed my 5 mos old Hermanns tortoise. I live in a rural area and I thought I was going to be ok because my grocery store carried curly endive, radicchio and various other greens. They are only carrying things now that are feed on occasion items; such as collards, Bok Choy, mustard greens, kale. I can still get cilantro, baby arugula, belgian endive, opuntia and various lettuces. I have Mazuri and herbal hay also
Up to this point I have harvested weeds and other plants from my yard. I plan on getting some things from Kapidolo farms.
My question is, of the above items I have access to, which would be a good base food for the winter?
 

AgataP

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You can buy some seeds and plant in small pots. I am in WA too. PM me I can send some links to where I get seeds from if you are interested.
 

ZenHerper

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Those plants are all fine as long as your tort is well-hydrated (passes liquid or nearly-liquid urine daily) and gets adequate exercise. Urates and purines are mostly problematic for dehydrated animals kept too dry and in restricted footprint cages. Maintain a daily warm soak for 30-50 minutes.

You can certainly mix in red lettuce, dark green romaine (not hearts), or dark loose-leaf "butter" lettuces to add more water content to meals. Belgian endive is a chicory, so use it (the red if you can find it). Darker more colorful lettuces over pale green. More mature heads (that you might find too stringy in a salad) over tender baby greens.

When you come across more desirable greens, buy in bulk, pull the heads apart, and dry the leaves for storage.
 

jsheffield

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Going into winter I need to figure out the best way to feed my 5 mos old Hermanns tortoise. I live in a rural area and I thought I was going to be ok because my grocery store carried curly endive, radicchio and various other greens. They are only carrying things now that are feed on occasion items; such as collards, Bok Choy, mustard greens, kale. I can still get cilantro, baby arugula, belgian endive, opuntia and various lettuces. I have Mazuri and herbal hay also
Up to this point I have harvested weeds and other plants from my yard. I plan on getting some things from Kapidolo farms.
My question is, of the above items I have access to, which would be a good base food for the winter?
For a lot of the winter I feed my 5 Russians (and to a lesser degree my Redfoot and MEP) on storebought "Mixed Greens"... I supplement it with Mazuri or Zoo-Med Grassland and a bit of butternut squash once a week, along with a dried mix of herbs and flowers and weeds and seaweed that I sprinkle on the greens.

Jamie
 

JoFisch

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Thank you everybody for the advice. I have been reading on the forum for so long that all I hear is GROCERY STORE BAD! I have never seen our tortoise pass urates so I think her hydration is good. We do daily soaks. I’ll get her some dark lettuces to mix with those other greens and stuff from Kapidolo. I also have my eye on a bamboo grow light unit from Gardeners Supply.
 

Tom

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Going into winter I need to figure out the best way to feed my 5 mos old Hermanns tortoise. I live in a rural area and I thought I was going to be ok because my grocery store carried curly endive, radicchio and various other greens. They are only carrying things now that are feed on occasion items; such as collards, Bok Choy, mustard greens, kale. I can still get cilantro, baby arugula, belgian endive, opuntia and various lettuces. I have Mazuri and herbal hay also
Up to this point I have harvested weeds and other plants from my yard. I plan on getting some things from Kapidolo farms.
My question is, of the above items I have access to, which would be a good base food for the winter?
OMG! You get an A+ right off the bat for how you are feeding your tortoise.

All of the above items sound great. The herbal hay and Mazuri are also great additions.

Look at the many offerings from @Kapidolo Farms These work the same way as the herbal hay and allow you to easily add much more variety to the grocery store greens. You can sprinkle it on top, or soak it and mix it in. I do both. It all works. I just bought a bunch more from Will yesterday and I love the stuff. I use one or another of his leaf offerings almost daily.
 

JoFisch

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Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Dec 26, 2020
Messages
71
Location (City and/or State)
Washington
OMG! You get an A+ right off the bat for how you are feeding your tortoise.

All of the above items sound great. The herbal hay and Mazuri are also great additions.

Look at the many offerings from @Kapidolo Farms These work the same way as the herbal hay and allow you to easily add much more variety to the grocery store greens. You can sprinkle it on top, or soak it and mix it in. I do both. It all works. I just bought a bunch more from Will yesterday and I love the stuff. I use one or another of his leaf offerings almost daily.
All of your hard work and advice does make a difference @Tom !
 

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