Hay - How Do You "Prepare" It?

[ChloeCrull]

Hello, everyone!

Firstly, I must apologize for the confusing diction of the title.

I absolutely love to prepare balanced diets for my tortoises; I feel like I own a salad plantation! However, I understand that along with dark greens and weeds, Russian tortoises require an amount of hay in their diet.

When you "prepare" or feed your tortoises hay, do you keep it in the long strands or cut it into shorter strips?

Thank you!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hay is not something a Russian tortoise would ever eat.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

Hay is not something a Russian tortoise would ever eat.

quick question, my russian female loves grass is it ok for her to eat?

 

[ChloeCrull]

Hay is not something a Russian tortoise would ever eat.

I've actually never heard that before. Is it bad for their digestion?

I've referenced:

http://russiantortoise.net/russiantortoisediet.htm

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-russian.htm


Some people sprinkle bits of mashed up hay or Bermuda grass on the tortoise food. Should I avoid any such thing?

Thanks, Yvonne

 

[Yvonne G]

If he'll eat it, it certainly won't poison him, but if you watch them eat outside when they can pick and choose, you'll hardly ever see them eat grass unless it's brand new blades. And hay would be totally ignored. The only benefit your tortoise might gain from sprinkling little bits of hay over his food might be a little more fiber and a more firm stool

 

[ChloeCrull]

If he'll eat it, it certainly won't poison him, but if you watch them eat outside when they can pick and choose, you'll hardly ever see them eat grass unless it's brand new blades. And hay would be totally ignored. The only benefit your tortoise might gain from sprinkling little bits of hay over his food might be a little more fiber and a more firm stool

Thank you for this. The tortoise that I believe to be wild caught, shown below, frequently munches on grass whenever he's stampeding around outside (under mother's supervision, of course!!!). However, the tortoise that I believe is captive bred, shown below the first, pays no attention to grass.

"Wild Caught"?





"Captive Bred"?

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, and yes. Very nice, both of them.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Nice looking torts!
Yep. The first one's shell is more rough... one time in a thread we were talking about how WC and CB shells differ. The conclusion was barbecue CB torts weren't exposed to the harsh elements of the outdoors 24/7, they were able to grow faster, resulting in a brighter yellow shell.
My russian won't touch grass, outdoors/indoors! Totally normal, it's not really part of their diet! If I do 'attempt' to feed grass, I chop it u into very small pieces and mix it in. He never knows!

 

[ChloeCrull]

Nice looking torts!
Yep. The first one's shell is more rough... one time in a thread we were talking about how WC and CB shells differ. The conclusion was barbecue CB torts weren't exposed to the harsh elements of the outdoors 24/7, they were able to grow faster, resulting in a brighter yellow shell.
My russian won't touch grass, outdoors/indoors! Totally normal, it's not really part of their diet! If I do 'attempt' to feed grass, I chop it u into very small pieces and mix it in. He never knows!

Thank you for your response!

I'm intrigued by the differences of wild caught shells and captive bred shells. It's very interesting!

I'll sneak some hay into the tortoises' food when their stool isn't firm enough, as @Yvonne G mentioned above.

Thank you everyone!

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Thank you for your response!

I'm intrigued by the differences of wild caught shells and captive bred shells. It's very interesting!

I'll sneak some hay into the tortoises' food when their stool isn't firm enough, as @Yvonne G mentioned above.

Thank you everyone!

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/overall-appearance.103032/

 

[Tom]

Russians are not grass/hay eaters in general. They are broadleaf weed eaters. Grocery store greens or "salad fixins" are lower in fiber and certain nutrients than the wild grown weeds, leaves and flowers that they should be eating. Mixing in some blended, rehydrated hay into the grocery store greens is a good way to put back a little of that fiber when weeds are not available.

ZooMed Grassland tortoise food will do the same thing basically. Just soak a pellet or two and then mix it all in with the greens of the day. Be prepared for it to take a while for your tortoises to get used to the new smells, flavors and textures. Start with a very small amount of any new stuff and gradually build up to the amount you desire.

Letting your tortoises run loose, even under "Mother's supervision" is a mistake that will eventually cause you a problem. Build a suitable escape proof enclosure, before you have a problem. Listen to the wisdom of your elders young lady. Don't learn the hard way as we have had to do...