help with Boris....(feeding help)

[mkp0821]

I recently adopted a Russian Tortoise..he is 5 years old and after a week is finally coming into his own and strutting his stuff....so cool! The lady who I got him from did some things that in reading thru over time about tortoises, wasn't exactly what he may have needed...I am trying to add in a more healthier diet. I bought the rep-cal calcium with vitamin D versus the Exo Terra calcium +D she had because everything I read stated it was better for him. I put some in his meal everyday in small dose versus once a week she stated on her sheet she gave him. I have two bowls of food in the habitat for him now, one for greens, and one for food. I give him the lettuces she stated he should be getting (endive, collard greens, radicchio, kale, dandelion, and added mustard greens), which I give him in different varieties at each meal, and he is now being fed daily instead of every other day that she was feeding him. But for tortoise food, I bought him Zoo Med Natural Grassland tortoise food and he is just not touching it yet...she gave me a partial container of Exo Terra Forest Tortoise Soft pellets, but he won't touch that either...I add things to it hoping he will want to eat either one, but so far no luck (dried veggie mixes she gave me, National Geographic Tortoise entree too)....any ideas would be welcome as I want to make sure he gets all of the nutrition he should be....

 

[Tom]

For a male russian, you only need a tiny pinch of calcium once or twice a week.

No tortoise eats the zoomed grassland food plain. Soak a half pellet and mix it in with the greens.

Here is a care sheet with lots of diet info included:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

 

[mkp0821]

thanks, Tom...I was soaking it, but wasn't adding it to his greens....I was told to have two seperate dishes....so I will try incorporating them together like you stated above and see what he does.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

He doesn't have to eat pellets. Greens and flowers, etc., can provide a complete healthy diet.

 

[mkp0821]

even better to know! thanks so much....

 

[Yvonne G]

Also, the manufactured diet that says "forest" on it is for tortoises like the redfooted that can eat fruit. Just toss that stuff. It's not for your Russian.

Welcome to the Forum! Glad you've taken over the care of this little guy. Sounds like he's in better hands now.

 

[dmmj]

The manufactured food, some tortoises love, others treat like it's posion, if one doesn't work try another. Mazuri is usually a hit for most tortoises.

 

[mkp0821]

WOW...once again, had a feeling the lady I got him from didn't have it all right.....I will definitely toss it......tried adding a little of the food in his greens earlier and didn't eat it all yet so here's hoping....
another question - he will quickly hiss when he is first picked up sometimes - like when he is outside on a jaunt and I need to pick him up to bring him in or move him out of harms way, or when I am taking him out of his habitat for a soak....should I be concerned or is that just a defense mechanism? he didn't do it at all when I first got him which was a two weeks ago tomorrow, but over the last few days, he seems to be doing it and I don't know what to make of it?

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Hissing happens when air is expelled when they withdraw their heads into their shells quickly. It's because he's scared. Don't startle him, let him see you coming before you handle him.

 

[mkp0821]

THANK YOU......I have noticed it is when I pick him up from behind so I will be more careful and let him see me.....I really appreciate everyone's help!!