How to "grocery shop"

[Whitneyrae]

I have read there are many things you can get at a grocery store to feed your torts, right now I can only feed her from a grocery store, I would like to offer her a wide variety. She's on a Romaine spring mix with a few small slices of cucumber right now, I was going to add a small amount of spinach and possibly a little bit of fruit, I've also read something about trying to add some baby food, any suggestions would be welcomed

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I had this pretty jade plant in there but izzy destroyed it....little butthead [TURTLE][SMILING FACE WITH HEART-SHAPED EYES]

 

[Tom]

Skip the cuc. No fruit. Favor endive and escarole heavily, but also use just about every other leafy green sold there. Mustard, turnip and collard greens. Carrot tops, celery tops, cilantro, parsley, bok choy, swiss chard, grated squash in small amounts once in a while, occasional green beans for protein, butter lettuce, spring mix, watercress, etc... Some stores even stock squash leaves or other odd stuff. Check at a local Asian market for some more unusual greens.

Springtime is upon us. Start looking for weeds, leaves and flowers, or start growing your own in pots inside. There are tons of seed mixes you can order as well as cactus pads to feed out. No reason to limit yourself to only grocery store greens. You can also add some supplements to your grocery stores greens to improve the nutritional and fiber content. These are super easy to use and you just sprinkle them on top. Both last a long time too:
http://www.tortoisesupply.com/HerbalHay
http://www.tortoisesupply.com/salad-style-food-topper/

 

[Whitneyrae]

awesome! thanks!

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What about Kale?

 

[dmmj]

i second tom, add radishtops, amd strawberry tops

 

[Tom]

Kale is good as part of the diet, just not too often. Same with spinach and many of the other ones I listed.

 

[gtc]

You can order edible cactus pads online if you cant find any in your local stores.

Depending on where you live, you can also buy dried weeds and testudo prealpin.

 

[Whitneyrae]

Thanks guys!! I went last night and got her some butter lettuce, organic spring mix, and organic baby spinach, and cilantro, I have also planted three edible succulents that look pretty outside her enclosure and I'll give her one or two small leaves a day as a treat, I also got finely shredded carrots to add just a little every couple days, I appreciate all the great advice! I'll be ordering some cactus pads soon

 

[Tom]

Carrots are very sugary. I would not use them very often, and only in small amounts mixed in with other stuff. The rest all sounds good as long as you vary it from trip to trip.

Also look for Mulberry trees and grapevines in your area. Both of these are everywhere and seldom have pesticides used on them. Both are a great food resource.

 

[GotTort]

Tom, why do you favor endive and escarole over other greens?

 

[Whitneyrae]

I will do that! I'll usually take all 3 lettuces and break them into little pieces and mix her a little "salad" is that ok or should I be doing one type of lettuce and switch it up from day to day?

 

[goReptiles]

So strawberry tops are ok? I thought I read somewhere a while back they weren't.

 

[Tom]

Tom, why do you favor endive and escarole over other greens?

They have more of the benefits and less of the drawbacks of some of the other greens.