Is this a good diet? (sulcata & desert tort)

[petlover]

Have one sulcata and one california desert tortoise. I try to feed them hays and grasses everyday with greens and weeds as an occasional food. I also feed them a few maziri pellets mixed with calcium powder 2-3 times a week. They get the occasional carrot. Is that a good diet?

 

[nicoleandrocky]

RE: Is this a good diet?

Sounds good, can you elaborate a little more on what greens/weeds you are giving them ?

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Is this a good diet?

Hi Anya:

I think you would have better luck getting your babies to eat if you started with the dark, leafy greens first, and to that add a bit of hay and grass. Babies really aren't that interested in hay until they get to be 3 or 4 years or older.

In the morning, I take a small bucket and a pair of scissors and walk around outside looking for edible weeds. This time of year I'm finding mainly prickly lettuce and sow thistle, but I also clip some holly hock leaves and clover...whatever I can find. Then I wash it all off and chop it up into small pieces (some folks don't chop for babies, but I do). Then I'll chop up some escarole, raddiccio and endive (Santa Barbara Salad Mix) and grate a zucchini. I mix this all up and sprinkle in some calcium powder or Miner-all.

Right now I'm feeding baby leopards, a baby Manouria, baby (well, not quite baby, but young) Yellowfoot, baby Texas torts and all of them just gobble it up.

I also put my babies outside in protected habitats in the sun for at least an hour each day the the sun shines.

 

[petlover]

RE: Is this a good diet?

Sounds good, can you elaborate a little more on what greens/weeds you are giving them ?

For weeds i usually let them stroll in the part of the backyard we keep organic and they eat what they find which is A LOT of clover which they love . For greens its a little more diverse. They get some carrots, lettuce, arugula, romaine, and some others i cant remember at the moment ...

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Hi Anya:

I think you would have better luck getting your babies to eat if you started with the dark, leafy greens first, and to that add a bit of hay and grass. Babies really aren't that interested in hay until they get to be 3 or 4 years or older.

In the morning, I take a small bucket and a pair of scissors and walk around outside looking for edible weeds. This time of year I'm finding mainly prickly lettuce and sow thistle, but I also clip some holly hock leaves and clover...whatever I can find. Then I wash it all off and chop it up into small pieces (some folks don't chop for babies, but I do). Then I'll chop up some escarole, raddiccio and endive (Santa Barbara Salad Mix) and grate a zucchini. I mix this all up and sprinkle in some calcium powder or Miner-all.

Right now I'm feeding baby leopards, a baby Manouria, baby (well, not quite baby, but young) Yellowfoot, baby Texas torts and all of them just gobble it up.

I also put my babies outside in protected habitats in the sun for at least an hour each day the the sun shines.

Ive been doing that a good amount lately because they dont seem to enjoy the hay very much. Ive heard that chopping or blending the hay into small pieces then adding water helps and thats the only way tey eat the hay! Thats a good idea about the weed collecting and its nice to hear about foods that they enjoy that are healthy too! Ine do get at least 30 mins of sunlight everyday as well as a UV light. They like to eat most of their food outside as a matter of fact (they love the clovers!)

 

[dmarcus]

RE: Is this a good diet?

I wouldn't give carrots that often, and don't force the hay on them. When they are young like yours are they don't really care for hay. If you chop it up small and mix it with there food like you do the calcium and they will eat it.

I would follow the advice given by Yvonne.