My horsfield tortoise is only eating one thing?? Is this normal

[tinkerbellbabex]

Hi I've had my tortoise for nearly 3 months and he's under a year old, and he only eats romaine lettuce (I know there not allowed lettuce but I've done research and found out they can have romaine lettuce) and good thing too because he won't eat anything else, I've tried him with greens from the garden, nearly every fruit and vegetable he's allowed to eat, proper tortoise food but no he refuses it all and just eats the lettuce, I don't know if it's because he's a baby or something else?? Please help

 

[JoesMum]

Normal as in common, yes. Healthy, no.

Your tortoise has trained you well. They're good at that.

Romaine can be part of a varied diet, but it certainly should not be the only thing that your tortoise eats. That is very unhealthy.

You need to think of your tortoise as behaving like a child that only wants to eat chips and chocolate because that's what he likes.

You are the parent that has to get tough. It's not easy. There will be tantrums (hunger strike), but you are the one in control of food supply and you have to feed your torts a healthy diet.

So how to do it:

1. Chop the romaine really small and wet it
2. Chop a small amount of a new food really small and mix it with the romaine - they will stick together and your tort won't be able to pick it out.
3. If your tortoise eats the mixture, at the next feed increase the new food slightly and reduce the romaine slightly
4. If your tortoise refuses then leave it there for 24 hours before replacing it with fresh in the same proportion as the day before. It doesn't matter if it goes a bit limp

You must soak your tortoise for at least 30 minutes on days when he's on hunger strike.

A hungry tortoise will eat. They are very stubborn and you must be patient and not torture yourself; you're doing this for your tort's good health. They can go a long time without food and come to no harm.

You have to be strong and not give in. We are here to support you - there are few of us that haven't had to deal with this.

 

[tinkerbellbabex]

Thank youu I will try this straight away can the new food what I mix it with be vegetables like peppers or cucumbers or any other what he can eat??

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Thank youu I will try this straight away can the new food what I mix it with be vegetables like peppers or cucumbers or any other what he can eat??

Why ? What's wrong with greens ?

 

[JoesMum]

Your tortoise's diet is a variety of leafy greens. Preferably picked outdoors rather than from a shop. However, it's winter now so weeds are harder to come by.

Many keepers use a pelleted food (soak in water) to supplement the greens that are available and add fibre to the diet in winter. Here in the UK, Komodo is a reliable brand - just don't soak the pellets in fruit juice as the instructions suggest!

Cucumber is low in fibre and nutrients. It should not be fed.

Your tortoise cannot digest sugars properly - it causes digestive and kidney problems - so fruit, pepper, carrot and tomato are all off the menu. At the most they get fed in a tiny amount very occasionally, but your tort shouldn't really eat sweet foods at all.

Look up the greens that grow around you (pesticide & herbicide free!) and those you can buy in shops or the market on The Tortoise Table Plant Database (TTT) for suitability to feed.
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp

Variety is key to ensure your tort is getting the nutrition it needs. Fibre is essential!

 

[Mr Buster]

Mine only want peas which I guess the resident experts here equate to child abuse. Yesterday he would not eat even those. I have three brands of pellets and he won't touch them. he won't eat romaine, parsley, basil, hay, rose bush leaves.. All the food he gets just spoils.

My guess is the poor treatment after wild capture and rough shipping with other tortoises, cross contamination of parasites and bacteria. If he dies I will be going to a private breeder on Craigs list for a youngster or one that has been a pet for a few years with a proved track record.

 

[JoesMum]

But you're in charge. If you don't want your tort to eat romaine, or peas, then you don't feed it.

You let your tortoise get hungry, very hungry, and you only offer what your tortoise should eat.

They do get the message. In the wild, they'll fall for a seasonal food. When it's no longer available they'll carry on looking for it, but when hunger cuts in then they'll eat something else.

You must soak though to prevent dehydration.

If your tort hasn't given in and started eating something else, you haven't been trying for long enough or you have weakened and given your tort the desired food which puts you straight back at square 1 and you're starting over again.