Need Help! I'm a first time tortoise owner!

[Angry._.potato]

Hello, I was wondering what I can do to feed my tortoise grass or hay? I went to the vet, and the vet recommended me to change up my tortoise's diet. However, the reptile shop I got him from only fed him romaine lettuce and vegetables. The reptile shop even said they are not supposed to eat grass...(this is entirely untrue since they are grass grazers) The main reason why I hardly give my tortoise grass is because he seems uninterested with any grass or hay I provide him. I start to panic because I feel like I'm starving him. So I revert back to romaine lettuce, which he obviously doesn't hesitate to eat. What should I do to trick him into eating grass?

I forgot to mention...I have an African Sulcata tortoise who's six months old.

 

[LasTortugasNinja]

Mix soaked tortoise pellets in with dark leafy weeds or collard greens. After he gets used to the taste mixed with his greens, he'll eat them more readily. Grass and hay shouldn't be an only food item. They need a rich mix of high fiber foods. Switch it up frequently so they don't develop "favorites" to the exclusion of other offerings.

 

[Yvonne G]

Depends upon how big/old your sulcata is. Babies or young ones don't take much to hay until they get a bit bigger. You can cut up some orchard grass hay with the scissors and mix it all up in the chopped up greens and veggies. This will help firm up the stool.

I feed my babies quite a bit of things from outside: mulberry and grape leaves, edible weeds like prickly lettuce, mallow, chickweed, clover, dandelion, mustard, etc. and after I've cleaned these and chopped them up, I'll add a bit of romaine, endive and escarole and mix it all up, with the cut up hay or grass.

 

[Angry._.potato]

Mix soaked tortoise pellets in with dark leafy weeds or collard greens. After he gets used to the taste mixed with his greens, he'll eat them more readily. Grass and hay shouldn't be an only food item. They need a rich mix of high fiber foods. Switch it up frequently so they don't develop "favorites" to the exclusion of other offerings.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll try it!

 

[Angry._.potato]

Depends upon how big/old your sulcata is. Babies or young ones don't take much to hay until they get a bit bigger. You can cut up some orchard grass hay with the scissors and mix it all up in the chopped up greens and veggies. This will help firm up the stool.

I feed my babies quite a bit of things from outside: mulberry and grape leaves, edible weeds like prickly lettuce, mallow, chickweed, clover, dandelion, mustard, etc. and after I've cleaned these and chopped them up, I'll add a bit of romaine, endive and escarole and mix it all up, with the cut up hay or grass.

Where do you usually get weeds like that? I am aware that weeds, clovers, and other stuff is right for them, but I can't seem to find a place that sells that without pesticides. Should I grow them instead? ...The variety you got sounds really good! ?