New owner of a baby sulcata need help with diet!!

[Spencertretter]

hey guys, I am a new owner of a baby sulcata. I would really love some help since this is my first one! I named him/her Flash and since he's young he already has an appetite. After lots of days watching YouTube videos and looking at forums I just really need some help figuring out his diet. At the moment I let his roam my yard every few days and let him eat crab grass and normal grass that is grown. I also feed him romaine and Endive in the enclosure a lot that's pretty much what I feed him on a daily! I really need suggestions on what to get my next visit to Giant Eagle and the Pet store!

So I guess my main questions are:

Should I feed him daily?

What foods should I feed him daily/ every other day?

Some people say dusting the food is good, what dust if any?

Does he need a humid hide?

Please add other suggestions

Thanks so much,
Spencer

 

[Tom]

Please read this one for diet info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

And these for care info:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/


1. Yes. Feed daily.
2. Read that list for what to feed.
3. A tiny pinch of calcium twice a week and vitamin powder once a week is all that is needed.
4. Yes he needs a humid hide, but he also needs warm temps and the whole environment should be humid. You need to be simulating the African rainy season that babies hatch into in the wild. Its all explained in the care sheets.

 

[Careym13]

Welcome to TFO!! Can you post photos of your tort and your enclosure for us to see?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Spencer, and welcome to the Forum!!

In my opinion, tortoises should be fed daily. But along with that, they need a big space to exercise in.

Depending upon the size/age of the tortoise, grass and weeds should be the mainstay. To this you can add dark, leafy greens from the store, or edible leaves and plants.

Don't "dust" the food. Simply take a small pinch of calcium powder between your thumb and index finger and sprinkle that over the food, then mix it up. They don't like the taste and if you put too much (as in 'dust') they won't eat. If the tortoise gets outside time you should use calcium without d3.

As to the humid hide, this also depends upon the size/age of the tortoise. Under a year of age, yes, he should have a humid hide and be living in a warm, humid environment.