New tortoise owner!

[jujube2011]

Recently I acquired a sulcata tortoise. He is approximately 4 years old and has been raised on a diet of mainly leafy greens. His plastron measures a bit under 4 inches, and overall his shell looks fairly round and he seems healthy.

He refuses to eat the Bermuda hay that I try to feed him (soaked or dry). Any tips on getting him to switch over? He needs to eat something! Also, do you think he is alright being so small for his age?

Some pics of the little guy!

-Juju

 

[B K]

Hello and welcome someone will be along shortly who can help you I’m to new and don't know much.

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome. They usually won't eat dry hay until they are around 12". Here's how I like to house them. There is a whole section on diet too.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies#axzz1Da4dTnsi

 

[coreyc]

Hello welcome to the TFO

 

[Laura]

He is a bit small for his age. He also looks very dry...
To get him used to hay.. you can cut it up in tiny pieces and sprinkle over dampened greens, or shake it in a bag to coat it. But they usually dont eat it till they are older. IF they do at all.
Welcome!

 

[jujube2011]

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome.
If you know any more good, accurate sites it would be greatly appreciated.
I could use all the help I can get

 

[Laura]

youfound it! Up to date and learning new things every day!!!
Read Toms info.. It works.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Juju:

Welcome to the forum!! May we know where you are?

Looking at your tortoise's legs, I can see that he is underweight. It would be perfectly fine to feed him some veggies along with the greens he's used to eating. Try feeding him some escarole, endive, dandelion leaves, mustard greens and turnip greens. You don't have to feed all of these at once, but vary it over the week. On top of his greens, place a few pieces of cut up zucchini or bell pepper or some other kinds of squash. You need to put some weight on him. Like Tom said, they won't usually eat hay until they're bigger...and there's no need for them to eat hay at all. Hay would be something you'd feed in a pinch when you don't have anything else to feed. Grass and weeds is much better than hay.

 

[jujube2011]

Hi Juju:

Welcome to the forum!! May we know where you are?

Looking at your tortoise's legs, I can see that he is underweight. It would be perfectly fine to feed him some veggies along with the greens he's used to eating. Try feeding him some escarole, endive, dandelion leaves, mustard greens and turnip greens. You don't have to feed all of these at once, but vary it over the week. On top of his greens, place a few pieces of cut up zucchini or bell pepper or some other kinds of squash. You need to put some weight on him. Like Tom said, they won't usually eat hay until they're bigger...and there's no need for them to eat hay at all. Hay would be something you'd feed in a pinch when you don't have anything else to feed. Grass and weeds is much better than hay.

Thank you so much. This helped clear up some confusion. I had been doing some research and a lot of the pages I came across said to only feed them leafy greens as a smaller portion of their diet. I live in Michigan so unfortunately, letting him out to graze is out of the picture this time of year.

I will incorporate some of the foods you mentioned and I'm sure he will plump up a bit.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome.

 

[spikethebest]

Welcome to the forum!