Not eating greens

[Yoda the tortoise]

Hi, my vet told me to cut back on these food pellets i have for my sulcat a because of to much protien, but he doesn't want to eat the greens, only the pellets, clovers and tries to eat any thing he's not supposed to. How can I get him to eat greens?!

 

[Yvonne G]

What pellets are you feeding? (brand name) and what species of tortoise is it?

I can give you a way to get him to eat his greens, but I need more info.

 

[Yoda the tortoise]

It is mazuri pellets and he is a sulcata tortoise.

 

[Yvonne G]

They surely do love Mazuri. Your vet's offbase. There's nothing wrong with the tortoise eating Mazuri Tortoise Diet. However, a natural diet of weeds and grasses with a day or two a week of Mazuri is probably better for him.

Ok, here's what to do: Chop up some weeds or grass into very tiny pieces while the Mazuri is soaking. When the pellets are mush, add the chopped up greens and stir/mash it up together so it's all mixed up and he can't pick anything out. Don't try to add too much greenery right off the bat. Then over time you can slowly (I said SLOWLY) start adding more greenery and less pellets. It may take a very long time. Don't be in a hurry.

 

[Yvonne G]

Incidentally, the reason we ask that you fill out your 'location' when you sign up is because we can give you better help when we know where you are, what your climate is. I see you got around filling it out by using an l, but that really doesn't help us to help you.

 

[Yoda the tortoise]

Right now the climate where I'm at is humid very humid. My vet said that he was getting to much protein and starting to pyramid.

 

[Yvonne G]

Right now the climate where I'm at is humid very humid. My vet said that he was getting to much protein and starting to pyramid.

This tells me that you need a new vet. pyramiding and the tendency
to pyramid don't happen from what they eat. Your vet hasn't kept up with currant tortoise knowledge. We now know that when a baby tortoises is kept in dry conditions he pyramids. Babies hatch out during the monsoon season. Their first few months of life are spent in heavy moisture, high humidity, and the stay hidden in wet plants. We learned about this first hand when Tom performed experiments on clutches of sulcata babies, so we know this to be true.

About your climate - unless your tortoise is outside living in that humid environment, it isn't doing him any good. Being in the house isn't giving him the humidity he needs. At any rate, we're talking about the first year of a tortoise's life. Once that pyramiding has started it continues. Humidity may help a bit, but the bumps will never go away. Too much protein isn't making it worse. Living in a dry enclosure is. Please read our care sheets . You'll find new and cutting edge information there.

 

[Yoda the tortoise]

Ok, my vet has a sulcata tortoise(which is huge). I was feeding the pellets to him every day, so that can t cause pyramiding?

 

[Yvonne G]

No, feeding pellets isn't ideal, but it doesn't cause pyramiding. And being a vet with a huge sulcata still doesn't qualify them to know what they're talking about.

 

[Yoda the tortoise]

She said she wasn't a specialist in reptiles, It was an emergency when I took my tortoise there because of my little dog got a hold of him. She just didn't want me too be feeding the pellets to him everyday. Just like 3 times a week, also the vet I took him to was live oak vet clinic.

 

[lilly_sand99]

You need to think of the pellets like supplements. Or like taking those gummy vitamins. Yes, they are wonderful! But only if you are using them properly. So a few times a week with lots of greens.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome!

Follow Yvonne’s advice on (a) finding a reptile vet; (b) mixing tiny amounts of greens into his food; and (c) getting him into a humid, warm environment, whether it’s inside or outside.

Lily and Yvonne are both right that pellets are okay as part of the regular diet, just not all.

If you are unsure how to make a correct enclosure, we have an entire section dedicated to building them, as well as specific information in the sulcata care sheets pinned to the top of the sulcata section.

Good luck!

 

[Yoda the tortoise]

I have a enclosure that I need to expand, but I'm trying to find the right bedding.

 

[lilly_sand99]

I have a enclosure that I need to expand, but I'm trying to find the right bedding.

I like cypress much and coco coir. Good tort ppl recommend orchid bark.

 

[Yoda the tortoise]

I'm planning on ordering some of this zoomed coconut stuff, i want to get orchids bark but I can't really find any only the potting soil one a lowes.