Copper
Member
Is it okay to feed Hermann tortoise a little Timothy Hay from time to time with their main diet?
Thanks Yvonne, I figured he might not like it I just wondered if it was safe for him. I have some left over from our hamster and was wondering if it was safe to try once in awhile mixed with his food.It's ok if he'll eat it, which I doubt. It is not harmful to him, however, they prefer the more broad-leaf weeds and plants.
Are you trying to add fiber to grocery store greens? If yes, you will probably need to blend it so its very finely minced up, rehydrate it and mix small amounts with the greens. If you are looking to just feed grass hay to a hermanni, it is not likely to eat it, as Yvonne noted. Here are some suggestions for good foods:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads
Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard
Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food
Are you trying to add fiber to grocery store greens? If yes, you will probably need to blend it so its very finely minced up, rehydrate it and mix small amounts with the greens. If you are looking to just feed grass hay to a hermanni, it is not likely to eat it, as Yvonne noted. Here are some suggestions for good foods:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads
Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard
Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food
More variety. Lettuce is void of nutrition, and squch should only be treat. He won't starve himself, so keep putting good foods out for him, and stop offering the lettuce, and wean him off the fruit.I'm a new owner a a very young hermann. I've seen your list and similar lists of all the wonderful things he can eat. Currently he will only eat Romaine lettuce and he did once take a tiny piece of zucchini--not the leaf or flower, just the squash. i grow so many things in my garden but he just walks over everything i offer. Does this take time for his appetite to broaden or is there something i should do to encourage more variety in his diet. He's about 4 months old.
I'm a new owner a a very young hermann. I've seen your list and similar lists of all the wonderful things he can eat. Currently he will only eat Romaine lettuce and he did once take a tiny piece of zucchini--not the leaf or flower, just the squash. i grow so many things in my garden but he just walks over everything i offer. Does this take time for his appetite to broaden or is there something i should do to encourage more variety in his diet. He's about 4 months old.