I have a Russian tortoise that I adopted on August 6th, I am puzzuled because I have offered romaine lettuce, radicchio, squash, cucumber but he hasn't acted interested in these at all. The only things I have witnessed him eating is dandelion flowers, day lily flowers thats about it. I am little worried that he is not getting enough nutrition. If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it. Thank you.
Russian Tortoise not crazy about vegetables
- Thread starter rockyMTNtortoise
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spring mix is a fave of mine.. squash flowers.. mallow, just about anything!
I had a picky Russian who would only pick at spring mix if he was hungry, but would go nuts for collard leaves. So maybe that'd be something to try?
M
Maggie Cummings
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Russians prefer broadleaf weeds like dandelions.
Do you happen to know what he was eating before you got him? An adult or hatchling?
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Most Russian tortoises are usually that interested in vegetables, as people have stated above, they're grazers, they're accustomed to surviving on roughage-green leafy plants. Between wild weeds and store greens there is enough variety available to provide your tortoise a well balanced diet even if it won't eat vegetables. My Russians don't show any interest in vegetables either. I mash them into the greens very thoroughly so that they do get some of the vegetables whether intentionally or not! I also occasionally mix in organic baby food vegetables which is already in puree form and easily coats the greens.
Strictly speaking, Russians are browsers, not grazers (i.e., they eat mostly forbs, with very little grass in their diet). This is because they are quite small (under 10 inches in length), so they do not have enough space in their bodies to support a digestive tract that is long enough to break down grass effectively (like a sulcata can).
My guys' favorite leafy greens are probably lettuce, dandelions, mustard greens, collard greens, and kale. Sometimes they eat grass when I take them outside, but not very much of it. Occasionally, I also give them a mix of other leafy greens, or a mix of grated carrots, sliced tomatoes, and Mazuri Tortoise Diet, but usually they just prefer to eat greens, which makes sense, because that's what they would eat in the wild.
My guys' favorite leafy greens are probably lettuce, dandelions, mustard greens, collard greens, and kale. Sometimes they eat grass when I take them outside, but not very much of it. Occasionally, I also give them a mix of other leafy greens, or a mix of grated carrots, sliced tomatoes, and Mazuri Tortoise Diet, but usually they just prefer to eat greens, which makes sense, because that's what they would eat in the wild.
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The only thing my RT takes any interest in is Romaine. Is this ok? How do you tell what your RT age is?
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"This is because they are quite small (under 10 inches in length), so they do not have enough space in their bodies to support a digestive tract that is long enough to break down grass effectively (like a sulcata can)."
GeoTerraTestudo--I'm curious where that information came from? I have never seen that explanation offered anywhere. Yes, it's true, Russians, along with other Testudo species are actually browsers, not grazers by the strictest definition but ther really isn't much difference between the two functions. In the purest sense of the word no tortoise species are true grazers.
Read more: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Russian-Tortoise-not-crazy-about-vegetables#ixzz1XE1P2KmL
GeoTerraTestudo--I'm curious where that information came from? I have never seen that explanation offered anywhere. Yes, it's true, Russians, along with other Testudo species are actually browsers, not grazers by the strictest definition but ther really isn't much difference between the two functions. In the purest sense of the word no tortoise species are true grazers.
Read more: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Russian-Tortoise-not-crazy-about-vegetables#ixzz1XE1P2KmL
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