She won't eat anything except romaine lettuce :(

[Russian-TortLover]

I recently (a week ago) got a russian tortoise and she wont eat her Rep-Cal tortoise food . She only eats romaine lettuce. What should I do? I don't want her to get hungry or get sick. Oh i also tried wetting the tortoise food but it doesn't work either . Please help!!!

 

[dmmj]

I would try a more regular diet for russians, weeds,leaves and flowers of various plants.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Try getting some spring mix from your local grocery store. It has romaine lettuce in it as well as a few other things that your tort may nibble on!

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Don't feed her the romaine and if she gets hungry she'll eat something else. A tortoise won't starve itself of you don't feed it its preferred food.

 

[ascott]

Romaine is not a bad food, however, you may want to balance it out some;

http://www.russiantortoise.org/russiantortoisediet.htm

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[mctlong]

Welcome and congrats on the new tortoise.

Romaine is not a bad food, however, you may want to balance it out some;

http://www.russiantortoise.org/russiantortoisediet.htm

This.

Rep-Cal is expensive and most torts won't eat it anyway.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Russian-TortLover:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

I've said it before, and I'll probably say it numerous more times in the future. If your tortoise is in the house, it can only eat what you give it. If you don't provide romaine lettuce, the tortoise can't eat it.

On another note, if I were a steppe tortoise (Russian) I wouldn't eat those fruity pebbles either. Go to the store and buy some leafy greens. You should be able to find turnip greens, dandelion greens, escarole, endive, mustard greens...there are many, many dark, leafy greens to choose from. Just don't buy the same thing every time. Mix it up and give him a nice variety.

 

[Russian-TortLover]

Welcome and congrats on the new tortoise.

Romaine is not a bad food, however, you may want to balance it out some;

http://www.russiantortoise.org/russiantortoisediet.htm

This.

Rep-Cal is expensive and most torts won't eat it anyway.

true

 

[Russian-TortLover]

Thanks!!! I will try getting her other stuff i'll get them tomorrow when we go to the market, and i bought her the rep-cal tortoise food because the petsmart employee told me so I guess that was a mistake darn!!!

 

[ascott]

because the petsmart employee told

Poor babies, they only repeat what they are told....lol...remember that "most" of the employees at the pet stops are essentially sales clerks...and really do not "usually" have much direct experience nor knowledge about most things that they sell in the store....not bad mouthing any one particular person, simply sharing a general observation of my own....

 

[blafiriravt]

Welcome

 

[Jacqui]

Welcome! Sorry you bought the "tortoise" food, but it was atleast not a real expensive lesson. Like was said, just keep giving other greens and weeds, even if you have to keep adding the romaine in until he gets to like all his different foods. Also by variety, we do not mean you necessarily have to give several types of weeds/greens at each meal. You could buy just one bunch of greens like turnip this time, when that runs out, maybe harvest some dandelion greens and mulberry leaves, then next time perhaps it will be collard greens you buy a bunch of and so on.

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[Russian-TortLover]

Welcome! Sorry you bought the "tortoise" food, but it was atleast not a real expensive lesson. Like was said, just keep giving other greens and weeds, even if you have to keep adding the romaine in until he gets to like all his different foods. Also by variety, we do not mean you necessarily have to give several types of weeds/greens at each meal. You could buy just one bunch of greens like turnip this time, when that runs out, maybe harvest some dandelion greens and mulberry leaves, then next time perhaps it will be collard greens you buy a bunch of and so on.

Yah thanks i'll try that too.