Stubborn Sulcata

SilentWhispers

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Hello, I'm looking for some advice. I have a 8 month old Sulcata tortoise who refuses to eat anything other than romaine lettuce. He'll sniff it and stomp all over it if its not romaine lettuce. Ive tried not putting any romaine in there. I've also tried mixing it in with his romaine but he's good at dogging it. What can I do to get him interested in other foods? Also are there things I can put in his tank to stimulate him? I had a wood log in there but he tipped himself over, so I've been hesitant to put anything in there again.
 

Srmcclure

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It can definitely take time , but like they said, they will eventually eat. I'm going through the same thing with my new redfoot. She was only fed kale and freeze-dried 'fruit' crumbles. She is slowly coming around though bit by bit. So far she's only taken nibbles, but it is happening lol. Just be patient and resolute.
 

Tom

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Despite what you think, tortoises will not starve themselves and will eventually eat what they are given. If mixing does not work than try just feeding him something else and in a day or two he will eat it.
Have you ever tested this theory?
 

Tom

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Hello, I'm looking for some advice. I have a 8 month old Sulcata tortoise who refuses to eat anything other than romaine lettuce. He'll sniff it and stomp all over it if its not romaine lettuce. Ive tried not putting any romaine in there. I've also tried mixing it in with his romaine but he's good at dogging it. What can I do to get him interested in other foods? Also are there things I can put in his tank to stimulate him? I had a wood log in there but he tipped himself over, so I've been hesitant to put anything in there again.
Your tortoise isn't stubborn. It is habituated to the wrong food. Many breeders don't take the time to introduce them to new foods at the most opportune time right after hatching. This puts the burden on the new keeper, and it takes much longer this way. You bought from the wrong source.

There are many ways to get them onto new and better foods, but the best way is to use a tiny tiny amount of the new stuff and thoroughly mix it in with the old favorite. ZooMed Grassland pellets or Original Mazuri pellets might help. Once you get them eating either of those, you can mix those into just about anything and get them to eat it. Start with soaking a tiny broken piece of a single pellet. Finely mince up the romaine and mix in the tiny amount of new stuff. You tortoise mat refuse this for a day or two. Each day mix up a fresh batch and keep putting it in there. Eventually your tortoise will eat it. Do the same thing for a few days and then gradually start adding more and more of the new stuff. The process could take weeks or months. Rest assured that once your baby is 5-6 inches long, it will be eating anything and everything.

During this process soak for an hour every day. Keep the water warm for the whole soak. This will keep the GI tract moving, get them some exercise, and stimulate appetite. Also keep the temps a little warmer than normal. Let ambient temp drift into the low 90s during the day, and set your thermostat to keep ambient temp in the low to mid 80s at night. This will also stimulate appetite.

Read this to make sure you've got the right care info:
 

Yvonne G

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If you have a blender or food processor blend up some romaine until you have mush. Chop up the greens you want the tortoise to eat into small pieces and thoroughly mix in the romaine msh until the greens are all coated.

By the way, what are you trying to get him to eat? There are some things, like grass and hay, that sulcatas don't eat until they get some size/age on them.
 

Crush da Baum

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Have you ever tested this theory?
Yea, it works for me. I have heard this has worked for many others too. Of course, if he will not eat it after 2-3 days at most then don’t starve him. I know others who only feed their torts 2-3 times a week, which I do not agree with, but it proves not eating for a day or two will not hurt them.
 

russian/sulcata/tortoise

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Yea, it works for me. I have heard this has worked for many others too. Of course, if he will not eat it after 2-3 days at most then don’t starve him. I know others who only feed their torts 2-3 times a week, which I do not agree with, but it proves not eating for a day or two will not hurt them.
When I get a rescue russian that only eats lettuce and will not touch anything else, I will withhold food from them for a couple days. After that they will always eat whatever I put in front of them, and continue to eat what I provide. I am unsure what others on the forum think of this method.
 

Chubbs the tegu

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When I get a rescue russian that only eats lettuce and will not touch anything else, I will withhold food from them for a couple days. After that they will always eat whatever I put in front of them, and continue to eat what I provide. I am unsure what others on the forum think of this method.
I agree that either method will work.. i dont believe an animal is gonna starve itself.. but if it was a really young animal i wouldnt use the tough love method. Torts im talking. I wouldnt try to turn a monitor lizard into a vegetarian
 

Crush da Baum

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When I get a rescue russian that only eats lettuce and will not touch anything else, I will withhold food from them for a couple days. After that they will always eat whatever I put in front of them, and continue to eat what I provide. I am unsure what others on the forum think of this method.
Yea, it does seem kinda cruel but not eating for a couple days is very different for a tortoise than a human. Torts are built to survive without food for a very long time
 
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I have a very picky redfoot who would not eat anything green. After trying to mix food in with weeds, grass, and other green stuff, she would eat out the fruit and pellets. So, I would only offer her grass and weeds. After about a week, she gave up and ate. It takes time, but they will come around eventually. Good luck.
 

Crush da Baum

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Adding to what Tom was saying, Mazuri and ZooMed are awesome because once your tort is used to it, you can mix it with anything. Here is an example. I had the same problem with Romaine and once I got my tort to eat Mazuri and get used to it, I started mixing it was a little bit of the good stuff like weeds, Mulberry leaves, grape vine leaves, etc. I gradually increased the amount of greens and decreased the amount of Mazuri until it looked like this. Now I can throw in any type of weed I found or really anything and he will devour it.
 

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Melissacoop

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Yes! I did this same method as Tom described. It works perfectly. The key is to mince everything up and mix together so they can’t pick anything out. Add more grass and decrease romaine until he’s eating all grass.
 

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Chefdenoel10

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Yes! I did this same method as Tom described. It works perfectly. The key is to mince everything up and mix together so they can’t pick anything out. Add more grass and decrease romaine until he’s eating all grass.

very smart!!!!! ???
 
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Your tortoise isn't stubborn. It is habituated to the wrong food. Many breeders don't take the time to introduce them to new foods at the most opportune time right after hatching. This puts the burden on the new keeper, and it takes much longer this way. You bought from the wrong source.

There are many ways to get them onto new and better foods, but the best way is to use a tiny tiny amount of the new stuff and thoroughly mix it in with the old favorite. ZooMed Grassland pellets or Original Mazuri pellets might help. Once you get them eating either of those, you can mix those into just about anything and get them to eat it. Start with soaking a tiny broken piece of a single pellet. Finely mince up the romaine and mix in the tiny amount of new stuff. You tortoise mat refuse this for a day or two. Each day mix up a fresh batch and keep putting it in there. Eventually your tortoise will eat it. Do the same thing for a few days and then gradually start adding more and more of the new stuff. The process could take weeks or months. Rest assured that once your baby is 5-6 inches long, it will be eating anything and everything.

During this process soak for an hour every day. Keep the water warm for the whole soak. This will keep the GI tract moving, get them some exercise, and stimulate appetite. Also keep the temps a little warmer than normal. Let ambient temp drift into the low 90s during the day, and set your thermostat to keep ambient temp in the low to mid 80s at night. This will also stimulate appetite.

Read this to make sure you've got the right care info:
Raise heat n humidity to get him to eat!
 

Ben and Luci

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I rescued a 22 year old sulcata two years ago. He was in terrible shape. He had spent his whole life in a pond liner eating nothing but lettuce and bananas. No lights just a piece of cardboard thrown over the top on cold nights. It took about 4 months of grinding up hay and pellets little by little be for he would try any thing else on his own. Know he's an eating machine:) Don't give up!! This really does work. Good luck
 

Chefdenoel10

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I rescued a 22 year old sulcata two years ago. He was in terrible shape. He had spent his whole life in a pond liner eating nothing but lettuce and bananas. No lights just a piece of cardboard thrown over the top on cold nights. It took about 4 months of grinding up hay and pellets little by little be for he would try any thing else on his own. Know he's an eating machine:) Don't give up!! This really does work. Good luck

thank you so much for being his hero!!!
Wonderful job my friend.... can we see pics of him now ??? We love pictures!! Even if it’s poop???!
 

Ben and Luci

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thank you so much for being his hero!!!
Wonderful job my friend.... can we see pics of him now ??? We love pictures!! Even if it’s poop???!
I will
thank you so much for being his hero!!!
Wonderful job my friend.... can we see pics of him now ??? We love pictures!! Even if it’s poop???!
I will try. I am still new to the whole computer thing. I never owned one or had never been on line intel the year be for i adopt Luci and that was just so I could do as much research one him be for i commited i really wanted to make sure I could give him the best home i could and I really wanted to know Everything I could. I found this forum the year be for he came to live with me. And I'm not blowing smoke YOU GUYS ARE THE TRUE HERO'S!! Thank you all so much for All your pricesless knowledge. I'm addicted :) and the only thing that has surprised me on this journey is How Much I Love My Big Man!! :)
 

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