Treats!

[Thomas tortoise]

I want to give my tortoise treats once in a while but what do I use for treats?? Watermelon? Or can he have watermelon? I have not given him some yet, just seeing if I can! Or maybe cucumber?

 

[wellington]

What kind or tortoise and how old?

 

[Thomas tortoise]

What kind or tortoise and how old?

Sulcata. One year old?

 

[wellington]

At that young age I would stick to the proper diet. Making his favorite food from the proper diet as his treat giving it maybe more then one day or so.
Mazuri tortoise food or optunia cactus pad is usually loved by most tortoises. That would be a good treat to add in now.

A little bit of Pumpkin or any squash from the pumpkin family, small bit of cucumber, small bit of watermelon, small bit of red, or green peppers, but all should be held off until older.

 

[Thomas tortoise]

At that young age I would stick to the proper diet. Making his favorite food from the proper diet as his treat giving it maybe more then one day or so.
Mazuri tortoise food or optunia cactus pad is usually loved by most tortoises. That would be a good treat to add in now.

A little bit of Pumpkin or any squash from the pumpkin family, small bit of cucumber, small bit of watermelon, small bit of red, or green peppers, but all should be held off until older.

Thank you!... He doesn't like cactus pads. And they are to expensive to keep buying.

 

[jsheffield]

I treat my grassland torts with a bit of butternut squash once in a while (bought frozen/cubed from the grocery store), and they love it!

Jamie

 

[Tom]

Thank you!... He doesn't like cactus pads. And they are to expensive to keep buying.

All new foods have to be slowly introduced. Most tortoises will not just walk up and eat something the first time you offer it, or the second, or the third...

Opuntia is a great tortoise food, and its worth the effort to introduce it. Just buy one small pad, and mince up a tiny tiny little piece. Mince it up super fine. Then take that tiny little bit of minced slime and mix it all up with the day's greens. Even better if mixed with your tortoises favorite foods. This first day's amount should be almost nothing. Like a gram or two in a big pile of other stuff. Gradually add more and more as the new food is accepted and the pile is eaten. Don't be afraid to let your tortoise get hungry if it wants to be picky and refuse to eat the big pile of food right in front of it. A hungry tortoise is not a picky tortoise.

A single opuntia pad will last for months if you don't refrigerate it and leave it somewhere with good ventilation. The cut end will scab up and you can cut a fresh piece each time.

For treats look for or grow hibiscus flowers, lavatera flowers, pansies, nasturtiums, gazanias, etc... Tender young grape leaves and mulberry leaves are a spring time favorite too.

 

[Thomas tortoise]

All new foods have to be slowly introduced. Most tortoises will not just walk up and eat something the first time you offer it, or the second, or the third...

Opuntia is a great tortoise food, and its worth the effort to introduce it. Just buy one small pad, and mince up a tiny tiny little piece. Mince it up super fine. Then take that tiny little bit of minced slime and mix it all up with the day's greens. Even better if mixed with your tortoises favorite foods. This first day's amount should be almost nothing. Like a gram or two in a big pile of other stuff. Gradually add more and more as the new food is accepted and the pile is eaten. Don't be afraid to let your tortoise get hungry if it wants to be picky and refuse to eat the big pile of food right in front of it. A hungry tortoise is not a picky tortoise.

A single opuntia pad will last for months if you don't refrigerate it and leave it somewhere with good ventilation. The cut end will scab up and you can cut a fresh piece each time.

For treats look for or grow hibiscus flowers, lavatera flowers, pansies, nasturtiums, gazanias, etc... Tender young grape leaves and mulberry leaves are a spring time favorite too.

Thank you so much for your advise! Btw do you have any more advise on how to grow a spineless prickly pear cactus?

 

[Tom]

Thank you so much for your advise! Btw do you have any more advise on how to grow a spineless prickly pear cactus?

They don't grow in winter, but when spring rolls around, find a type that grows and survives in your area, and get some cuttings. Leave the pads somewhere outside in shade with good ventilation for about two weeks while the cut ends scar over. After that, stick the whole pad, cut end, down, about 1/2 to 1/3 into the ground in an area with lots of sun and good drainage. Don't water it for a month. After that water as needed. If it rains in summer where you are, no need to water ever. In dry climates, water once or twice a week.

You can also buy pads that were grown elsewhere, but many of those won't survive in a vastly different climate.