What are your diet staples?

[JaySparks]

I've been growing plants for my tortoise to eat and I've had him for about 3 weeks now and his diet is not the best I've been feeding lamb lettuce, romaine, kale, cucumber and rape seed cress. I was wondering what do you feed your tortoise as a main or staple ingredient. By the way I also have this but my tortoise will not eat it https://www.amazon.co.uk/WhitePytho...43&sr=8-1&keywords=tortoise+food+white+python.

I'm currently growing
daisy
coneflower
cat grass
timothy hay
plantain
lamb lettuce (he is not a fan)

I live in the uk are there any vegetable that can be feed on a regular basis. I'm only planning on feeding till my plants grow. I use the tortoise table for help and I'm now thinking of feeding artichoke.

 

[Yvonne G]

My staples are turnip greens, romaine, endive and escarole. To that I add whatever I can find that is growing outside - weeds and plants.

 

[Careym13]

My staples are turnip greens, romaine, endive and escarole. To that I add whatever I can find that is growing outside - weeds and plants.

Ever used Belgian Endive? My Leopards go nuts over it.

 

[Yvonne G]

Occasionally.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

My #1 staples are Mazuri tortoise chow and good old Hibiscus leaves and flowers.
I feed these with other items every day and alone when I'm particularly busy or just lazy.

 

[Tom]

This varies seasonally for me. I also have grass eating species, where you do not.

From about March through September my main staples are grape leaves, mulberry leaves, broadleaf plantain leaves, spineless opuntia pads, Tyler's Testudo seed mix, and grass. Lots of grass. There are loads of other weeds and things throw in on a regular basis, but these are the mainstays. In November and December they see more Mazuri, grass hay and an occasional pumpkin. Usually by January the weeds and grasses are up and running from the rains, and that lasts until springtime when all that other stuff that I previously mentioned comes back. My main weeds in winter are lots of mallow, wild mustard, sow thistle, hawks bit, filaree and a few others I can never remember the names of. We also have several species of "wild" grass that pop up every winter in the rains. These all turn to foxtails in spring when things dry out again. There are at least a half dozen different grass species.

They all have grass hay and water tubs all year long and they frequently use them both.

 

[JaySparks]

how do you guys deal with a tortoise that won't eat certain foods. My tortoise doesn't like lamb lettuce or cats grass.

 

[Tom]

how do you guys deal with a tortoise that won't eat certain foods. My tortoise doesn't like lamb lettuce or cats grass.

Introduce it gradually. Finely chop up the some of the tortoises favorite greens, then wet the pile with a water sprayer. Then finely chop up a tiny little amount of the new stuff. Use such a small amount that it is noticeable. Mix in the new stuff with the favorite old stuff. The amount of new stuff should just be a tiny fleck here and there. Most people use too much to start with. Gradually, over time, up the amount of the new stuff vs. old. It takes weeks or months, but the end result is worth it.

 

[hettisurmail]

This varies seasonally for me. I also have grass eating species, where you do not.

From about March through September my main staples are grape leaves, mulberry leaves, broadleaf plantain leaves, spineless opuntia pads, Tyler's Testudo seed mix, and grass. Lots of grass. There are loads of other weeds and things throw in on a regular basis, but these are the mainstays. In November and December they see more Mazuri, grass hay and an occasional pumpkin. Usually by January the weeds and grasses are up and running from the rains, and that lasts until springtime when all that other stuff that I previously mentioned comes back. My main weeds in winter are lots of mallow, wild mustard, sow thistle, hawks bit, filaree and a few others I can never remember the names of. We also have several species of "wild" grass that pop up every winter in the rains. These all turn to foxtails in spring when things dry out again. There are at least a half dozen different grass species.

They all have grass hay and water tubs all year long and they frequently use them both.

What species are grass eating?

 

[Tom]

What species are grass eating?

Sulcatas, some leopards, stars, desert tortoises... None of the Testudo.

 

[RosemaryDW]

how do you guys deal with a tortoise that won't eat certain foods. My tortoise doesn't like lamb lettuce or cats grass.

If you've only had it three weeks, I'd give it a little more time before I worried too much. You can introduce other foods over time, as mentioned above.

Your beautiful little tortoise is surely some kind of testudo? They don't eat grass, just plants with actual leaves.

 

[JaySparks]

If you've only had it three weeks, I'd give it a little more time before I worried too much. You can introduce other foods over time, as mentioned above.

Your beautiful little tortoise is surely some kind of testudo? They don't eat grass, just plants with actual leaves.

its a hermans is it okay for them to have timothy hay? I gave him some cats gras He was not fond of it. I used the tortoise table and it was under the safe to feed list so i thought why not

 

[Tom]

its a hermans is it okay for them to have timothy hay? I gave him some cats gras He was not fond of it. I used the tortoise table and it was under the safe to feed list so i thought why not

It isn't harmful unless he chokes on it. They are not a grass eating species, so the likelihood of them eating dry grass hay is slim.

Also, if you want to try some grass hay, I would use bermuda hay or orchard grass hay. Timothy is pretty rough and stemmy.

 

[JaySparks]

It isn't harmful unless he chokes on it. They are not a grass eating species, so the likelihood of them eating dry grass hay is slim.

Also, if you want to try some grass hay, I would use bermuda hay or orchard grass hay. Timothy is pretty rough and stemmy.

i'm not planning on feeding them the dry version. i bought some dry meadow and its like straw So i decided to just use the fresh stuff.

 

[Big Charlie]

My staples are grass, weeds, sow thistle, hibiscus and roses.

 

[JaySparks]

My staples are grass, weeds, sow thistle, hibiscus and roses.

do you grow them yourself or do you pick them up?

 

[TairaBacca]

My staple is a salad I prepare. 30% romain lettuce, 50% collard greens, and 20% kale. Every week I add repCal supplement to one meal. This is for my russian. Hopes it helps

 

[Tom]

My staple is a salad I prepare. 30% romain lettuce, 50% collard greens, and 20% kale. Every week I add repCal supplement to one meal. This is for my russian. Hopes it helps

This not a good diet for your tortoise. I hope you will let us help you and recommend some better things to feed.

 

[RosemaryDW]

I live in a beautiful climate and don't have any staples except in the summer, when the weeds stop growing. At that time, I use a lot of grape leaves and squash leaves, along with some things I buy from an Asian open market. (If you have any kind of ethnic markets near you, you can probably find some interesting foods to add in.)

Does your tortoise have any time outside? My outside Russian has really been loving our yarrow lately. It has enough "spring" that it can take some walking and grazing from a small tortoise. It's a pretty tough ground cover and so easy to grow. I did a little reading and it sounds like a common plant over there.

 

[Pearly]

Ever used Belgian Endive? My Leopards go nuts over it.

As occasional treat. My RFs love it too