What is everyone feeding there Hermann's tortoise?

[TheLeeLeeLeo]

Hi,

Im just wondering what produce you are feeding when its winter? We live in Winnipeg Canada where the winter doesnt seem to end. We have been feeding, bok choy, romaine, head lettuce, spinach, butternut squash sometimes. We tried swiss chard but he hates it. We also tried a dried wildflower mix which he wont eat either. I know they should have weeds but arent any available this time of year. Any other suggestions?

Penney & Benson

 

[wellington]

No to very little spinach should be fed. No fruit! Cactus, ridicchio, arugula, endive, spring mix, little bit of kale, mustard greens, dandelion, all sold in most stores. You can also add mazuri tortoise pellets if you can get them.

 

[TheLeeLeeLeo]

No to very little spinach should be fed. No fruit! Cactus, ridicchio, arugula, endive, spring mix, little bit of kale, mustard greens, dandelion, all sold in most stores. You can also add mazuri tortoise pellets if you can get them.

Thanks so much, where do you buy dandelion?

 

[wellington]

Thanks so much, where do you buy dandelion?

A lot of grocery stores will have them. I usually find them at more polish or Mexican stores. Try a whole foods if you have them.

 

[LJL1982]

Thanks so much, where do you buy dandelion?

You can buy seeds on amazon and they grow indoors like wildfire. Also check your garden. Weed plantain, hibiscus, mulberry and sowthistle also good.

Google tortoise table plant database...easy to use to check your feeds.

 

[Tom]

We tried swiss chard but he hates it. We also tried a dried wildflower mix which he wont eat either.

No tortoise will just walk up and eat new and unfamiliar foods. It takes weeks or months to slowly introduce the new stuff. Mince up a tiny little amount of the new food and mix that all in with the old favorites. Gradually add more of the new stuff.

The dried flower mix is meant to be used as a topper, not as a meal by itself. Spray the greens pile with some plain water, and crumble/sprinkle that dried flower mix on top of the pile, then mix it all up thoroughly. Again, start with just a few tiny flecks. Almost none at all. Gradually add more and more over time. My tortoises water nothing to do with that stuff initially, but after a few weeks they would eagerly hunt it out and eat up every crumb of it off the bottom of the food dish.

Favor curly endive, aka frisee, and escarole as your main staples. Arugula, cilantro, dandelion greens, and all the other things mention are great for variety. A small amount of grated squash or pumpkin is good too periodically. When the weather is better, weeds, leaves and flowers from outside are best.

 

[TheLeeLeeLeo]

No tortoise will just walk up and eat new and unfamiliar foods. It takes weeks or months to slowly introduce the new stuff. Mince up a tiny little amount of the new food and mix that all in with the old favorites. Gradually add more of the new stuff.

The dried flower mix is meant to be used as a topper, not as a meal by itself. Spray the greens pile with some plain water, and crumble/sprinkle that dried flower mix on top of the pile, then mix it all up thoroughly. Again, start with just a few tiny flecks. Almost none at all. Gradually add more and more over time. My tortoises water nothing to do with that stuff initially, but after a few weeks they would eagerly hunt it out and eat up every crumb of it off the bottom of the food dish.

Favor curly endive, aka frisee, and escarole as your main staples. Arugula, cilantro, dandelion greens, and all the other things mention are great for variety. A small amount of grated squash or pumpkin is good too periodically. When the weather is better, weeds, leaves and flowers from outside are best.

Hi Tom, thanks for the great info. I went to Superstore, Safeway and two Asian markets hunting for curly endive and escarole and couldn't find any. Where do you buy it from?

Also made the flowers into almost powder and he seemed to be ok with them so thanks for the advice on that one too

Also another question how long should I soak him for a day? We did 10 min but in a lengthy article someone sent me on here it said 30-40 min....we tried 20 min tonight he was clawing to get out.

 

[Michael Bird]

I don't know what the "right" answer is, but I always soaked my Greek tortoise for as long as she wanted to relax in the warm water. As soon as she started moving to get out, the bath was done. Some of the time she didn't want to soak more than a few minutes. Other times she took long naps in the warm bath...

I'm doing the same thing with my Hermann's that I just got a few days ago. So far he seems to like baths around 10-15 minutes.

 

[Tom]

Hi Tom, thanks for the great info. I went to Superstore, Safeway and two Asian markets hunting for curly endive and escarole and couldn't find any. Where do you buy it from?

Also made the flowers into almost powder and he seemed to be ok with them so thanks for the advice on that one too

Also another question how long should I soak him for a day? We did 10 min but in a lengthy article someone sent me on here it said 30-40 min....we tried 20 min tonight he was clawing to get out.

My local stores carry that stuff, but I get it in bulk from a restaurant wholesaler. I go through a case in 2 or 3 days. You might be able to special order it if you talk to the produce manager. They probably don't stock it because there is not enough demand for it.

I soak 30-60 minutes. Its normal for them to try to climb out. We call this the tortoise treadmill and its good exercise for them.

 

[RosemaryDW]

The dandelions you buy in a store don't look like the ones in your yard; the leaves are much bigger and longer and will look a little more like lettuce. At a more expensive grocery store (a natural food store seems the likeliest option in your area) you are likely to find them at the far end of the lettuce section. They will be with the other lettuces that are the most expensive: radicchio, endive, escarole. Follow the price tag!