What should I feed my baby Leopard Tortoise?

[Tootsiethetort]

I just got a baby leopard tortoise a couple of days ago and I was wanting to know the safest foods I can feed it. Right now its kept indoors and its only a couple of months old. The breeder suggested a mixture of greens. I just want to make sure I'm providing the right diet.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

I use mostly romaine and escarole with spring mix mixed in too. Spring mix is very variable throughout the year. I don't spend time sorting the spinach out, it's never that much. I use Vionate as a vitamin mineral supplement three or four days a week, but sparingly, Cuttle bone two or three days a week and once a week Calcium powder with D3. One day a week I use no supplements at all. Larger tortoises may get fasted one day a week, but small individuals, neonates, male Egyptian tortoises get fed every day. I also mix in rehydrated Bermuda grass pellets or Zoomed Grassland diet. I use opuntia cactus to make the greens a little sticky so the grass does not fall off as it dries.

Caution should be used with small baby tortoises as grass is likely not their preferred choice. Grass is tougher than broad-leaf things to eat and if they can't bite it off a blade as if growing they are too small to eat it. However as soon as they are big enough to be able to actually bite off a blade of grass, it should be sparingly introduced.

When they get bigger still much grass should be included in the diet as growing plants or re-hydrated pellets.

You can see about this grass biting thing with the purchase of growing cat grass at big box pet shops. They will try to eat it, and that is very young tender grass blades. The smallest neonates don't seem to be able to bite it off.

 

[Tootsiethetort]

I use mostly romaine and escarole with spring mix mixed in too. Spring mix is very variable throughout the year. I don't spend time sorting the spinach out, it's never that much. I use Vionate as a vitamin mineral supplement three or four days a week, but sparingly, Cuttle bone two or three days a week and once a week Calcium powder with D3. One day a week I use no supplements at all. Larger tortoises may get fasted one day a week, but small individuals, neonates, male Egyptian tortoises get fed every day. I also mix in rehydrated Bermuda grass pellets or Zoomed Grassland diet. I use opuntia cactus to make the greens a little sticky so the grass does not fall off as it dries.

Caution should be used with small baby tortoises as grass is likely not their preferred choice. Grass is tougher than broad-leaf things to eat and if they can't bite it off a blade as if growing they are too small to eat it. However as soon as they are big enough to be able to actually bite off a blade of grass, it should be sparingly introduced.

When they get bigger still much grass should be included in the diet as growing plants or re-hydrated pellets.

You can see about this grass biting thing with the purchase of growing cat grass at big box pet shops. They will try to eat it, and that is very young tender grass blades. The smallest neonates don't seem to be able to bite it off.

Awesome thanks so much! I have been using the spring mix and mixing other things with it. I haven't tried using romaine yet but I will be sure to add that to the list.