WINTER SULCATA DIET

[DeanS]

I know it's not even November yet, but this past week hasn't gotten above 75 during the day and is dipping into the 40s at night. This is having an affect on Aladar's diet...he is not interested in grass right now! Oh! He eats his lasagne and cactus and Santa Barbara Mix, but couldn't care less for the lawn. Which made me think...

WHAT DO YOU ALL FEED YOUR SULCATAS DURING THE COLD MONTHS?

I hope to hear some innovative ideas here...or is it just that I have to accept the fact that hay/Mazuri/Grassland become his staple for the next 4 or 5 months? Don't be shy...tell me your thoughts! In fact, you leopard folks feel free to chime in, as well!

 

[Az tortoise compound]

Dean,
Our sulcys tend to eat alot more hay through the winter. The grass doesn't grow as well and the shorter days reduce their grazing time. They seem to like going to one place and having all of there food readily available without moving too far. They bask alot but don't roam and patrol nearly as much. Now when they see supermarket greens and Mazuri they will find the energy to follow us until we set it down.
So in short,
They graze less on weeds and grasses in the winter and eat more prepared meals and hay flakes.

 

[Yvonne G]

I suppose I'm a pretty mean sulcata mama, but Dudley has to make do with whatever grows in his pen. The pen is made up of Bermuda grass, clover, dichondra and weeds. The grass goes dormant and turns brown after the first frost. A few green things will sprout, but the majority of his diet in winter is dead grass.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

You are a mean sulcata mama, you could at least shoot him some Mazuri, that's not hard...

 

[Tom]

I feed mine NUTHIN'! Winter brings rain and rain makes all the weeds go crazy all winter long. I get waist high mallow, mustard, onion, filaree, hawksbeard and a whole bunch of other stuff too. They just graze and I water the heck out my weeds between rains. Last winter I hardly gave them anything at all. They just grazed at will. I also have a huge wild grass field near me (secret spot) and I bring back grocery bags full of nice tall fresh grass for two or three months out of the year.

Summer is the hard time of year for me. Everything dries up and dies by June, so that's when I go weed hunting and mulberry chopping. I found some new cactus sources over this last summer too.

Mine also have bermuda grass hay all year long and they munch on that quite a bit regardless of whatever else is available and the weather. I can still remember how happy I was when I learned about the hay thing a few years ago...

Dean you are welcome to partake of my weeds and grass. More grows than they can eat.

I find it interesting how the seasons and seasonal food changes happen here year after year. I think my situation probably simulates the wild in many ways. When the mallow hits they eat little else for 6 weeks. When the grass comes, its grass every day for weeks on end. Some parts of the year are heavy on the mulberry and others are heavy on the cactus.

 

[DeanS]

Dean,
Our sulcys tend to eat alot more hay through the winter. The grass doesn't grow as well and the shorter days reduce their grazing time. They seem to like going to one place and having all of there food readily available without moving too far. They bask alot but don't roam and patrol nearly as much. Now when they see supermarket greens and Mazuri they will find the energy to follow us until we set it down.
So in short,
They graze less on weeds and grasses in the winter and eat more prepared meals and hay flakes.

Good to know! This'll be Aladar's first California winter...Fife is in the Riparian National Forest...I know it's around 4,000 feet but I have no idea if that's a hot 4,000 feet or a cold 4,000 feet. I'm still waiting for him to get back to me about what he was doing for this guy during the winter.

---

I get waist high mallow, mustard, onion, filaree, hawksbeard and a whole bunch of other stuff too. They just grazed at will. I also have a huge wild grass field near me (secret spot) and I bring back grocery bags full of nice tall fresh grass for two or three months out of the year.

Dean you are welcome to partake of my weeds and grass. More grows than they can eat.

Deal! I NEVER see mallow over here! When I saw it growing in your pen, MY mouth started watering

 

[Neal]

Nothing really special. My leopards will chew on the dormant stalks of bermuda grass and I cover the ground of their hidebox with whatever type of hay I happen to have at that time. The hay usually lasts them about a week. During the summer they won't eat hay at all, so that's the main difference between summer and winter feedings. Though this year they will be getting some lasagne once or twice a week!

 

[DeanS]

During the summer they won't eat hay at all, so that's the main difference between summer and winter feedings. Though this year they will be getting some lasagne once or twice a week!

GOOD CALL!

 

[RV's mom]

Guess I'm a mean mama too.. RV gets what ever is growing (not much) supplemented with cactus pads, carrot, leafy store-bought stuff.. when I can catch her up in the yard. This year we're going to get the pig-blanket and a dog igloo so hopefully she'll be better off in the winter cold. However that will mean feeding her more....... I'm gonna have to get her some mazuri and see if she likes the stuff. She will not eat hay, it is frustrating.

 

[Sweetness_bug]

Well I am in Michigan and the winter months are freezing. So Chewy and Leo are both inside. Chewy is a beast! He never refuses a meal and most times begs for more. He has an amazing personality. Also being in Michigan there is a lot of stuff here that we dont get that the southern states do. So unless we order off line we dont have it. I usually feed them Spring mix, Green leaf, Red leaf, Romaine, Collard greens and hay. I switch it up daily! So he never eats teh same thing two days in a row. I also Give him Veggies every one in awhile and as a treat some fruit.(not real often with the fruit) Hope this helps. He loves it and is pretty healthy per the vet, so i guess it has to work for the most part lol...

 

[Livingstone]

Dandelion, the last stuff I picked up was as long as my forearm. Organic Kale, Collards, opuntia fruit, and mazuri. She gets all of them everyday.

 

[mckenzieg]

My little Charli is 10 months old and I can't get him to eat anything for the past 2 weeks. He did take a bite of pumpkin yesterday, and the woman who owns his mother said that she hibernates his mom and always has...but i thought sulcata's weren't supposed to be hibernated?

How do you keep it humid, too? I'm so new at this. I want everything to be perfect for him. I'm so glad this forum exisits.

 

[DeanS]

My little Charli is 10 months old and I can't get him to eat anything for the past 2 weeks. He did take a bite of pumpkin yesterday, and the woman who owns his mother said that she hibernates his mom and always has...but i thought sulcata's weren't supposed to be hibernated?

How do you keep it humid, too? I'm so new at this. I want everything to be perfect for him. I'm so glad this forum exisits.

What do you mean she hibernates him...I mean a large sulcata isn't going to be too active (for the most part) during the winter months.
Nonetheless, it can't sustain low temps for an exagerrated length of time. Does she keep it indoors (with heat lamps et al)? I hope that's the case. I would say ignore any and all advice she gave you and just stick with the advice you get here...keep him hot, humid and hydrated and he'll eat just fine

 

[Yvonne G]

My little Charli is 10 months old and I can't get him to eat anything for the past 2 weeks. He did take a bite of pumpkin yesterday, and the woman who owns his mother said that she hibernates his mom and always has...but i thought sulcata's weren't supposed to be hibernated?

How do you keep it humid, too? I'm so new at this. I want everything to be perfect for him. I'm so glad this forum exisits.

Hi McKenzie:

You are correct. Sulcatas don't hibernate. Some of the larger tortoise will make it ok through the winter with less heat, but why make them endure something that's not natural for them. And why take a chance on making your tortoise sick.

Please read this thread. It will help you raise a healthy, happy baby:

http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-How-To-Raise-Sulcata-Hatchlings-and-Babies

 

[c1ark2]

Well, it seems that November has finally come and hence the need for winter Sulcata diet. I do not think it is a good idea to feed the same kind of food that you were feeding all the time. Besides, I am sure that you can get past the basic foodstuffs with ease. Anyway, make sure that you do not forget to feed it some mazuri once in a while as it will only serve well