Won't touch cuttlebone or supplements!

[Nicole M]

My Russian is extremely picky (we're working on it) and refuses to touch any food that had been dusted with supplements. I'm already working on getting her to eat healthier by chopping up food very small and mixing it wet so she can't eat around the healthy stuff, but she still tries to, and when she realizes she can't, she abandons the food completely... When I mix any Mazuri LS or Zoo Med Grassland pellets in, she just sniffs the food and walks away (occasionally she even takes a crap in it just to mock me). She definitely has an appetite, but only for junk food... This has been going on for nearly a month (note that she's been kept well-hydrated and does eat in small amounts, so she shouldn't be in any danger) with very little improvement, and if I wait to get her eating healthier before introducing any supplements, there's no telling how long that will take! I'm worried this half-hearted hunger strike will last forever! I've ordered some Zilla calcium spray (though I'm sure the actual benefits compared to powder are minimal) to see if she'd take that instead of powder, but I'm not particularly optimistic.

She also will not touch her cuttlebone at all and is prone to beak overgrowth (her beak was overgrown when we adopted her and has since been trimmed)... I read something about soaking a cuttlebone in carrot juice to make it more appetizing; but wouldn't that just make it dissolve or get slimy?

Does anyone have advice for the above two issues? How can I get this tortoise to take in supplements and something like cuttlebone?! I feel like an awful parent!

 

[Tom]

Time. She's been eating crap for years. It will take time and appetite, for her to come around. Sounds like you are making good progress.

You only need a tiny pinch of the supplement. Most people uses far too much.

Many tortoises ignore their cuttle bones for months, and then munch on it one day. Just offer it and don't worry.

You might try even smaller portions of the new stuff to accelerate the process. Less than 5% of the total.

 

[Jodie]

Patience and perseverance, you will prevail. They can be stubborn, but will not starve.

 

[Nicole M]

Time. She's been eating crap for years. It will take time and appetite, for her to come around. Sounds like you are making good progress.

You only need a tiny pinch of the supplement. Most people uses far too much.

Many tortoises ignore their cuttle bones for months, and then munch on it one day. Just offer it and don't worry.

You might try even smaller portions of the new stuff to accelerate the process. Less than 5% of the total.

I hope she comes around soon... Today she actually ate a little more than usual! She still attempted to pick out the junk food, but she didn't give up as quickly as usual! Maybe I'll decrease the percentage of the good stuff and see if I can trick her--I don't mind back-tracking if it speeds up the process in the long run. Thanks for the tip!

What's annoying is that she only likes grocery store greens (almost exclusively radicchio--occasionally endive), so waiting for her to come around is very expensive! Hahahaha, I've been eating a lot more salad lately. Anything for the tort.

Yeah, she mostly just walks all over her cuttlebone... And once pooped on it. Hopefully she'll touch it one day!

 

[Nicole M]

Patience and perseverance, you will prevail. They can be stubborn, but will not starve.

Hoping that's the case! It's one of those things that I *know* is true, but I still irrationally worry.

 

[RosemaryDW]

"Irrational worry" should be listed on the care sheets as a known issue--one that will resolve itself!

 

[BrianWI]

"You only need a tiny pinch of the supplement. Most people uses far too much."

This is certainly true! People over supplement pets and other animals all the time. It is the equivalent of trying to feed your kids handfuls of Flintstone vitamins and hoping they make the NFL.

Does she like anything you can use the juice from to flavor the remainder of her meals?