Re: Daily Diet

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Posted by brooke on June 18, 2000 at 17:21:25:

In Reply to: Re: Daily Diet posted by Terry on August 17, 1999 at 20:57:03:

: : I just got a year old sulcatta. I have a question about the diet. What is a good tortoise salad that i can feed to them daily and what should i give them like every week or so? Thanks for your time.

: The best base diet you can give a sulcata is outside grazing.

: Grazing on grasses, clovers, chickweed, dandelions and other edible weeds.

: Make sure that the yard is pestiside and fertilizer free.

: Fibre is the most important ingredient in a sulcatas diet, and every sulcata should have access to a grazing area daily.

: If you live in a warm state, I would build a nice large outdoor pen, for the tortoise to spend the day in.

: Even small tortoises can go outside in pens that are safe from any predators, and escape proof!

: Make sure the pen recieves both sun and shade, that there is always a shady area the tortoise can retreat to, I also make sure that water is always available, even for the sulcatas and leopards.

: For the smaller torts I provide water in a shallow tupperware lid, my little sulcata will go in and soak in his lid. The water is very shallow( he's about 4-5", the lid is half an inch deep at most)

: make sure the lid is very easy to enter and exit, without causing the tortoise any problems.And that the water only comes up to just below the torts chin.

: My small tortoises pens are 8'-8' for my two 3" baby leopards.

: 20'-8' for my smallest sulcata, 5".

: I make the pens using fencing boards , the bottom boards should be sunk in the ground a few inches, to prevbent the tortoise getting under.The small tortoises are bought in at night, the bigger ones have a shed or other shelter to spend the night in.

: I supplement the grazing diet with mixed greens, endive, watercress, romaine lettuce, escarole and hibiscus flowers.Other greens such as chicory, lose leaf lettuce, mustard and turnip greens can also be added.I feed a variety daily,of at least 3 different greens.

: Collards can be mixed in and kale but neither should be fed in excess or exclusively as they have been known to cause goiter, if fed in large amounts.

: If your tortoise isn't outside grazing, then freshly cut grass should be added to the greens to provide the much needed fibre.

: Hibiscus flowers are a great favorite and can be fed daily . If you don't have hibiscus plants in your yard, I would recommend planting a few.

: The flowers are a great food for torts and can be fed daily.

: Another good food is the opuntia cactus, ( prickly pear)try to get the spineless variety, although even that has tiny spikes that should be removed( scrubbed off) before feeding it.

: Growing your own hibiscus and opuntia is a great way to add healthy fresh foods to the diet.

: No animal protein should be fed, and fruit isn't recommended either.

: The animal protein can cause kidney and liver problems, abnormal growth . Feeding fruit will result in loose stools, digestive problems and even colic.

: For my tortoises the hibiscus flowers and opuntia is their healthy fruit!I feed the opuntia about once a week or so, just cut off a pad, scrub the tiny spikes off, slice and feed.

: Iceburg lettuce , should never be fed as it has no nutritional value.

: Spinach, chard , beet greens contain oxalic acid which interferes with the tortoises ability to absorb calcium and should also not be fed.

: So if your tortoise is out grazing, you can supplement the diet daily with a small amount of recommended mixed greens, hibiscus flowers and maybe once a week opuntia cactus.

: If the tortoise is housed indoors you can feed the mixed greens, but make sure you mix in some freshly cut grass, and also offer the hibiscus and opuntia.

: You can also mix ground Timothy hay in with the greens, if the tortoise is housed indoors ( the timothy hay will add fibre to the diet).

: Timothy hay is available from the small animal section of most pet stores.

: Don't use alfalfa hay, it's too high in protein.

: Strip the leaves off the stalks, grind the leaves up a bit and mix in with the daily greens.

: A good calcium d3 supplement is also important.

: Rep Cal phosphorous free calcium with vit d3, is a good choice and available from most pet stores.

: Spinkle it on the food daily or every other day.

: You can mix in a small amount of grated yam with the greens about once a week.

: Hope this helps give you some ideas.Please post again if you have more questions.

: Terry.

: ps. I've linked the tortoise trusts care sheet page for you , where you will find a sulcata care sheet.

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: : : : I just got a year old sulcatta. I have a question about the diet. What is a good tortoise salad that i can feed to them daily and what should i give them like every week or so? Thanks for your time. : : The best base diet you can give a sulcata is outside grazing. : : Grazing on grasses, clovers, chickweed, dandelions and other edible weeds. : : Make sure that the yard is pestiside and fertilizer free. : : Fibre is the most important ingredient in a sulcatas diet, and every sulcata should have access to a grazing area daily. : : If you live in a warm state, I would build a nice large outdoor pen, for the tortoise to spend the day in. : : Even small tortoises can go outside in pens that are safe from any predators, and escape proof! : : Make sure the pen recieves both sun and shade, that there is always a shady area the tortoise can retreat to, I also make sure that water is always available, even for the sulcatas and leopards. : : For the smaller torts I provide water in a shallow tupperware lid, my little sulcata will go in and soak in his lid. The water is very shallow( he's about 4-5", the lid is half an inch deep at most) : : make sure the lid is very easy to enter and exit, without causing the tortoise any problems.And that the water only comes up to just below the torts chin. : : My small tortoises pens are 8'-8' for my two 3" baby leopards. : : 20'-8' for my smallest sulcata, 5". : : I make the pens using fencing boards , the bottom boards should be sunk in the ground a few inches, to prevbent the tortoise getting under.The small tortoises are bought in at night, the bigger ones have a shed or other shelter to spend the night in. : : I supplement the grazing diet with mixed greens, endive, watercress, romaine lettuce, escarole and hibiscus flowers.Other greens such as chicory, lose leaf lettuce, mustard and turnip greens can also be added.I feed a variety daily,of at least 3 different greens. : : Collards can be mixed in and kale but neither should be fed in excess or exclusively as they have been known to cause goiter, if fed in large amounts. : : If your tortoise isn't outside grazing, then freshly cut grass should be added to the greens to provide the much needed fibre. : : Hibiscus flowers are a great favorite and can be fed daily . If you don't have hibiscus plants in your yard, I would recommend planting a few. : : The flowers are a great food for torts and can be fed daily. : : Another good food is the opuntia cactus, ( prickly pear)try to get the spineless variety, although even that has tiny spikes that should be removed( scrubbed off) before feeding it. : : Growing your own hibiscus and opuntia is a great way to add healthy fresh foods to the diet. : : No animal protein should be fed, and fruit isn't recommended either. : : The animal protein can cause kidney and liver problems, abnormal growth . Feeding fruit will result in loose stools, digestive problems and even colic. : : For my tortoises the hibiscus flowers and opuntia is their healthy fruit!I feed the opuntia about once a week or so, just cut off a pad, scrub the tiny spikes off, slice and feed. : : Iceburg lettuce , should never be fed as it has no nutritional value. : : Spinach, chard , beet greens contain oxalic acid which interferes with the tortoises ability to absorb calcium and should also not be fed. : : So if your tortoise is out grazing, you can supplement the diet daily with a small amount of recommended mixed greens, hibiscus flowers and maybe once a week opuntia cactus. : : If the tortoise is housed indoors you can feed the mixed greens, but make sure you mix in some freshly cut grass, and also offer the hibiscus and opuntia. : : You can also mix ground Timothy hay in with the greens, if the tortoise is housed indoors ( the timothy hay will add fibre to the diet). : : Timothy hay is available from the small animal section of most pet stores. : : Don't use alfalfa hay, it's too high in protein. : : Strip the leaves off the stalks, grind the leaves up a bit and mix in with the daily greens. : : A good calcium d3 supplement is also important. : : Rep Cal phosphorous free calcium with vit d3, is a good choice and available from most pet stores. : : Spinkle it on the food daily or every other day. : : You can mix in a small amount of grated yam with the greens about once a week. : : Hope this helps give you some ideas.Please post again if you have more questions. : : Terry. : : ps. I've linked the tortoise trusts care sheet page for you , where you will find a sulcata care sheet.

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