Re: carrots

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Posted by EJ on December 09, 2000 at 12:55:27:

In Reply to: Re: reply trouble posted by Terry on December 09, 2000 at 11:43:44:

Just one minor correction to this post. (very important to me) Carrot is a very good source of vitamin A. I suggest a little be fed at every feeding. I grate and mix this into every feeding. It is also high in fiber but the important part is the vitamin A. Because it is watersoluable it is not stored by the body. A deficiency in this vitamin shows up more than it should. The form in carrot is very safe because, again, the amount needed is controlled by the tortoises own mechanisms and is just about impossible to overdose in this form.
Ed

: Gary,
: just click on " post followup" at the top of any post you read to reply to that post.
: Congrats on your new sulcata.

: As suggested by another poster he needs a bigger habitat, try to stay away from fish tanks. Either build an enclosure or use a large Rubbermaid type container.
: You must provide a heat gradient, up to around 92 in the warm end, but there must also be a cooler side to the enclosure, around 75 degrees.
: You can't keep a tortoise at one, constant, high temperature.In the wild they seek shade during the hotest part of the day. You must provide a warm side and cooler side to the enclosure, so they can move from one to the other, as they choose.
: They need the heat gradient so they can thermo-regulate.
: That's one of the reasons a larger habitat is a good idea.
: Fish tanks heat up quickly, have poor air circulation. In a small fish tank it's almost impossible to create a heat gradient.

:
: You can feed a variety of leafy greens, Romaine Lettuce, dandelions, endive, escarole, red and green leaf lettuce, collard greens, watercress, chichory.
: The key here is variety,don't stick to one type, offer a variety.
: You can add ground up Timothy hay or grass snipped fresh from your yard to trhe greens to add the much needed fibre.
: Hibiscus flowers and leaves , mulberry leaves, opuntia cactus are just a couple of foods you can grow in your own back yard.
: Veggies such as zuccini, coliflower, brocoli, corn, peas, beans shouldn't be fed. Fruit isn't recommended for this species either.

: You can add a little bit of grated yam/carrot or squash to the greens every now and then. Although they can cause very runny stools, so I wouldn't include them in every feed.

: Better to add freshly snipped grass, ground up timothy hay, or more natural foods, such as dandelion, hibiscus , clover...

: Sulcatas are grazing herbivores, so time outdoors ( weather permiting) to graze on grasses, edible weeds etc is the best diet a sulcata could be on.

: For more info on habitats, edible landscaping etc visit Turtle Cafe:

: http://www.turtlecafe.net/habitats.htm

: Here's a brief sulcata care sheet:

: http://www.tortoisetrust.org/care/csulcata.html

: Also at the link below ( Sulcata Station), you'll find lots of sulcata info.
: Be sure to check out the care sheet section for Marrisa's famous sulcata care sheet.
: Hope this helps,
: Terry.

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Comments:
: Just one minor correction to this post. (very important to me) Carrot is a very good source of vitamin A. I suggest a little be fed at every feeding. I grate and mix this into every feeding. It is also high in fiber but the important part is the vitamin A. Because it is watersoluable it is not stored by the body. A deficiency in this vitamin shows up more than it should. The form in carrot is very safe because, again, the amount needed is controlled by the tortoises own mechanisms and is just about impossible to overdose in this form. : Ed : : Gary, : : just click on " post followup" at the top of any post you read to reply to that post. : : Congrats on your new sulcata. : : As suggested by another poster he needs a bigger habitat, try to stay away from fish tanks. Either build an enclosure or use a large Rubbermaid type container. : : You must provide a heat gradient, up to around 92 in the warm end, but there must also be a cooler side to the enclosure, around 75 degrees. : : You can't keep a tortoise at one, constant, high temperature.In the wild they seek shade during the hotest part of the day. You must provide a warm side and cooler side to the enclosure, so they can move from one to the other, as they choose. : : They need the heat gradient so they can thermo-regulate. : : That's one of the reasons a larger habitat is a good idea. : : Fish tanks heat up quickly, have poor air circulation. In a small fish tank it's almost impossible to create a heat gradient. : : : : You can feed a variety of leafy greens, Romaine Lettuce, dandelions, endive, escarole, red and green leaf lettuce, collard greens, watercress, chichory. : : The key here is variety,don't stick to one type, offer a variety. : : You can add ground up Timothy hay or grass snipped fresh from your yard to trhe greens to add the much needed fibre. : : Hibiscus flowers and leaves , mulberry leaves, opuntia cactus are just a couple of foods you can grow in your own back yard. : : Veggies such as zuccini, coliflower, brocoli, corn, peas, beans shouldn't be fed. Fruit isn't recommended for this species either. : : You can add a little bit of grated yam/carrot or squash to the greens every now and then. Although they can cause very runny stools, so I wouldn't include them in every feed. : : Better to add freshly snipped grass, ground up timothy hay, or more natural foods, such as dandelion, hibiscus , clover... : : Sulcatas are grazing herbivores, so time outdoors ( weather permiting) to graze on grasses, edible weeds etc is the best diet a sulcata could be on. : : For more info on habitats, edible landscaping etc visit Turtle Cafe: : : http://www.turtlecafe.net/habitats.htm : : Here's a brief sulcata care sheet: : : http://www.tortoisetrust.org/care/csulcata.html : : Also at the link below ( Sulcata Station), you'll find lots of sulcata info. : : Be sure to check out the care sheet section for Marrisa's famous sulcata care sheet. : : Hope this helps, : : Terry.

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