Sulcata feeding and diet...

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Posted by EJ on October 11, 2001 at 09:13:49:

Sulcatas are herbivors. I think it should be stressed that there is nothing 'wrong' with feeding grocery greens. While a 'natural' diet is more natural, the tortoises nutritional needs can be more than adequately fulfilled by the use of grocery greens. If you are limited to this type of food fare don't think you are killing your tortoise by feeding it to to them. You could just as easily run into nutritional deficiencies using a 'natural' diet. All you need to do is put a little thought into it.
Prepared diets are no better or no worse. Some of them are quite good and have been well researched. (Mazuri and Walkabout Farms).
Preperation of greens. The reasoning behind chopping up greens is to provide as balanced a diet as possible. Particularly with hatchlings and juveniles. You will notice that tortoises have favorite foods. If they get that favorite food they will focus on nothing but that. Chopping up the food makes it more difficult for them to pick out what they like.
Ed

Follow Ups:

Re: Sulcata feeding and diet... Justin 10/11/01 (2)
- Re: Sulcata feeding and diet... EJ 10/11/01 (1)
  - Re: Sulcata feeding and diet... Justin 10/12/01 (0)
I agree...nobody should be breaking their arm patting their own back. np Niki 10/11/01 (0)

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: Sulcatas are herbivors. I think it should be stressed that there is nothing 'wrong' with feeding grocery greens. While a 'natural' diet is more natural, the tortoises nutritional needs can be more than adequately fulfilled by the use of grocery greens. If you are limited to this type of food fare don't think you are killing your tortoise by feeding it to to them. You could just as easily run into nutritional deficiencies using a 'natural' diet. All you need to do is put a little thought into it. : Prepared diets are no better or no worse. Some of them are quite good and have been well researched. (Mazuri and Walkabout Farms). : Preperation of greens. The reasoning behind chopping up greens is to provide as balanced a diet as possible. Particularly with hatchlings and juveniles. You will notice that tortoises have favorite foods. If they get that favorite food they will focus on nothing but that. Chopping up the food makes it more difficult for them to pick out what they like. : Ed

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