Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My little sulcata, Stewie, has proven hard to switch over to new foods. With winter coming here in VA, grass won't be an option much longer. Does anyone have any suggestions for winter foods? He won't eat has, so far, but I have not tried the "tough love" approach yet. I was hoping to get a suggestion for something softer, but not kale or romain because those aren't the most nutricious. Here he is, about a year ago...

He is much bigger now!
-Becca

I grow winter grass every year.. it's a rye which is actually the only type of winter grass available where I live.
I love this stuff, it provides a nice green grass for the tortoise and she also has the dried brown Bermuda to graze on warm winter days. She does eat both so she's got fresh green grass and hay to eat until March when the Bermuda turns green again.
When the weather cools in late fall the rye starts to green before the Bermuda goes dormant, then in spring when the Bermuda starts to green I have both until the daytime temps are consistently high enough for the rye to go dormant. I love the way this works out!
I can buy 10lbs of seed for 5-7 dollars.. maybe you could find something like that or try the pet grass kits for growing fresh grass indoors.
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PHRatz

I get orchard grass hay from oxbow farms and my sulcata wolfs it down. Also try rice grass its easy to grow indoors in large planters. Yu can also try cactus pads before it drop below freezing. Remember variety is key.

> Remember variety is key.

So true. They do need something more than just grass.
We have a lot of broad leaf weeds that grow in our yard & since we took in the sulcata I've noticed that they are seasonal. We always have dandelion & dandelion-like weeds in spring summer, then 2-3 other broadleafed greens grow in along with the rye grass in winter. I'm not sure what they are because I can't find them in my wild flower field guide but it's all edible whatever it is. I know thistle is one of the greens that starts to come in around Feb.
I just like to avoid store bought greens as much as I can.
I do however buy some turnip greens during part of the winter when some of the winter broadleafed weeds are sprouting & aren't big enough for her to eat yet.
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PHRatz