Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Awhile ago I posted that we'd been given a sulcatta - well I've been working and working with the little bugger, but I cannot seem to get him to "agree" to eat right. He absolutely refuses grass in any way shape or form, fresh or hay, no way. He is also now refusing anything other than romaine lettuce and Mazuri tortoise diet. I found out today he had been fed only Mazuri, which explains why he doesn't seem to recognize the other stuff as a serious food source. As time goes on he seems to be limiting himself more and more in what he is eating and it's really getting frustrating. Does anyone out there have any ideas? I am supplementing him with vitamins, but I know he cannot live on Mazuri alone. I was going to wait him out this week, but after 3 days of watching him wade through grass and greens in search of food I did finally cave and give him Mazuri again. How on earth am I going to deal with this?

I would say stick to your guns. I believe in the "hard" way. Meaning, I tend to wait them out. I have an adopted 3.5" Leopard that is blind in one eye. He was fed romaine and refused to eat other foods. He does have eccessive pyramiding.

I decided to put him on a good diet, so I would cut up grass etc. and put it in his food bowl. He ignored it for about a week and then decided what the heck. He has been eating grass, clover, dandelions, etc ever since.

Hope this helps.

Kelly Wood

3 days isn't a long time for a large tortoise to go without food, you may have to wait a little longer before he's willing to try new things. I mix mazuri with cut up hay when I feed it to my sulcata. Soak the mazuri in water and mash in the hay or grasses. Start with a little and gradually increase the ratio until you're feeding mostly grass. Stay away from the romaine, in my opinion it is so nutrionally poor it isn't worth feeding at all. There are plenty of other better greens and you could try mixing them with the mazuri as well.

I hope this helps
-----
Adam
http://anraviary.cjb.net
0.0 African Sidenecked, 0.0 Northern Diamondback Terrapin, 0.1 Redfoot, 0.1 Sulcatta, 1.0 Western Hognose, 1.0 Crested Gecko, 0.1 Mali Uromastyx

Have you tried mixing in small quantities of grass or hay into the Mazuri? I have some torts that won't eat straight hay or grass, but after a slow introduction they would eat hay and grass mixed with Mazuri.

So start with one part moistened mazuri and 1/10th part grass. So little grass you'd have to use a microscope to find it. Then once he's eating that, sneak in some more, etc.

I don't think Mazuri will kill the tort, but it would be preferable to get him on a varied diet.

I think with patience you can get him to switch. Just remember there is no set schedule. In time it will happen.

Hi there;

Thanks so much - I'll keep trying, and as suggested, will stick to my guns. Sigh. This is the time of year too when I'd expect an upper respiratory problem if he's going to get one - since temps are dropping - and I was worried about him going on a hunger strike, getting weak and ending up with pneumonia or something. I'll soak and mix.

Another option is tough love. Many years ago I acquired a male Berlandier's tortoise and he refused to eat anything but Romaine lettuce, as that is what the previous owner fed him. After two weeks of putting grass and cactus pads in his enclosure everyday he finally stated eating those items and I never fed him romaine again...over the next 8 years I owned him. I've done the same thing with Wood Turtles, Box Turtles, Russian's and Greek torts. When they get hungry enough they'll eat almost anything, particularly those items you want them to eat and are what they should be eating.

Either slowly adding more of what he should be eating or making him go cold turkey will work. Choose which one you are more comfortable with and stick to it. Just get him off the Mazuri ASAP, or you'll have a Sulcata with a carapace that looks like a hand grenade.

Ernie

Ok... let's look at the results.
Provided the guy is warm (hot spot of 100 F) and has access to(and uses) water ad lib... what are the results.
How is the growth of the shell...relatively smooth?
Is the tongue nice and pink?
Are the stools pelleted and well formed?
Is the tortoise active and alert?
If you can answer yes to all these, why change a thing?
These are the indicators I look for in a healthy well acclimated tortoise. I really don't care why it is healthy and well acclimated if you know what I mean.
Ed