Favorite food?

[mikachase]

I recently got my first Russian Tortoise, I have been reading lots about what to feed and what not to feed and there is way too much information that all says all kinds of different stuff.

So I was wondering what is everyone's tortoise's favorite food?

I haven't had mine very long and he isn't really wanting to eat yet, just a few bites here and there. I was thinking of trying something different. Thanks

[moeNlily]

most of us follow this site; www.russiantortoise.org  to see what to feed them
mine love; radicchio, kale, chicory, romaine, escarole, green leaf lettuce, dandelions and they also eat mustard greens and red leaf lettuce, but dont seem to love the last two as much

[go_fish]

I wanted to become more of a gardener this Spring, and so I purchased a lot of the plants from Joe's edible plant list. I bought as many plants from the list as I could find..both to beautify the garden and to feed the torts. You name it - nasturtiums, hibiscus, hollyhock, sedums, iceplant, pansies, aloe vera, butterfly bush, grapevine, daylily, and christmas cactus.

I'm finding that my torts have very different tastes. For instance, one likes the nasturtium flowers, but the others eat it only if they're desperate. They ALL go crazy over the sedum I bought (I bought 2 types, and they only like one of them...don't know what it's called, but I'll send you a video if interested). That's probably their #1 from the list above. They nibble on the flowers or some leaves of the other plants, but they go crazy over the sedum.

In addition, I feed them lettuces, dandelion, grass, clover, chia, chickweed, kale, collard greens, plantain.   

[go_fish]

I totally recommend trying out this type of sedum (don't know the name) but it's shown in the video. All my 4 torts go crazy over it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJrIBXIegPU



PS. My balcony is not normally that messy. Really...    

[firehawk]

i'd say dandelion greens are always a big hit. mine also love greenleaf,redleaf, chicory and endive. i give them radiccio once in awhile for another treat.  aloe plants get eaten pretty fast as well.  in the summer they recieve a daily supply of hibiscus blooms from the plants in their pens.

[Didi]

The girls like squash blossoms and dandelion flowers, but they only get those occasionally.  They like dandelion, plantain and escarole.

[cjicollectibles]

it does vary from one to the other. My Junior loves squash blossoms, Mint wont touch them.  But Mint loves radicchio, and Junior wont touch that.   they both love dandelions, petunias, pansies, chicory, kale, collards.

I did gardening for them as well, and I must say the particular variety "red russian kale" is their absolute garden fav.

[turtlefanatic]

Both of my RT's really seem to enjoy radicchio, frisee (curly endive), and dandelion leaves.  Sasha likes wild violets (leaves and flowers), while Nikolai will only eat the leaves.   

[gotrenzi]

I would have to say my RT prefers any leaves that are crispy as opposed to soft.  Like I recently bought a box of so called "baby spring mix".  He hated it.  It was in the middle of a non-feeding jag anyway and I think he went nearly a week barely eating.  Even when he's fine, he will avoid any leaves that don't have alot of crunch.  He likes romaine alot.  He doesn't like red leaf lettuce and will often skip a meal if that's what I give him.  I still don't know of a treat he likes though.  I've offered fruits and veggies on occasion but I don't give them enough to know if he "likes" them.

[concretegirl24]

Reznov loves day lily petals! He also likes hibiscus leaves, collards and dandelion leaves, but day lily petals are his absolute favorite! I tried feeding him mulberry leaves, but he wouldn't eat them unless I hid pieces of them in a day lily bud, which he devoured happily.

[lynette408]

go_fish - I LOVE your video!!! 

[go_fish]

Thank you, Lynette! My guys have gotten so used to me horsing around with them...they'll eat wherever/ however....including dangling in the air. 

[firehawk]

i have to pick up some aloe vera, my juvi russians have never had it before.

[Eunice]

I keep an aloe vera plant in my tort table Boris happily munches on it.