Can any one advise me on winter feed for a Sulcata Fluff was eating a little Pre Alpin but is now refusing it What is Mazuri ?Just want to get the winter routine up and running before it gets too cold Judy

I would like to know too,and if grass pellets and readigrass with weeds that I can get in the winter is enough ? Also with veg and some fruit supplemented ???

Hi Judy and Jackie, if your sulcatas are only little, you shouldn't really find picking food much of a problem, even in the worst of weathers.
Personally I pick as much fresh as possible, there has however been the rare occasion (during all the snow) that I resorted to pellets ( I keep a small tub of komodo for emergencies, as I have many mouths to feed). There are many owners however who will completely disagree with using pellets at all. But my feelings are that we all do our very best for our pets (or we wouldn't be using these forums) and if that means using pellets on odd days in the winter then so be it as in my own case they get a great natural as diet as possible 99.9% of the time.
As for mazurri, I know some use it exclusively, but I believe it is American? and the same pellets are not available here? and again the mazurri diet is another controversial subject.
You can always use shop bought lettuce such as the mixed bags of florette, or grow some opuntia cacti. I froze some sedum, but have not tried that yet.
I have just persuaded Hillary to eat pre alpen, the way I did this was to mix with a little tinned tomatoes...Oh No..more controversy . I only had to use this method a couple of times as she now likes it with just water .
Must go as I have to be at a meeting , will log on again later.

What meetings that then...? Bad-Tortie-Owners-Anonominous.....??? LMAO!

Thank you for being honest and open and offering your advice, I for one salute you for that!

We would all love to be the perfect owner, but we're not, and if more people were honest about it then the forums would be a better place to be in

Thanks for your help .My Sulcata is 12ins long and weighs7lbs and am having difficulty getting her to eat anything else except grass apple toms and strawberries ,dont think that is going to do her much good in the winter Do i still put her out on cold days after warming first of course She is still indoors at the moment but wendy house will be up and running soon so do i expect her to stay in there all the time or open the door and leave the decision to her . I did try the Pre Alpin with tomato juice but she just refuses . When the weather was really warm i could get her to eat a little dandilions but not weeds .When i asked the previuos owner what she ate ,she said nastursians !!Any advise is very welcome Judy

hi Judy ,i would make every effort to get her off the fruit at least.its a shame you didnt try nasturtium while they were around.so easy to grow in trays though and with its strong smell may disguise more unfamiliar weeds .if you look at my hatchling diet and the weeds in there you might be lucky and get her to try some.i would add the well chopped grass to everything.i have found if you warm them up under the heatlamps while you mow an area of lawn short.the smell of cut grass willl often be enough to get them grazing.i think its easier to digest when they have nibbled at the very short stuff and of course they need to be able to bask and reach optimum temepratures to be able to digest any grass.

Thanks Terry What about Readigrass .Will they eat that as i can get that when i buy my horse feed ,but only in big bags . I suppose my horse could eat it if Fluff didnt like it Judy

well i have added graze-on to their feed in the past but i find it difficult to get them to eat it onits own what they do eat is by accident.i would say give it a try since you have a horse if they dont eat it all.
just a minute "you have a horse"i dont suppose you noticed the horse section on here or next door at Pet Island for that matter

Hi Judy, I was so excited today when I opened my new bale of redigrass...it is the first time I have been able to get any....had to buy 15Kilos , it smelt lovely and I have been in and out all day just to keep smelling it . Pity non of the torts found it as attractive as I did ....not one has touched it.....but all is not lost....as my furry pets will soon scoff the lot if the torts can't be persuaded.
Are nasturtiums not around where you live? we have loads here and some has only just started to flower! Have you tried some honeysuckle flowers...do you still have those around?
One thing you could try is chopping up all the items you wish him to eat and mix it up with some cucumber. Failing that I guess you could wean off the strawberries etc by mixing the chopped food with strawberry each day, but adding less strawberry every time, so that by the end of the week (or two) he may have changed his tastes?
I do not know your set up, but assume that you provide heat and uv and he will have free access to such during the winter? Do you bath him? I find that the appetites of all my torts increase after a good soaking.
If you get the chance I would go on a good weed hunt and collect as many samples as possible to see what he prefers as many weeds/flowers are still available throughout the winter. I have dried some dandelion and plantain, but have not tried them with it yet.

DAWN ...did you have to tell EVERYONE about the BTOA? It is supposed to be anonymous
Re your reply earlier...thanks. I can't see the point in the forums if people can't be honest now and again. We can all pretend that we are "the perfect" owners and only say what we think we should be saying. But in my opinion, if everyone was honest about what works for them then we would be of far more help to each other!