tortoise diet

Question
I would love to give my tortoise more chocie but the only thing he wants to eat is romaine lettuce anything else he just sniffs at. I have tried cactus pears
radichhio
spinach
grapes
tomatoes

Could you also tell us how we can age the tortoise?
It is hard to find info about this animal even from the pet store we purchased him from.
Thanks

Answer
Aging: Count the rings on several belly scales and go with whatever number comes up the most often. It will usually be close enough for our needs.

Diet: Without knowing the species, I can only guess at the diet, but I'd try:

- Moistened monkey chow pellets
- Bananas, strawberries, apple pieces, and other fruits
- Parsley, 'greens', carrot pieces, celery pieces, sprouts, brocolli, cauliflower, and most other veggies other than onions and potatoes
- Lettuces and spinach can be part of the diet, but certainly not the main part! Leaf letuce is better than head lettuce
- Flowers and yard plants (assuming they are not sprayed or treated at all) like dandelions, plantain, wild strawberry, clover, etc.
- Sweet hay, alfalfa, dried chunks of bread (some really like it with peanut butter!)
- A LITTLE protein- some cooked chicken, a little lean canned cat food, hard-boiled eggs, some even eat 'pinkie' mice or bugs. Some really like a little raw egg mixed into their monkey chow or bread cubes.

Practice 'tough love'. Prepare a 'salad' with several options, but only a little Romaine or other lettuces. Remove the uneaten portion after about 30 minutes. The next day, try something else.

Now, all of this assumes:
1. Tortoise, not box turtle.
2. Fresh water is available and being drunk
3. Tortoise feels heavy for size and is in otherwise good health
4. Proper cares are being given. For most of the US, the daylight cycle and temps are pushing several species of tortoise into a form of hibernation that reduces their appetite. Good cage lighting and heat will help overcome this.

More info: Try www.tortoise.org. They've got great care sheets, species accounts, and links to help you out. Also try www.turtleforum.com.

Good luck!