Sulcata tortoises require ample calcium in their diet in order to maintain strong bones and shells, naturally eating grasses rich in this mineral. When purchasing foods that contain oxalic acid compounds which inhibit calcium absorption from their digestive tract.
Provide a variety of grazing grasses, weeds, flowers and cacti. A high protein diet could lead to scute pyramiding of the carapace and potentially create long term health issues for your fish.
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Grass
Sulcata tortoises are herbivorous in their diet and should consume at least 90% of it through an array of course grass (grass hay is lower in protein than alfalfa) and leafy vegetables like sow thistle, dandelion, clover greens, collard greens and romaine lettuce (no iceberg lettuce!). All plants should be sprinkled with a high quality phosphate free calcium supplement to boost their nutritional intake.
Other foods, like berries, apples, cantaloupe, strawberries and figs should only be fed occasionally as treats as their high water and sugar content can quickly accumulate over time.
Sulcata tortoises hailing from the Sahara are well adapted to dry environments, and in captivity should only receive small amounts of water daily. A shallow dish of standing water should be provided, and baby tortoises should be immersed twice each week for 15-20 minutes in chin-deep lukewarm water for around 10-15 minutes to encourage drinking and prevent dehydration; once they grow older this practice becomes less important.
Prickly Pear Cactus
Sulcata tortoises are wild grazers, while in captivity they should receive an appropriate diet consisting of grass (about 75 percent) as well as other plants like weeds, flowers, fruits and vegetables such as cacti pads (not too large, apple green in color and no larger than your palm), sow thistle seeds (edible flower petals from clover, endive, kale collard greens turnip greens mustard greens romaine lettuce without an Iceberg), chard squash leaves and pumpkin.
High protein foods can be detrimental to tortoises and lead to shell pyramiding, respiratory illness, urinary obstructions due to crystal formation in their bladders and other ailments that could threaten life-threatening urinary obstruction. By feeding sulcata tortoises the appropriate combination of foods they can avoid these consequences and live longer lives.
As well as fresh food, sulcatas should receive dry pelleted foods such as the Grassland Tortoise Diet or Rep Cal and some commercial fruit/vegetable mixes (not too much; these tend to contain too much protein and other unnatural ingredients). They should also receive plenty of water twice weekly via sprinkled onto their food.
Greens
A diet for your sulcata tortoise should consist of 90 percent greens and grasses from grocery store foods such as endive, escarole, water cress, kale and collard greens for variety and fiber intake. Any greens high in oxalic acid could hinder calcium absorption.
Clover is another food source enjoyed by sulcata tortoises, so make sure that it is free of pesticides which could potentially poison them.
Other recommended grocery store greens include romaine lettuce (not iceberg), turnip greens, mustard greens and dandelion leaves; while spinach and other oxalic acid-rich varieties should be avoided.
Fruit
Although fruits should not form the mainstay of a tortoise’s diet, they can provide occasional treats. Strawberry and other berry products such as melons or other berries may be fed in small amounts to sulcata tortoises for example; other treats could include dandelion flowers and rose petals as treats.
An appropriate diet for sulcata tortoises is paramount to their wellbeing. High-protein foods should be avoided as they can lead to various health issues, including pyramiding of their shell and bladder buildup leading to life-threatening uric toxicity conditions.
A well-balanced tortoise diet should consist of dandelion, clover, grass (timothy or alfalfa hay can be found at any feed store), collard greens, escarole mustard greens kale chard endive hibiscus and geraniums as well as spinach, bok choy arugula turnip greens watercress chard radishes snow peas all lightly dusted with Rep-Cal or powdered calcium carbonate powder available from feed stores for optimal absorption.
