Sulcata tortoises require a diet consisting of grasses, weeds and alfalfa for maximum nutritional intake. Furthermore, vegetables and fruits should also be given as snacks to encourage good health and growth.
Cilantro can make a great addition to the diets of sulcata tortoises as it contains calcium and other important nutrients that promote healthy shell development. Plus, its easy to grow in home gardens.
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Fresh Cilantro
Sulcata tortoises are herbivorous creatures and should be provided with an assortment of herbs, grasses, weeds and desert plants as part of a varied diet that includes dark leafy greens as well as commercial tortoise food such as Mazuri LS Tortoise Food or Zoo Med Grassland Tortoise Food as well as occasional fruits for proper care.
Cilantro can be added to a tortoise’s diet in moderation; however, too much could interfere with calcium absorption and cause digestive issues for some pets. Oxalic acid present in cilantro could inhibit it as well; sudden or high dose introduction could trigger digestive upset in some instances.
Cilantro can make an ideal addition to a tortoise’s vegetarian diet as it contains calcium and phosphorus as well as dietary fiber, helping your tortoise digest their food more easily. Just ensure it remains fresh before feeding it to your tortoise as this will avoid digestive issues. For optimal results, combine cilantro with other safe leaves or vegetables when providing it to them.
Flowers
Sulcata tortoises are predominantly herbivorous creatures and should be fed a variety of herbs, grasses and weeds in addition to commercial tortoise food. Although they may enjoy fruits and vegetables from time to time, its consumption should be limited due to its high sugar content.
If offering flowers to your tortoise, be wary of those high in oxalic acid and/or phosphorous as these could potentially harm their health. As a treat though, try including some safe flowers such as rose petals or hibiscus flowers as treats!
Plant geraniums (Pelargoniums) in an outdoor tortoise enclosure to provide them with something tasty as they grow. Just ensure any flowers grown or purchased are free from pesticides and herbicides which could be toxic to reptiles; this is particularly important if feeding your tortoise home-grown or store-bought flowers directly.
Fruits
Although many sulcata tortoises enjoy eating cilantro, this shouldn’t be their primary food source. Diets that include only commercial foods have been linked with various health issues in reptiles; veterinarians and turtle specialists suggest offering your pet a wide range of greens, vegetables, fruits and organic products as they feed it to them.
Fruits that can be fed to sulcata tortoises as treats include apples, bananas, melons and grapes – but make sure that all prickly spines have been removed prior to giving these treats to your tortoise.
Baby Sulcata tortoises can enjoy most fruits and vegetables that adults can, provided they’re grated or shredded so their small teeth can consume them easily. However, it’s best to limit how much spinach they get because it contains oxalates which aren’t great for tortoises’ health – instead try feeding kale, watercress, or other low-oxalate greens instead; other excellent choices for feeding baby tortoises include carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes or squash!
Veggies
Sulcata tortoises hail from desert climates and have evolved to thrive in dry environments, yet still need regular access to freshwater for their health and survival. Placing a shallow dish of water in their enclosure encourages this behaviour while submerging baby sulcatas twice weekly in chin-deep, lukewarm water will ensure they get sufficient hydration.
Sulcatas feed on grasses and weeds found in their natural environments as well as other plants and flowers, such as cilantro. However, due to oxalic acid’s ability to interfere with calcium absorption it should not form part of their daily diets.
Try offering cilantro and other leafy greens in moderation; other suitable choices include kale, collards, turnip greens, mustard greens, red leaf lettuce, endive, escarole and nasturtium leaves (thorns removed first); these contain many vitamins and minerals including A, C, K potassium folate calcium that will support their eyes skin respiratory functions and overall wellbeing.
