Home tortoises should be fed a wide range of plants, fruits and vegetables for optimal health. Many high quality tortoise food pellets are available on the market to assist keepers with creating an array of diet choices for their tortoise.
Some species, like red and yellow footed tortoises, can be offered fruit in small amounts as part of their diet, while powdered calcium carbonate should only make up a minor part of it. Supplementary vitamin products are also readily available.
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Calcium
Tortoises meet their calcium requirements through eating grasses and weeds they graze on, but some people mistakenly believe this plant-based food isn’t protein rich enough – this would be an awful mistake as such high protein foods actually inhibit calcium absorption!
Tortoises in nature will also feed on snail shell pieces and limestone rock pieces left lying around, while cuttlebone can provide extra calcium but its absorption rate can vary widely and should not be relied upon solely as an energy source.
EarthPro-Optimised52 tortoise blocks provide a much better alternative, designed to mimic their natural diet without using ingredients such as maize, soya or seed husks found in other preparations claiming to provide healthy alternatives. They boast natural nutrients as well as meeting all their dietary requirements like Vitamin D3 in addition to being packed with essential minerals that promote overall wellness in pets.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D, commonly referred to as the sunshine vitamin, helps the body absorb and utilize calcium. Furthermore, its health benefits extend to skin health and immunity as well as helping maintain an effective immune response system.
Tortoises can easily absorb vitamin D from sunlight, so outdoor enclosures are preferred for their welfare. If your tortoise lives indoors and does not receive sufficient UVB radiation, oral D3 supplements may be necessary to ensure sufficient levels of this nutrient are available to them.
Many plant species contain oxalic acid, which binds calcium and prevents it from being absorbed and utilized by your tortoise’s body. Therefore, it is advisable not to feed strawberries, apricots or members of the Brassicaceae family (cabbage, broccoli) to your tortoise as these could contain too much of this harmful chemical.
Herbivorous tortoises typically consume a diet containing 4:1 of calcium to phosphorus. Because of this, supplements containing only phosphorus should generally not be recommended; calcium/multi-vitamin powder such as Rep-Cal or Exo Terra might be more suitable options.
Vitamin A
Experienced tortoise keepers typically feed their tortoises a variety of home-prepared foods that provide essential trace elements and vitamins, including collard greens, turnip and mustard greens, dandelion leaves, collard greens (not iceberg), romaine lettuce (not iceberg), kale, broccoli outer green leaves and Chinese cabbage – plus bananas, figs and berries for an added source of vitamin A and C!
Avoid plants rich in oxalic acid or goitrogens that bind calcium, which prevents its absorption, as well as any food items high in sugar that could potentially interfere with this absorption. Furthermore, it’s wise to limit your daily sugar consumption to one or two food items at once.
Tortoises in the wild derive their vitamin A needs from sunlight; however, most keepers cannot offer this source at home. Therefore, many keepers and experts advise feeding Reptavite as it contains high volumes of calcium as well as providing essential vitamins and minerals.
Minerals
Though tortoises are omnivorous in the wild, captive ones require a plant-based diet in captivity. A variety of weeds and grass is ideal, while supplementing this food source with an excellent multi vitamin powder to ensure your tortoise receives all its necessary trace elements.
Tortoises require UV lighting in their enclosure so they can produce their own vitamin D3, helping them utilize calcium effectively. Without it, their bodies would struggle to use what was consumed.
Tortoises are predominantly herbivorous but will consume leaves, flowers and fruit as part of a balanced diet. A basic home prepared diet might include alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, broccoli leaves, cabbage outer leaves, mustard greens, parsley kale collard turnip greens romaine lettuce (not iceberg), Chinese cabbage and dandelion greens as well as fruit such as strawberries tomatoes radishes raspberries in small portions to avoid becoming overweight; occasional cacti can also serve as an excellent source of fibre!
