Although tortoises feed solely on plants in their native environments, they have also proven themselves adept opportunistic feeders. When offered food like dog food which contains animal proteins and excess uric acid that could lead to skeletal deformities it should be avoided for safety purposes.
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1. Herbs
Tortoises need a wide variety of herbs in their diet to maintain good health. Since they’re predominantly herbivorous, tortoises will appreciate fresh salad, flowers, weeds, hay or even some fruit every so often.
Avoid feeding mushrooms to tortoises as they can be hard for them to digest and contain chemicals which could be toxic for them. Furthermore, commercially prepared tortoise diets high in sugar and preservatives should also be avoided.
EarthPro-Optimised52, a pressed mixture of EU grown grasses and herbs without non-natural fillers like seed husks, nut shells or maize commonly found in prepared tortoise diets, should be offered once or twice weekly on a terra cotta plate for best results.
2. Fruits
Tortoises in both captivity and the wild consume an array of foods. While most are herbivorous, certain species also eat animal matter such as earthworms and garden snails.
Most tortoises enjoy eating fruit as part of their diet, however many types contain high concentrations of sugar which could contribute to obesity in them. When offering fruit-eating tortoises bananas as snacks and avoid giving strawberries.
Salad items may also be provided, however they provide little nutritional value and could make their faeces looser than usual. Therefore, they should only be given sparingly or used as supplements to healthier leafy food products. Some salad products even contain calcium which could provide essential supplementation if sprinkled lightly over your pet’s meal.
3. Vegetables
Tortoises obtain most of their nutrition from leafy green vegetables such as collard greens, turnip greens, kale, romaine lettuce (not iceberg), chard and Chinese cabbage.
Dandelions, mustard greens and hibiscus flowers are favorites of these herbivores. Additionally, endive, chicory, escarole leaves from strawberry plants such as raspberry or blackberry plants as well as leaves of strawberry, raspberry and blackberry bushes can all make good snacks when available; even prickly pear cacti pads are suitable. As herbivores they require a variety of vegetables and fruits; you could give yours grated carrots, zucchini and squash for extra protein!
4. Seeds
Sulcata tortoises are grazers and prefer eating grass, herbs, flowers and even fruits as snacks. While it’s good to provide your tortoise with variety in their diet, avoid feeding him fruits as this could strain their digestive system.
Furnishing your tortoise with a diverse range of plants can ensure they receive all of the vitamins and minerals they need for good health; however, some plants contain toxins which could pose risks to its wellbeing.
Examples from the Brassicaceae family of plants, which contain oxalic acid that binds calcium, and prevents its absorption, as well as goitrogens that interfere with thyroid activity and cause organ damage, include many Brassicaceae species.
5. Pellets
Keepers often opt for feeding their tortoises a variety of nutrient-rich foods on an ongoing basis rather than forcing them all at once; this ensures more balanced nutrition for tortoises of all species and can prevent weight loss or nutritional deficiency due to rapid consumption in one sitting.
Pellets provide an important safeguard in case fresh foods cannot meet all your tortoise’s nutritional requirements. Pet stores sell calcium carbonate pellets that contain these necessary nutrients, and when sprinkled twice weekly with Rep-Cal (or another vitamin preparation) will usually meet most tortoises’ dietary needs.
6. Water
Tortoises in the wild graze on plants rich in nutrients, raw fibers and moisture; typically eating both vegetables and fruits.
Water should be provided daily in an enclosure in a shallow dish to help ensure it doesn’t evaporate over time. This should help maintain proper hydrologic balance.
Some keepers provide their tortoises with lukewarm water for bathing purposes, which helps keep their enclosure clean while also minimizing bedding that becomes stuck to food, potentially leading to impaction. Many breeders utilize granite rock “FEEDING” dishes specifically designed to facilitate this action as they can easily be climbed into and out of.