Russian tortoises can be friendly pets in captivity, and should be handled carefully as long as their feet remain on the floor for extended periods of time. Otherwise, they may become fearful or distressed by being raised off of it too often.
Avoid feeding your pets low-nutritional foods such as iceberg lettuce and processed fruits such as sugary beverages. Their primary diet should consist of dark greens and hay for grazing.
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Leafy Greens
Russian tortoises are herbivores and require a diet consisting of various leafy greens for proper nourishment. Their diet should include collard greens, dandelion greens, turnip greens, mustard greens and kale in addition to spring mix, endive, radicchio chicory spinach which can all be found at any grocery store and should form the basis of their daily nutrition plan.
Spinach can also be beneficial to Russian tortoises, though in moderation as its high concentration of oxalates inhibit calcium absorption. You could substitute spinach with other green vegetables like kale or mustard greens that offer similar nutritional value.
Your tortoise’s diet should include edible weeds and flowers such as hibiscus leaves and flowers, clover, mulberry plants, plantains and dandelions; additionally they enjoy fruits such as apples or strawberries as occasional treats.
Fruit
Russian tortoises feed mostly on plants (but may eat meats and insects in the wild). Their body temperature depends on ambient temperatures; their thick, protective shells help them adapt to harsh climates with extreme hot and cold temperatures.
Grasses, hays and grass pellets can be offered to add variety to the diet of your tortoise. Although they may initially ignore them, offering these items nonetheless for added fiber and nutrition may prove worthwhile.
Most fruits, including apples, melons and strawberries, can be fed safely to tortoises. Due to their high sugar content and potential toxic oxalates levels in some fruits, treat offerings should only be made occasionally as treats.
Grass Hay
Russian tortoises require a diet high in fiber and low in sugar that consists of grasses, weeds, vegetables, and occasional fruit in order to thrive and lead long and healthy lives. This will allow them to flourish.
Alfalfa hay provides tortoises with protein, energy, vitamins, and minerals in abundance. Plus it’s much easier for them to digest than other hay varieties!
Grocery store foods such as endive, escarole, dandelion greens, watercress, frisee, radish spring mix kale and turnip greens make nutritious additions to a tortoise’s diet. By dusting these items lightly with calcium powder they can promote bone and shell development in tortoises.
Veggie Pellets
Early introduction to pellets will help your tortoise get used to them more quickly and decrease any chances of future issues. These pellets are specially-designed to resemble what would be found in nature while providing vital vitamins and minerals necessary for his wellbeing.
Be wary of any pellets that contain animal proteins; tortoises require a low protein diet with their only source being dark leafy greens, rather than pellets.
Certain foods can be detrimental to tortoises because they contain chemicals such as oxalic acid and phytic acid that bind minerals and prevent their absorption. To minimize this problem, feed an assortment of plants so your tortoise does not get stuck eating the same type of foods all of the time.
Calcium Supplement
Tortoises fed a healthy and varied diet rarely suffer from vitamin deficiencies; however, for optimal shell health supplemental calcium should be given daily. A light dusting of powdered calcium can provide great benefit. Tortoises housed indoors may benefit from an ongoing calcium/phosphorous supplement that is free from phosphate.
Cacti (Opuntia Genus) pads are an excellent source of calcium; just be sure to remove all thorns before feeding your plant!
Reptile supplements typically consist of calcium carbonate to allow easy absorption by tortoises’ systems. When selecting supplements for reptiles, watch out for ones containing heavy metals or Plaster of Paris; these will not be bioavailable and should be avoided altogether. A general multimineral mix is commonly recommended; vitamin-D should also be obtained through either natural means such as soaking in warm water, or by taking oral doses.
