Tortoises must eat a variety of vegetables and fruits as supplemental food; however, certain items cannot be digested properly and need to be avoided.
Mediterranean species of tortoises can only eat fruit in limited amounts due to being grazing species. Eating too many fruits at once may lead to diarrhoea and isn’t something they would typically digest in their natural environments.
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Fruits
Tortoises are ectothermic animals, meaning that they cannot regulate their own body temperature and must therefore be fed the appropriate food in order to thrive. There are various feeding techniques you can try with your tortoise but it is always best to consult experts to make sure they get all of the vitamins and minerals they require for good health.
Your tortoise’s diet should include fruits such as sweet dessert apples and melons as well as sweet-tart raspberries and blackberries; cherry fruit should only be given occasionally due to being high in sugar content; salad items like rocket and kale should be offered on occasion instead of iceberg lettuce which offers minimal nutritional benefits.
Vegetables
Tortoises are opportunistic feeders, choosing foods which taste good and can be quickly consumed. Unfortunately, this can lead to nutritional deficiency or malnutrition as tortoises often turn away from foods requiring more work to chew on.
Some leafy vegetables, like kale, contain oxalic acid that binds calcium and prevents its absorption, potentially decreasing shell strength. Therefore, it is wise to provide occasional servings of kale.
Other vegetables to include are carrots, romaine lettuce (not iceberg), turnip greens, collard greens and dandelion leaves. You could also incorporate watermelon as a healthy treat, providing extra hydration and nutrition – many high-quality commercial tortoise pellets will specify recommended feeding guidelines on their packaging.
Greens
Tortoises depend on grass and leafy vegetables for nutrition. Not only can these produce offer essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre content – they’re also rich in proteins – a significant energy source for their diets.
Some greens, like kale and broccoli, may contain goitrogenic proteins and should be avoided during gestation or breastfeeding; others such as Brussels sprouts containing iodine are fine; celery also offers low starch content while boasting Vitamin A and potassium content.
Some experts also advise providing occasional doses of prickly pear cactus for their tortoise as it contains high levels of fibre and moisture that will help them rehydrate more effectively, along with good amounts of calcium. Pumpkin is another good addition since it provides carbohydrates.
Berries
Tortoises in the wild feed on grass and various leafy vegetables; for captive tortoises, tortoise fruit mix provides all of their nutrition needs – such as dandelion leaves, kale, and carrots which also provide health benefits in terms of digestion.
Though tortoises tend to love fruits, they should only be given occasionally as treats due to their high concentration of sugar content and risk causing weight gain or metabolic disorders if fed too frequently.
Berries can make an excellent addition to a tortoise’s diet, but be wary when feeding those that contain seeds as these may bind vital minerals such as magnesium and calcium, leading to weak shell development and poor growth. Always remove the seeds before feeding your tortoise their fruit!
Eggshells
Tortoises of the Testudinidae family differ from sea turtles by having high domed shells to store water in desert climates and thus endure extreme temperature swings within just 24 hours.
Tomatoes contain many essential vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, potassium, and niacin. Furthermore, tomatoes provide roughage that aids digestion to combat constipation. However, excessive tomato consumption could lead to obesity in tortoises.
Spinach provides tortoises with essential nutrition, but overfeeding it could pose health hazards. Oxalic acid is a naturally occurring molecule known to bind calcium and magnesium and limit your tortoise’s body’s ability to synthesize these essential minerals; for this reason only small amounts should be fed as treats.
