Water tortoises in their native environment eat aquatic vegetation, living invertebrates and any dead animal matter at the bottom of lakes; when kept as pets in captivity it is necessary to provide them with an appropriate diet rich in fibre content and containing adequate amounts of essential vitamins and nutrients.
Diet should consist of at least 75% grass hay and weeds such as meadow hay, plantain hay and clover.
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Fresh Vegetables and Fruits
Tortoises in the wild tend to be vegetarians, though certain species may occasionally consume insects, slugs or carrion. When kept at home they should be provided a diet rich in vegetables with only minimal amounts of meat or fish included in its diet.
Fresh, organic produce should be chosen. Leafy greens such as kale, spinach and collards are great examples, while dandelions, chard, escarole and romaine also make delicious additions. Be sure to wash all your produce thoroughly prior to eating them!
Tortoises should only be fed fruit sparingly and should avoid citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits. Other suitable fruits for tortoises are figs (which contain high levels of calcium), apples, bananas and melons. Flowers can also make great treats; you might find some at florist shops who throw out older, wilting blooms; roses, geraniums and nasturtiums are safe options but be sure not to use ones that contain pesticides or herbicides before giving to your tortoise friend!
Cuttlefish
Cuttlefish is an excellent way to add calcium-rich food into your turtle’s diet, and can be found both at pet stores and online. Whole or broken up, soak them in fresh water (boiling first is optional), making sure that any plastic-looking layers on one side of the natural cuttle bone have been removed as these could harm its digestive tract if consumed by your turtle.
Cuttlebones can help prevent metabolic bone disease (MBD). MBD is a serious condition which causes soft scutes on the plastron and carapace as well as deformed shell growth that leads to infections on soft scutes as well as loss of protective outer layers on turtles. One way of combatting MBD is adding high quality tortoise food into their diet so they receive all of the vitamins and nutrients required for good health.
Meat or Fish
Wild aquatic turtles tend to be opportunistic omnivores and will feed on an assortment of foods including fish, snails, plants and insects. A balanced diet that supplies proteins and calcium easily digestible forms would best benefit these turtles.
Captive water tortoises should include meat as no more than a quarter of their diet, to minimize risks posed by bacteria, pesticides or parasites that may be harmful. Earthworms should only be given occasionally as they do not offer adequate sources of protein or minerals.
Greens should make up 75% of your pet tortoise’s diet. Meadow or orchard grass hay makes an ideal staple diet, which should be supplemented with clover seeds, sowthistles, plantain weeds, kale leaves and bramble leaves as desired. Incorporation of high fiber foods like parsley, dandelion greens and collard greens (but no spinach!) should also be encouraged; its oxalic acid binding binding calcium makes calcium unusable for use.
Variety
Tortoises in the wild derive much of their protein from fruits and vegetables; providing tortoises with an array of foods will ensure they receive all of the necessary vitamins and nutrients needed for healthful living.
Numerous pet stores sell vegetable salad mixes that provide all of the nutrition your tortoise requires for optimal health, making these an excellent solution if fresh food can’t be easily obtained or your tortoise refuses to eat outside its habitat.
Some pet stores sell tortoise food that has been softened and fortified with ingredients such as dried carrots, hibiscus flower petals and sweet potatoes to supplement its diet if it is consumed alone. Fresh, clean drinking water should always be available; placing it in an area protected from direct sunlight to help avoid overheating while drinking is recommended to keep temperatures down while giving enough shade for drinking purposes.
