FEEDING YOUR TORTOISE
What do tortoises eat?
Chelonia (turtles, terrapins and tortoises) are both herbivorous and carnivorous,
which means that they eat both plant and animal based foods. Different species
have different diets, but Mediterranean tortoises have a diet which is almost
exclusively green plant-based. Be sure to discuss a specific diet for your tortoise
with your veterinary surgeon.
How often should I feed my tortoise?
Most young tortoises eat daily; older tortoises can be fed daily or every other
day, depending upon each pet's individual appetite.
What are some types of plant material I can feed my tortoise?
Most (80-90%) of the plant material should be flowers and vegetables, and
only 10-20% should be fruits.
As a rule, anything green and leafy should make up a large part of the diet.
Yellow and orange vegetables should also be included. Avoid fiber-rich, vitamin-deficient
vegetables including lettuce and celery; their composition is mainly fiber and
water with little vitamins or minerals.
Acceptable vegetables include mixed greens, cucumber, parsley, spinach (in
small amounts), green beans, peas, cabbage or broccoli (also in small amounts),
and flowers such as carnations, and roses (avoid azaleas as they are toxic).
Chickweed is especially good as it is high in calcium.
Vegetables can be offered cooked or raw (thoroughly wash raw vegetables);
experiment with your tortoise to see if he prefers his vegetables raw or cooked.
Flowers can be homegrown or purchased from floral shops. Often, floral shops
throw out older, wilting flowers. While these may be unacceptable for sale to
the public, reptile owners can often get them for free. It is wise to be sure
that no chemicals have been applied to the flowers or water.
Fruit can include apples, pears, bananas, grapes, peaches, kiwis, and melons.
Fruits that are particularly healthy include figs (which contain calcium), papaya,
and raspberries and strawberries.
What are some acceptable animal-based protein foods I can offer my tortoise?
If you and your veterinary surgeon decide that a small amount of animal-based
protein is acceptable, some appropriate foods include crickets, sardines (drained),
and meal-worms. Dog food and cat food generally contain too much Vitamin D and
fat and should be avoided. Reptile pellets, bird pellets, trout chow, and other
fish chows are excellent protein sources.
Live prey, such as crickets and worms, should either be raised by the owner,
retrieved from a nearby field, or purchased from a pet store or reptile breeder.
Care must be exercised when collecting insects, especially from the home garden
as fertilizers and insecticides can be toxic to chelonia.
Do I need to give my tortoise vitamins?
It is recommended by many veterinary surgeons to LIGHTLY sprinkle all the
food offered to the tortoise with a calcium powder (calcium gluconate, lactate,
or carbonate). Weekly, a LIGHT sprinkling of a good reptile vitamin supplement
on the food may also be recommended.
Over-supplementation with vitamins and minerals can cause problems in tortoise.
Check with your veterinarian for specific recommendations about the need to
supplement your pet's diet.
What about water?
Fresh water in a ceramic dish that won't easily tip over should be available
at all times. Tortoises will not only drink from the water bowl but will often
bathe in it as well (although it is perfectly acceptable to mist the animal
with water a few times a week too). Make sure the water stays clean; many tortoises
love to defecate in their water bowl as well as drink from it!
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