I would stick with: I would only provide a small amount of fruit once every couple of weeks. Calcium is an important ingredient in the ongoing growth and development of a healthy shell and skeleton. Along with grasses, various common weeds are also a great dietary staple for tortoises. The nutritional needs of each species differs slightly, for example some require slightly more protein, and others require less variation in their diet. Providing a good choice of edible plants for your tortoise is always preferable to relying on shop-bought salads. These tortoises need more protein than other tortoises. Tortoises are herbivorous reptiles, meaning that they consume only vegetation for their diet. The Bromeliads are a large, varied family of plants. Avoid offering tortoises processed human food, and foods high in oxalic acids such as spinach, meats, and insects. Yes, they can eat green beans. In the wild leopard tortoise are folivores, with plant material making up about 98 percent of their diet. Most of the food fed the species should be leafy greens such as mustard green, romaine, dandelion greens, turnip greens, dark lettuce, collard greens, endive, and bok choy. It may be best to not offer it at all. Tomato leaves are highly toxic and should not be offered to the tortoise. Various Mustard plants, such as Hedge Mustard and Garlic Mustard, can be eaten by tortoises in moderate amounts. People get alarmed when things like dog food are provided as tortoise food, and rightly so. If you were wondering about the difference between a turtle and a tortoise, it is not as simple as scientific categorization. These large flowers are poisonous to tortoises and can result in vomiting and potentially death. Cycad or sago palms- unknown toxicity in reptiles, but very dangerous. The turtle lives in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. This family of Marigolds will have very densely-frilled flower heads, whereas Calendula Marigolds look similar to large yellow daisies. Another question with more possible answers than would probably be considered helpful! See the Russian Tortoise care guide for more details. Offer them the leaves and the flowers of dandelions. Here are a few common weeds that your tortoise will enjoy the most. Shop bought salad mixes vary in their nutritional value, with something like iceberg lettuce offering little but a source of water. Not only will your tortoise be able to eat these plants, but they will also provide fantastic cover and decoration for your tortoises enclosure. Another good tortoise table plant is the Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum). They may eat fruits and berries which make up the remaining 2 percent of their diet. It should be an essential part of their diet. However, the high oxalic acid content means that they should only eat them rarely. In the wild, Chelonoidis chilensis feeds on cactus pads, shrubs, grasses, and fruits. If you can keep it separate from the rest of the Mazuri and mix it in about once a week, and not every day, I really doubt it would be that big a problem. Click to attach a photo related to your comment. So what do these desert tortoises eat? Russian tortoises love to eat and will eat and destroy any outdoor plants which arent tortoise-proof. If you're craving a sandwich but are tired of PB&J, try a peanut butter and banana on a sandwich. Only offer blueberries to fruit-eating species. The short answer: yes, hamsters can eat peanut butter. You can offer new leaf growth as well as flowers to your pet tortoise. The foods they eat in the wild include fruits, grasses, flowers, and herbaceous leaves. As larger terrestrial reptiles, tortoises need plenty of room to roam. Because of citruss strong smell and taste, do not offer them to tortoises. If you have any questions, additional information, or comments, kindly leave them. You can also use them to administer medication to the tortoise. Yes, they can eat cilantro also known as coriander. Well also touch on any toxic plants for tortoises so that you know exactly what to avoid. JavaScript is disabled. This desert succulent can be fed to your tortoise, but it is wise to do so in moderation as it can cause laxative symptoms. Boston Ferns are perfect plants for a tortoise enclosure if you want to provide a tropical feel. These succulents also make great tortoise table plants as they are relatively small, providing some natural dcor. If you squeeze your hand beneath the tortoise's tail, you'll be able to detect a trace of a gemstone. These include broad and narrow-leaf plantains, clovers bindweeds, chickweed, corn poppy, goats beard, hawkbit, nipplewort, violas, white nettle, Brussel tops, carrot, clover, coriander, curly kale, dandelion, honeysuckle, leafy salads, parsley, rocket, spring greens, bell pepper, courgette, parsnip, and watercress. These foods can be fed to the tortoise daily (juveniles) or every other day (adults). 1. The reason is due to the high sugar content which can cause significant damage over prolonged periods. If you are unsure about a food choice, contact a breeder or herp vet. When it comes to human foods our canine friends can also eat, we'll get to the good news first: Yes, dogs can have peanut butter! Whilst many of the plants and vegetables tortoises eat do contain calcium, it often isnt in high enough quantities, or at least consistently high enough quantities to meet the tortoises needs. While trimming the grape vine a few trimmings fell into has vivarium. These grasses are great dietary staples for tortoises. Romaine is fine, but it should not be the majority of their diet. Most tortoises do not eat mealworms. This helps pigs have stronger bones. Never feed them on soil or gravel as they can ingest these materials. Carex sedges are part of a wide-ranging group of perennial ornamental grasses called Cyperaceae. Peanut butter is a must-have food in any healthy pantry. The Tagetes branch of the Marigold family can release chemicals that may harm your tortoise. Become a supporting member today! Mediterranean tortoises are primarily herbivores that feed on ground vegetation such as flowers, leaves, and grass. Besides leafy green vegetables tortoises are pretty keen on other lumpier veg such as peppers, cauliflower or broccoli, and even butternut squash. The Russian tortoise is also known as the steppe tortoise, the Central Asian tortoise, or the Afghan tortoise. The short answer is yescats can eat peanut butter. This is because they give your reptile plenty of places to explore and hide, both in their enclosure and out in the backyard. As you can imagine the species native to jungle regions will differ slightly to those from the tropical grasslands, and whilst their exact dietary needs differ slightly, there are similarities as well which Ill cover below. Feb 8, 2013 #1 . But if you're wondering if it's a safe or even healthy treat to share with Fido, there are a few things . I would normally throw it away but it was quite a bit. Some of the Mazuri does not have any peanut butter and some has a bit. Throughout the year, they supplement this with carrion, stems, fungi, dead and living foliage, soil, sand, and pebbles. They can also eat string beans, french beans, and runner beans. Dense forests provide a bountiful supply of everything from fruits to small rodents. In large quantities, they can cause severe health complications. Peanut butter contains fats that are healthful for the body. Their stomachs are more than half the size of a human's. Think about the size of a golf ball and smaller. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'tortoiseexpert_com-netboard-2','ezslot_27',124,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tortoiseexpert_com-netboard-2-0'); Things get more critical when youre choosing between plants that are a lot less familiar as food and that may in fact be toxic. This not only minimizes the amount of fruit you can give them, but it can seriously damage their internal organs. Remember to feed all tortoises on a grassy surface, concrete, flat rock, or from a tray. Tortoise Club members get a special banner on their posts, unlimited gallery storage space, special offers from our sponsors, upload videos, and more! While we have covered a lot of species in this list, there are even more. Baby tortoises eat the same food that adult tortoises eat and these include leafy greens like plantain greens, dandelion greens, turnip greens, dark lettuce, collard greens, tender green, and watercress; and edible grasses, weeds, leaves, and flowers. Yes, they can eat kale but only in moderation. In truth nothing that would be considered food to mammals would be toxic to tortoises, but you just need to adopt best practice and apply common sense, when choosing appropriate foods. As with most turtles, the Indian star tortoise is predominantly herbivorous. Furthermore tortoises are well known for being able to take in water from both ends (yes really!) You can find it in the Balkans, Italy, and Greece. Offer calcium (twice a week) and multivitamin supplements (once a week). Not every tortoise will happily eat fruit, so check to see if your tortoise species has eaten fruits before. Yes, butter lettuce can be offered. For a really great resource on feeding your tortoise with plants grown in your yard or garden, check out this book available on Ebay. See the Red-footed Tortoise Care Guide for more details. Ensure that these foods make up about 80 percent of the tortoises diet. Shredded carrots, squash, and zucchini are great foods that turtles can eat, too. Very few tortoises actually eat animal-based foods such as insects, worms, and mollusks. Mint leaves are perfectly fine and you can offer some to your pet although it may not like the strong scent of mint. Personally I disagree with this, as long as suitable shop bought foods dont form the bulk of your tortoises diet.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'tortoiseexpert_com-netboard-1','ezslot_26',123,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tortoiseexpert_com-netboard-1-0'); Almost all protein rich foods should be taken off the menu for all but red foot tortoises. If you have a Bermuda grass lawn, you should allow them to graze. One of the main vegetables to avoid feeding your tortoise is celery. They make excellent cover for tortoises and can also be eaten safely. It is readily available and easy to grow. It also feeds on fungus. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'tortoiseexpert_com-large-billboard-2','ezslot_18',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tortoiseexpert_com-large-billboard-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'tortoiseexpert_com-large-billboard-2','ezslot_19',113,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tortoiseexpert_com-large-billboard-2-0_1');.large-billboard-2-multi-113{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}Tortoiseexpert.com is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme/Amazon Services LLC Associates Programme, affiliate advertising programmes designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk. Only fruit-eating species can eat bananas and even so, you can only offer bananas in limited amounts because of the high phosphorus level and high sugar content. Tortoises eat a variety of vegetation and vegetables. In the wild, Russian tortoises are herbivores. No, they cannot. But its the first its ever been kept in one. However, the high sugar content means that you have to offer them sparingly. Weve broken down our choices of plants into several groups, to make it easier to navigate the list. Yes, they can eat carrots. Dandelions are one of the most commonly known plants that tortoises can eat. Pansies and Violas are essentially the same flowers, coming in a huge variety of beautiful colors. It is sometimes simply called the star tortoise. so its important to place them in a shallow tray of water once or twice a week for 10 or 15 minutes so they can have a proper soak and the chance to take on additional water if necessary. 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