Just because people have said they feed tomatoes to their tortoises does not make it right for the tortoise.

Tamie

Tomatoes are a fruit which will upset the gut flora.

Julie

Tomatoes are a fruit,like any other fruit they will upset the gut flora.

Julie

Woops sorry so i did.
But on shelledwarriors (correct me if wrong)..everyone says they occasionally feed tortoises.
if its not believed then please click this link:
http://forums.shelledwarriors.co.uk/view...php?t=8778

SO i take it tomatoes and cucumber are very much allowed to be fed as a "treat"

Someone said:
well I own up I do give my torts the odd tomatoe as a treat they may not contain any value but can give extra moisture when its hot and dry and I don,t think they do any harm as a treat, but my torts have access to weeds and grazing all day every day and often they don,t want the treats anyway.

another person said:
plus to be extra naughty they have the odd peice of cucumber and a nice juicy strawberry so go ahead and string me up probably no more sugar content than lovely big flower heads full of nectar

Someone else also said:
I must admit I did give my two a little piece of cucumber and a little strawberry I had growing in the garden one day but they would'nt touch it, I guess they are just too well trained now I thought if I needed to worm them putting it on the cucumber may make them take it, but no go. I think a little thin slice of cucumber on a rare occasion should do no harm.
Beverley[/b]

Woops sorry so i did.
But on shelledwarriors (correct me if wrong)..everyone says they occasionally feed tortoises.
if its not believed then please click this link:
http://forums.shelledwarriors.co.uk/view...php?t=8778

SO i take it tomatoes and cucumber are very much allowed to be fed as a "treat"

Someone said:
well I own up I do give my torts the odd tomatoe as a treat they may not contain any value but can give extra moisture when its hot and dry and I don,t think they do any harm as a treat, but my torts have access to weeds and grazing all day every day and often they don,t want the treats anyway.

another person said:
plus to be extra naughty they have the odd peice of cucumber and a nice juicy strawberry so go ahead and string me up probably no more sugar content than lovely big flower heads full of nectar

Someone else also said:
I must admit I did give my two a little piece of cucumber and a little strawberry I had growing in the garden one day but they would'nt touch it, I guess they are just too well trained now I thought if I needed to worm them putting it on the cucumber may make them take it, but no go. I think a little thin slice of cucumber on a rare occasion should do no harm.
Beverley[/b]

Well, I will correct you as you are WRONG - not "everybody" said they fed their tortoises tomatoes, a few did and I say again just because some do it does not make it right.

Please accept that you have listed incorrect items as suitable for tortoises.

As for bringing up Shellwarriors, one would have thought you of all people would rather things not be copied and pasted from there onto here?!?

Tamie

Well tamie, you can post whatever you like about me and my past tortoises.
Ive already stated to alot of people what happened and how stuborn i am.
So i dont really care...

Lets not start an arguement on this forum...SW has to much of it.
Specially when i was around.

Anyway if it makes you so happy...ill edit the post =]

Here is a diet list on a hermanns care sheet. Since I do not have hermanns I can't say it is good or not but what do you think so maybe we can get good diets up for people who have new torts and need to know what to feed.

The best diet is a natural one that allows the tortoise to graze on various weeds and greens. Such things as dandelion, bindweed, opuntia cactus, sedum, plantains (the weed, not the fruit known as plaintain), coreopsis, hibiscus, mulberry leaves, California poppy, mallow, honeysuckle, some vetches, some clovers, bermuda grass, and many other wildflowers and weeds can be grown in an outdoor tortoise pen. It is also possible to grow many wildflowers and weeds indoors and in greenhouses so that your tortoise does not have to rely on grocery store greens, especially in winter. Anything the tortoise might graze on must be pesticide free.

If fed grocery store produce, it should be mixed into a salad and may include endive, escarole, shredded carrot, kale, opuntia, occasional romaine, and occasional pumpkin. The mixed salad diet is low in fiber so it is helpful to sprinkle with bermuda grass hay that has been ground to a powder (a coffee grinder works well). Dust the food with calcium daily, and if the tortoise isn't kept outdoors in natural sunlight, also use a combination calcium-D3 product a couple of times a week. It is also helpful to keep a cuttlebone (with the back removed) in the enclosure so your tortoise can nibble on it if she or he feels the need for more calcium.

Foods to avoid (or to use in very *tiny* amounts) because they interfere with the uptake of calcium: spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, beans, peas, cauliflower, collard greens, beet greens, turnip greens, mustard greens. Fruit also should be avoided because the hermanns tortoise's digestive system can't process it.