# Are these greens safe for russian tortoises?



## h.elizabeth96 (Apr 25, 2018)

I am trying to add more variety to my tort's diet and my vet gave me a list of greens, but it is a bit confusing and it includes some things I have seen people on these forums advise not to give. 

The list includes:
Arugula, Basil, Beet Greens, Bibb/Boston Lettuce, Bok Choy, Cilantro, Collards, Curly Endive, Dandelion Greens, Dill, Green Leaf Lettuce, Kale, Mustard Greens, Mustard Spinach, Parsley, Radicchio, Red Leaf Lettuce, Romaine, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Turnip Greens, Watercress.

What are your guys' thoughts on this? The list also has the calcium and oxalate amounts, but is not specific regarding what types of these greens to feed (for example, are all types of kale okay? even curly kale?) or when to feed only in moderation. He loves the dandelion greens, but the list says they are high in oxalates. Should dandelion greens be limited?


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## RosemaryDW (Apr 26, 2018)

I think they are all fine in a varied diet. Although if your tortoise eats basil or parsley, you should get some kind of prize!

The majority of these plants are in the brassica famly: the greens and lettuces the watercress and arugula; the choy, collards, and kale. Russians eat a lot of brassicas in the wild; they are okay.

Most of the others, including the lettuces are chicories. Also eaten in the wild but in far less domesticated (and tasty) versions. I would favor the sturdier ones: escarole or frisee in addition to radicchio and endive and dandelion but the others are okay in moderation.

Many people avoid spinach due to its high oxalate count, which can theoretically bind with calcium. I don’t personally worry too much about oxalates but my tortoise has an extremely varied diet. Easy enough to skip that one if you want, however.

Varied is the key. No plant is so good you’d want to feed only that all the time.


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## Tom (Apr 26, 2018)

Hello and welcome.

Everything on that list is fine, but I wouldn't feed any of that stuff unless I just couldn't find anything better. Store bought foods should be a last resort in my opinion. The best foods for a russian tortoise (The pic in your avatar…) are certain broadleaf weeds, leaves and flowers.

Store bought greens lack fiber, and some of them lack calcium or have a poor calcium to phosphorous ratio. When I feed store bought greens, I amend it with chopped grass, chopped and rehydrated grass hay, soaked ZooMed Grassland pellets, herbal hay, or something similar.

Here is a small starter list of good foods for your tortoise:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds: 
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food


And here is care info for your species too:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/


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## h.elizabeth96 (Apr 26, 2018)

RosemaryDW said:


> I think they are all fine in a varied diet. Although if your tortoise eats basil or parsley, you should get some kind of prize!
> 
> The majority of these plants are in the brassica famly: the greens and lettuces the watercress and arugula; the choy, collards, and kale. Russians eat a lot of brassicas in the wild; they are okay.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for your reply. Is the curly kale okay? I was afraid he would choke with the texture, but couldn't find any other kind of kale.


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## h.elizabeth96 (Apr 26, 2018)

Tom said:


> Hello and welcome.
> 
> Everything on that list is fine, but I wouldn't feed any of that stuff unless I just couldn't find anything better. Store bought foods should be a last resort in my opinion. The best foods for a russian tortoise (The pic in your avatar…) are certain broadleaf weeds, leaves and flowers.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much for this reply. I will try to incorporate more of these. He does love the dandelion weeds, clovers, and squash leaves.


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## RosemaryDW (Apr 26, 2018)

h.elizabeth96 said:


> Thanks so much for your reply. Is the curly kale okay? I was afraid he would choke with the texture, but couldn't find any other kind of kale.



It is very unlikely a Russian will choke on anything!  Their jaws are really tough.

Stomping and chewing on things actually gives him something to do during the day; it’s just fine. In the wild, nice soft lettuce doesn’t just walk up to the tortoise and present itself.


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## h.elizabeth96 (Apr 27, 2018)

RosemaryDW said:


> It is very unlikely a Russian will choke on anything!  Their jaws are really tough.
> 
> Stomping and chewing on things actually gives him something to do during the day; it’s just fine. In the wild, nice soft lettuce doesn’t just walk up to the tortoise and present itself.


Oh good! Thanks for letting me know!


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## chuck21570 (Oct 8, 2019)

Tom said:


> Hello and welcome.
> 
> Everything on that list is fine, but I wouldn't feed any of that stuff unless I just couldn't find anything better. Store bought foods should be a last resort in my opinion. The best foods for a russian tortoise (The pic in your avatar…) are certain broadleaf weeds, leaves and flowers.
> 
> ...



This is a great list Tom, and as always you are super helpful, but the question I have, especially on weeds, and to a lesser extent, leaves, is where do you get them? I wouldn’t know a good we’d from a bad weed in my yard, same with leaves, and I spend most of my time with various pesticides trying to kill weeds, which I assume automatically rules those weeds out to feed my Russian. So what is the best way to get these foods for them?


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## Tom (Oct 8, 2019)

chuck21570 said:


> This is a great list Tom, and as always you are super helpful, but the question I have, especially on weeds, and to a lesser extent, leaves, is where do you get them? I wouldn’t know a good we’d from a bad weed in my yard, same with leaves, and I spend most of my time with various pesticides trying to kill weeds, which I assume automatically rules those weeds out to feed my Russian. So what is the best way to get these foods for them?


Take some time to learn your local weeds. Take samples of the ones in your yard to your local plant nursery and ask for help IDing them. Prior to tortoise keeping I had no idea what any of the weeds or trees were either. Its really the best food for your tortoise, and its all free.

Next, stop using toxic chemicals all over your yard. That stuff is bad for you and your family, not just the weeds. Don't use any more, and you should be good to go by spring time.

You can also grow your own. Outdoors during the warmer months and indoors during winter, if needed.


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