# Russian tortoise diet.



## nicoleandrocky (Feb 27, 2012)

Hi 
im sort of new to having tortoises i have had mine a while now, but i just want to make sure his diet is okay.

I have a russian tortoise named Rocky, he i believe is still a juvenile, around 4 inches. He is always begging me for food x) whenever he sees me he associates me with food!

I had a couple questions about his diet, i have read places online that have conflicting ideas.
I have been feeding him 95% greens and 5 percent fruit
Which is a piece of fruit around a quarter size and lettuce and greens.
Is this okay? What other things can i feed him?? PLEASE not trying to sound rude, but only answer if you know exactly what your talking about.
thanks in advance!


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## jwhite (Feb 28, 2012)

Nicole, and excellent site for diet info. is russiantortoise.org they have a great list of foods that are russian tortoise appropriate.

Jon


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## nicoleandrocky (Feb 28, 2012)

jwhite said:


> Nicole, and excellent site for diet info. is russiantortoise.org they have a great list of foods that are russian tortoise appropriate.
> 
> Jon



hi! thanks 
i just wasnt sure if it was right or not.
what do you usually feed your russians?


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## nicoleandrocky (Feb 28, 2012)

*Treats*

hi again everyone!
I was wondering what sort of treats i can feed my russian tortoise.
I know he likes carrots, strawberries and tomato. But what other things are there? Also where can i buy dandelion flowers so he can eat them? i dont ever see them in my backyard. One more thing, i heard online that russians can eat bread crust from wheat bread, bananas, roses and prickly pear cactus. if you write a good treat can you tell me where to get it? thanks!


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## Yvonne G (Feb 28, 2012)

Hi Nicole:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

Where 'bouts in Calif. are you (appx). I'm in Clovis. That's near Fresno.

I have my Russian tortoises outside when they're not hibernating. Growing in their pen is clover, plantain, a small amount of grass, fillaree, dichondra, sow thistle and some other weeds I don't know the names of. 

When I have to have one in the house for whatever reason, I feed them Spring mix and to that I add weeds that I pick from outside.

Just because "they" say you can offer fruit doesn't mean you HAVE to give them fruit. If you want to give a little piece of melon or strawberry as a special treat every once in a while, that's quite ok. I don't give fruit as part of a regular routine.


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## jwhite (Feb 28, 2012)

Nicole, mine get greens and different lettuces in the winter and in the warmer months they will get whatever I can grow. Dandelion, nasturtium, rose flowers, cactus ( year round about once a week or so), clover, etc. They will also get the greens and lettuces mixed in just not as much as in the winter. I never feed fruit, except cactus pears ( when they are in season) or vegetables.

Jon


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## GBtortoises (Feb 29, 2012)

nicoleandrocky said:


> Hi
> im sort of new to having tortoises i have had mine a while now, but i just want to make sure his diet is okay.
> 
> I have a russian tortoise named Rocky, he i believe is still a juvenile, around 4 inches. He is always begging me for food x) whenever he sees me he associates me with food!
> ...


The greens are fine, but don't feed the fruit. Fruit contains high concentrations of sugar and acids. Russian tortoises digestive systems are not designed to process fruit. A better choice would be 90-90% greens and the rest some vegetables instead of fruit.


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Feb 29, 2012)

My Russians' diet consists almost entirely of leafy greens: romaine lettuce, endive, escarole, dandelion greens, mustard greens, kale, spinach, clover, and plantago. Russian tortoises also eat a little bit of grass (more than other _Testudo_ species, but not as much as larger tortoises, such as leopard or sulcata tortoises). Less then once a month, I treat them with small amounts of diced carrots, tomato, or strawberry. Some tortoises also like to eat flowers, but so far mine don't seem crazy about them. I also give them proprietary tortoise food: Mazuri Tortoise Diet and ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food. Again, some tortoises love the stuff, but my guys only eat it sometimes.


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## nicoleandrocky (Mar 1, 2012)

Wow thanks you guys! I live in los angeles and i let him graze on the yard most of the time. i just wanted to be sure he was getting the right stuff. Thanks for listing everything you guys use. Really helped! thanks again! oxoxo


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## GeoTerraTestudo (Mar 1, 2012)

nicoleandrocky said:


> Wow thanks you guys! I live in los angeles and i let him graze on the yard most of the time. i just wanted to be sure he was getting the right stuff. Thanks for listing everything you guys use. Really helped! thanks again! oxoxo



Foraging outdoors is great, of course, but only as long as your lawn and garden are pesticide- and herbicide-free.


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## Kerryann (Mar 2, 2012)

I switch the greens in my bettuce's diet weekly. She really likes cilantro or tomato as treats. I also sometimes give her slivers of sweet peppers as treats. I give her only a pinky nail size of fruit because the vet said it doesn't take much with them to cause bacterial plumes??? I go to the local fruits and vegetable market and get her food, because grocery stores don't carry as much variety. It helps that my husband and I are vegetarians so I can work what we are feeding her into our food plan for the week. 
My baby had only had green leaf lettuce and red leaf lettuce when we got her, so I have fun finding new foods for her to try. I swear when she gets her first bite of something new her eyes about bug out of her head and then she comes after the food like a rabid animal. Last night as I was making our salads, I gave her one bite of spinach, one sliver of sweet pepper (two bites for her), and one sliver of kumato. I tend to give her treats in small scale but as I am making something. 
I also feed my dogs some of the veggies I use in cooking like beans and cucumbers and they love them too.


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## dmmj (Mar 2, 2012)

My 3 russiasn get a treat once a month, usually a carrot for beak maintenance, when my straw berry plants bloom they do get the straw berry tops ( again once a month). In case no one mentioned it no bread.


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## pam (Mar 2, 2012)

I have 6 Russians they like Spring mix, Romain lettuce, Red and green leaf lettuce, Endive, Escarole, Radicchio, Chicory, Turnip greens, Mustard greens, Kale, Collards and there favorite is Hibiscus Flowers and Mallo flowers. I never give them fruit.


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