Tortoise Police
Member
Hi I'm Cookie. I might get a tortoise. A small one. I want to know what they eat? Can someone help me please?
What do tortoises eat?
- Thread starter Tortoise Police
- Start date
Hello Cookie
Different species eat different foods.
Testudo (Russians, Greeks, Hermann's) need a variety of weedy and leafy greens. They can't digest sugars properly, it causes digestive and kidney problems, so sweet foods like tomato, fruit, bell pepper and carrot should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally if at all. Lettuce is very low in fibre and nutrients and should not be the main part of the diet.
Red and yellow footed tortoises are omnivores and can eat fruit as well as the weedy greens and they also need protein occasionally such as cooked egg or meat.
The care of the species varies hugely too... And it isn't ever as simple as a tub, a tortoise and some food. The Testudo need warmth and basking heat by day and complete darkness with slightly lower temperatures by day. Red and yellow foots are a forest species that need a steady warm temperature day and night, but they don't need a basking lamp. All species need UVB light. Even the smallest species need lots of space - a minimum of 8'x4' floor area - which can be a challenge. You can expect a tortoise to live for at least 50 years with proper care, so you need to think ahead on whether you are likely to travel or go to college for example as tortoises are not portable pets.
There is a lot of outdated, contradictory and misleading information out on the internet and in books and, sadly, from some breeders and vets too. You have come to the right place. Our species experts have written care sheets to help people avoid expensive mistakes and working hard to get the right information out there.
I suggest you read the following carefully so you understand what caring for a tortoise properly requires.
Beginner Mistakes
https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
Russian Tortoise Care (as an example for Testudo)
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
Baby Testudo Care (if you decide to buy a very young animal)
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/b...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
Different species eat different foods.
Testudo (Russians, Greeks, Hermann's) need a variety of weedy and leafy greens. They can't digest sugars properly, it causes digestive and kidney problems, so sweet foods like tomato, fruit, bell pepper and carrot should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally if at all. Lettuce is very low in fibre and nutrients and should not be the main part of the diet.
Red and yellow footed tortoises are omnivores and can eat fruit as well as the weedy greens and they also need protein occasionally such as cooked egg or meat.
The care of the species varies hugely too... And it isn't ever as simple as a tub, a tortoise and some food. The Testudo need warmth and basking heat by day and complete darkness with slightly lower temperatures by day. Red and yellow foots are a forest species that need a steady warm temperature day and night, but they don't need a basking lamp. All species need UVB light. Even the smallest species need lots of space - a minimum of 8'x4' floor area - which can be a challenge. You can expect a tortoise to live for at least 50 years with proper care, so you need to think ahead on whether you are likely to travel or go to college for example as tortoises are not portable pets.
There is a lot of outdated, contradictory and misleading information out on the internet and in books and, sadly, from some breeders and vets too. You have come to the right place. Our species experts have written care sheets to help people avoid expensive mistakes and working hard to get the right information out there.
I suggest you read the following carefully so you understand what caring for a tortoise properly requires.
Beginner Mistakes
https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
Russian Tortoise Care (as an example for Testudo)
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
Baby Testudo Care (if you decide to buy a very young animal)
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/b...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
Hello and welcome Cookie. Fantastic advice from JoesMum.
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- Apr 3, 2013
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Hi Cookie
Tortoise Police
Member
Thanks JoesMum! Shoutout for JoesMom
tinytortoisetim
New Member
the darker the food is the better because it will provide more calcium.
tinytortoisetim
New Member
I would totally recomend the sulcata tortoise. (mines named tim!)
Sulcatas are not small like they mentioned they wanted.
Completely agree with wellington. The OP definitely doesn’t want a tort capable if growing very rapidly into a 100lb+ bulldozer very quickly. Sulcatas are not recommended in this case
