Food Problem for Testudo

[BrunoTheTortoise]

Hi, I have a testudo tortoise (not a baby). He's been really into eating carrots, but I read that carrots aren't good for tortoises. So, since I read a tortoise's diet should be all green herbs,I started getting him into cabbage and baby spinach.However, now I'm reading THOSE are also bad for tortoises. I'm completely confused now. What's good for tortoises and what isn't?

 

[Minority2]

Captive tortoises can only eat what owners/keepers offer them. They're going to keep eating it even if the particular foods offered are slowly harming them. Similar to how a dog's not going to stop themselves from eating large amounts of dark chocolate if it is being offered by their owners. It is the owner's job to provide a suitable diet. That in itself is the best thing you can do for your tortoise. Treats aren't needed.

Taken from the Greek section of the forums:
Food
Greek tortoises spend much of their time gazing on edible landscape. For this reason, it is an excellent and healthy idea to offer weeds such as Dandelion, clover, plantain, hawksbit, cat's ear, wild strawberry, and thistle. When these items are not available like during the winter months, they can be replaced by dried, bagged organic herbs. These can be found online. Store bought greens like collards, mustards, kale and turnip can be offered sparingly. Commercial diets such as Mazuri are excellent for helping the tortoises maintain good weight but again should be offered only in moderation. Calcium supplements in the form of cuttle-bone are wonderful additions to their diet. The tortoises will gladly nibble on them as they feel the need and take in appropriate amounts.

A more recent post from JoesMum:

Greeks don’t need grass as part of their diet unlike Sulcatas and Leopards

Mine ingested grass while grazing the weeds in the lawn, and it is clearly visible in poop when it is eaten, but it doesn’t need to be fed.

Just like you, your tort needs variety in its diet. There isn’t a “best”. All the things on Tom’s list make good tort food, and you feed as wide a range as possible. The season and your location will affect what is available.

It doesn’t need to be variety at a meal or over a day. Variety over a few weeks is just fine.

Look up what grows around you and what you can buy on The Tortoise Table Plant Database for suitability. Post photos in the Plant ID forum if you need us to identify a plant for you.

https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

This online database explains why something is or isn’t suitable and says whether it can be fed freely, fed in moderation, fed occasionally or must not be fed.

Here’s Tom’s list again:
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...
Young 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

 

[JoesMum]

Minority2 quoted a post of mine which explains pretty much everything I was going to say, so please do read it.

Write a list of the greens you can buy in the grocery store and those that grow around you and then search The Tortoise Table Plant Database for their suitability to feed.

The Testudo need a diet of weedy and leafy greens. They can't digest sugars properly, it causes digestive and kidney problems, so sweet foods like fruit, carrot, bell pepper and tomato should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally, if at all.

 

[BrunoTheTortoise]

Minority2 quoted a post of mine which explains pretty much everything I was going to say, so please do read it.

Write a list of the greens you can buy in the grocery store and those that grow around you and then search The Tortoise Table Plant Database for their suitability to feed.

The Testudo need a diet of weedy and leafy greens. They can't digest sugars properly, it causes digestive and kidney problems, so sweet foods like fruit, carrot, bell pepper and tomato should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally, if at all.

Ah, ok. Thank you!

 

[BrunoTheTortoise]

Captive tortoises can only eat what owners/keepers offer them. They're going to keep eating it even if the particular foods offered are slowly harming them. Similar to how a dog's not going to stop themselves from eating large amounts of dark chocolate if it is being offered by their owners. It is the owner's job to provide a suitable diet. That in itself is the best thing you can do for your tortoise. Treats aren't needed.

Taken from the Greek section of the forums:
Food
Greek tortoises spend much of their time gazing on edible landscape. For this reason, it is an excellent and healthy idea to offer weeds such as Dandelion, clover, plantain, hawksbit, cat's ear, wild strawberry, and thistle. When these items are not available like during the winter months, they can be replaced by dried, bagged organic herbs. These can be found online. Store bought greens like collards, mustards, kale and turnip can be offered sparingly. Commercial diets such as Mazuri are excellent for helping the tortoises maintain good weight but again should be offered only in moderation. Calcium supplements in the form of cuttle-bone are wonderful additions to their diet. The tortoises will gladly nibble on them as they feel the need and take in appropriate amounts.

A more recent post from JoesMum:

Thank you for the detailed explanation!

 

[Tom]

Here is a list of good stuff:
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...
Young 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

 

[BrunoTheTortoise]

Here is a list of good stuff:
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...
Young 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

This reply is amazing! Thank you for the elaboration!