Audrey27
Member
I have a Herman about 7 months old can I feed him cauliflower and broccoli as part of his diet
Herman diet
- Thread starter Audrey27
- Start date
Welcome to the forum Audrey! This is a great place to learn.
Cauliflower and broccoli aren’t good foods for your tortoise; he needs to be eating mostly broad leaved plants—dandelion is an example.
Here is a care sheet for Hermann’s; you can find it and other information in the section just for Hermann’s tortoises: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/. It’s a little long; you can find the section on foods near the bottom.
There are TONS of foods you can feed. If you are limited to grocery store food for now, here are some things to feed:
Good foods for tortoises are "chicories," types of lettuce that are likely to be on the far side of the more common floppy green heads of lettuce most people buy. Anything labeled as simply "chicory" is good, as are radiccio, frisee, escarole, and endive; you might even find something labeled as dandelions. If your grocery store carries the ReadyPac brand, the Santa Barbara mix is all chicories.
The leaves (just the leaves) of turnips and radishes are also good, as are carrot tops. Collards, mustard greens, bok choy, and other dark, leafy greens are okay as well.
You can find cactus, labeled nopales, at any hispanic grocery store.
You’ll have other options depending on where you live. Do you live in a city? The country? What state? If you let us know where you live, we can help you with better suggestions.
Cauliflower and broccoli aren’t good foods for your tortoise; he needs to be eating mostly broad leaved plants—dandelion is an example.
Here is a care sheet for Hermann’s; you can find it and other information in the section just for Hermann’s tortoises: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/. It’s a little long; you can find the section on foods near the bottom.
There are TONS of foods you can feed. If you are limited to grocery store food for now, here are some things to feed:
Good foods for tortoises are "chicories," types of lettuce that are likely to be on the far side of the more common floppy green heads of lettuce most people buy. Anything labeled as simply "chicory" is good, as are radiccio, frisee, escarole, and endive; you might even find something labeled as dandelions. If your grocery store carries the ReadyPac brand, the Santa Barbara mix is all chicories.
The leaves (just the leaves) of turnips and radishes are also good, as are carrot tops. Collards, mustard greens, bok choy, and other dark, leafy greens are okay as well.
You can find cactus, labeled nopales, at any hispanic grocery store.
You’ll have other options depending on where you live. Do you live in a city? The country? What state? If you let us know where you live, we can help you with better suggestions.
Hi Audrey you tort's diet should be a variety of weedy leafy greens.
That's variety over time rather than variety within each meal. If you buy, or pick, something for your tort use it up and then get something different next time. With larger volumes and a small tortoise you may need to incorporate the food into your diet too to use it up!
He can't digest sugars properly, they cause digestive and kidney problems, so fruit, tomato, bell pepper and carrot should be fed very sparingly and very occaisonally - if at all.
The best place to look up what's safe to feed your tort is The Tortoise Table Plant Database
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/
For example, a simple search there shows Cauliflower, Broccoli and all Cabbages to be "Do not feed"
On the other hand Brussels Sprouts, Pak Choi and Kale (also brassicas) are "Feed in Moderation" and can be fed from time to time as part of a varied diet.
That's variety over time rather than variety within each meal. If you buy, or pick, something for your tort use it up and then get something different next time. With larger volumes and a small tortoise you may need to incorporate the food into your diet too to use it up!
He can't digest sugars properly, they cause digestive and kidney problems, so fruit, tomato, bell pepper and carrot should be fed very sparingly and very occaisonally - if at all.
The best place to look up what's safe to feed your tort is The Tortoise Table Plant Database
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/
For example, a simple search there shows Cauliflower, Broccoli and all Cabbages to be "Do not feed"
On the other hand Brussels Sprouts, Pak Choi and Kale (also brassicas) are "Feed in Moderation" and can be fed from time to time as part of a varied diet.
I agree with what the previous two ladies have said. Broccoli and cauliflower are not "toxic", but that is not what your tortoise should be eating.
Skip the text on this thread and just scroll down to the list of foods for some suggestions:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
Skip the text on this thread and just scroll down to the list of foods for some suggestions:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/
Audrey27
Member
I do feed my tortoise leafy greens but he seems to love cauliflower I would only give him a small piece about once a fortnight do u think this would harm him
That amount in that time frame should not harm him.
