How much should I grow for my tortoise?

[FoggyStreets]

New tortoise owner, adopted a 2-3 year old tortoise from a friend who is no longer interested in her. She's a russian tortoise and I named her Tirtouga.

I did some research before I took her in and learned they should mainly eat flowers. I'm totally up for growing that for her. I'm going to go to the store this weekend to get some seeds. On my list, I've currently got california poppies, mexican asters, balloon flowers, and geranium, if they have it. Geranium seems to be out of stock, though, according to the website.
Is this enough for the season for her or should I get more variety? I also ordered a thing of calcium supplement, I don't know if she'll need it all the time but I thought it couldn't hurt and I wanted to be sure I was giving her everything she needs.

I don't think she's a very picky eater. It's dandelion season here now, so I've been picking her some of those and feeding them to her and she seems to have no problem chowing down on them.
I've learned she's more of a fan of stems and leaves than petals, but she eats the petals too eventually.

Oh, and while I'm here - I've had her for around 2 weeks and I've soaked her once per week. Is that enough? She's again about 3 years old. She has a dish with water in it in her enclosure but just in case that wasn't enough for her I've been taking her out and soaking her myself. I'm supposed to do that, right?

 

[wellington]

Yes on the soaking.
The calcium only a small pinch twice a week.
They should be fed broad leaf weeds.
Please read our care sheet as most info out there on the web is wrong.

 

[FoggyStreets]

Yes on the soaking.
The calcium only a small pinch twice a week.
They should be fed broad leaf weeds.
Please read our care sheet as most info out there on the web is wrong.

Ohh, I see, thank you so much for the information.
I just went through a few threads on diet. Would you say that The Tortoise Table website is a good source I can use to check what she should and shouldn't eat?
And are flowers and broadleaf weeds good together for variety or just broadleaf weeds?

 

[TammyJ]

Welcome to you and your tortoise!

 

[wellington]

Ohh, I see, thank you so much for the information.
I just went through a few threads on diet. Would you say that The Tortoise Table website is a good source I can use to check what she should and shouldn't eat?
And are flowers and broadleaf weeds good together for variety or just broadleaf weeds?

Yes that is a good site and yes flowers and weeds together as long as tortoise safe. As big a variety you can feed is good.

 

[SinLA]

also you can buy seed mixes just for Russians, like this: https://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=41&products_id=590

 

[Tom]

New tortoise owner, adopted a 2-3 year old tortoise from a friend who is no longer interested in her. She's a russian tortoise and I named her Tirtouga.

I did some research before I took her in and learned they should mainly eat flowers. I'm totally up for growing that for her. I'm going to go to the store this weekend to get some seeds. On my list, I've currently got california poppies, mexican asters, balloon flowers, and geranium, if they have it. Geranium seems to be out of stock, though, according to the website.
Is this enough for the season for her or should I get more variety? I also ordered a thing of calcium supplement, I don't know if she'll need it all the time but I thought it couldn't hurt and I wanted to be sure I was giving her everything she needs.

I don't think she's a very picky eater. It's dandelion season here now, so I've been picking her some of those and feeding them to her and she seems to have no problem chowing down on them.
I've learned she's more of a fan of stems and leaves than petals, but she eats the petals too eventually.

Oh, and while I'm here - I've had her for around 2 weeks and I've soaked her once per week. Is that enough? She's again about 3 years old. She has a dish with water in it in her enclosure but just in case that wasn't enough for her I've been taking her out and soaking her myself. I'm supposed to do that, right?

Hello and welcome. Start here, and look for the temperate species care sheet at the bottom: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/

The main diet should be a wide variety of broad leaf weeds. Flowers should only make up about 10% of the diet.

 

[FoggyStreets]

Welcome to you and your tortoise!

Thank you! I'm glad to have found such a knowledgeable and helpful bunch

 

[FoggyStreets]

Yes that is a good site and yes flowers and weeds together as long as tortoise safe. As big a variety you can feed is good.

Variety, gotcha! Going to look into those weeds. Thank you for the advice, Wellington!

 

[FoggyStreets]

also you can buy seed mixes just for Russians, like this: https://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=41&products_id=590

THIS IS AWESOME! Thank you for sharing this resource with me!

 

[FoggyStreets]

Hello and welcome. Start here, and look for the temperate species care sheet at the bottom: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/info-for-new-people-please-read-this-first.202363/

The main diet should be a wide variety of broad leaf weeds. Flowers should only make up about 10% of the diet.

Will read through that thread, thank you for showing me this Tom. Thanks for the info as well! Will only give her the dandelions as a treat from now on

 

[Maggie3fan]

Will read through that thread, thank you for showing me this Tom. Thanks for the info as well! Will only give her the dandelions as a treat from now on

NO! Don't stop the dandelions...dandelions are great food full of nutrition...while they are in season I feed daily...see...it makes for happy/healthy tortoises...

 

[FoggyStreets]

NO! Don't stop the dandelions...dandelions are great food full of nutrition...while they are in season I feed daily...see...it makes for happy/healthy tortoises...View attachment 356257View attachment 356258

Oh! Wonderful! I'll be sure to do the same then! She seems to really like them so that's good to hear You have really cute tortoises there!

 

[Maggie3fan]

Oh! Wonderful! I'll be sure to do the same then! She seems to really like them so that's good to hear You have really cute tortoises there!

you can also grow Rose of Sharon bushes...the leafs and flowers are another good source of nutrition and they hibernate thru the winter...lol
you can grow grapes...feed the leafs to the torts and the grapes to the box turtles..well, I do anyhow...lol
feeding tortoises can be loads of fun! This is what the bushes look like....all Spring and Summer

 

[FoggyStreets]

you can also grow Rose of Sharon bushes...the leafs and flowers are another good source of nutrition and they hibernate thru the winter...lolView attachment 356282
you can grow grapes...feed the leafs to the torts and the grapes to the box turtles..well, I do anyhow...lolView attachment 356283
feeding tortoises can be loads of fun! This is what the bushes look like....all Spring and SummerView attachment 356284

That looks lovely! Sounds like a fun project. Thank you for the suggestions!