What do you guys feed your tortoises?

[Crush da Baum]

I have been feeding my tortoise romaine or kale for a while and I just learned that is not good for him so I am trying to feed him other stuff. I can't really get enough variety from the store, I could get spring mix but not much else. I have tried feeding them moistened grassland tortoise food but they do not like it even when it is mix with Romain that I cut into little pieces. I live in the country and there are acres of pasture land with lots of weeds but I do not know which to feed them. What should I do

 

[ZenHerper]

Start slow...one new thing at a time. Same as learning anything new: it takes time.

Since tortoises can't afford to make mistakes about what they eat in the wild, they learn about new plants/foods very slowly (what species are you feeding? that makes a difference in some cases what to offer).

Use this resource: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

The packaged foods are a bit poor in flavor. Try getting some hibiscus or chamomile tea to soak the pellets in overnight (make the tea, mix some tea with some pellets, let it sit in the fridge overnight, warm it up a bit in the morning).

 

[Crush da Baum]

Thanks! I have some chamomile tea and I will try soaking it with that. I have two Russian tortoises. Could I just feed them that or do I need weeds and grasses?

 

[ZenHerper]

Variety is best...the packaged diets are made to use across a wide number of species, so they are not terribly specific to any one. But they do have an OK balance when other foods are not available or not accepted.

It is better than just romaine alone, for sure.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

There's 2 apps I use, "Picture This" and "PlantSnap". You take a picture of a plant and the app will identify it for you. Then you can cross reference the Tortoise Table website and see if it's ok for your species of tort to eat it. Both are usually fairly accurate but if you have any doubts just toss the plant and don't feed it.

 

[Crush da Baum]

I have plants snap, and I use it. I am still worried because a lot of the time the plants it pullup look very different.

 

[Crush da Baum]

Variety is best...the packaged diets are made to use across a wide number of species, so they are not terribly specific to any one. But they do have an OK balance when other foods are not available or not accepted.

It is better than just romaine alone, for sure.

Is spring mix ok? I could mix it with the grassland tortoise food.

 

[ZenHerper]

Spring mixes are fine (choose one without spinach if possible), but they are low in roughage. Totally good to mix with the higher-fiber pellets.

 

[Tom]

I have been feeding my tortoise romaine or kale for a while and I just learned that is not good for him so I am trying to feed him other stuff. I can't really get enough variety from the store, I could get spring mix but not much else. I have tried feeding them moistened grassland tortoise food but they do not like it even when it is mix with Romain that I cut into little pieces. I live in the country and there are acres of pasture land with lots of weeds but I do not know which to feed them. What should I do

Russian aren't grass eaters, so I wouldn't bother with grass. Do take the time to learn your local weeds. You can post pic here, use those apps, or take samples to a local nursery for help with ID. I'll bet there is a person at the local feed store that can ID the weeds too. Most people with horses and livestock know what to watch out for.

When introducing any new food, like the ZooMed Pellets (These are great for adding fiber and variety to grocery store greens), it take time. Sometimes months for the tortoise to become familiar with and accept the new food. Start with just a tiny little pice of one broken pellet. Hardly any. If you mix in too much they are likely to just walk away and not eat it.

Spring is upon us too, so the mulberry and grape vine leaves should be returning soon too.

It takes some time to learn about all the free tortoise food growing all around you, but its worth it in the end. All the free food your tortoise can eat and its within walking distance of your front door, and its much better for your tortoise than anything you'd buy at the store.

 

[Crush da Baum]

I have called 5 different Publixes near me and finally found one that has dandelion greens. I have heard they are good for tortoises. Would spring mix, dandelion greens, and his grassland tortoise food a good varied diet.

 

[ZenHerper]

I have called 5 different Publixes near me and finally found one that has dandelion greens. I have heard they are good for tortoises. Would spring mix, dandelion greens, and his grassland tortoise food a good varied diet.

Is this the packaged food you have:

Grassland Tortoise Food | Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.

zoomed.com

It is a bit more "grassy" than a Russian might be interested in. It is a good fiber and nutritent supplement until you can get him eating properly.

Dandelions are a good addition to the menu!

 

[ZenHerper]

... a good varied diet.

So, here's the thing:

You don't eat just three things. You probably don't eat the same 10-or-so things every day.

Other animals are no different from us. They go around eating all sorts of things because the nutrients needed to be healthy are found in all sorts of things. We can make all the fortified foods and vitamin tablets we want, but nothing really replaces good old fashioned variety.

It may take your guys a while to figure out what foods are safe and that they like, but just build in new things once they succeed at eating more variety.

 

[Crush da Baum]

I just have one problem, I can't really buy a lot of different foods and even if I did, they go bad before I can feed it all. What should I do?

 

[ZenHerper]

I just have one problem, I can't really buy a lot of different foods and even if I did, they go bad before I can feed it all. What should I do?

If you are buying fresh produce from the regular food store, learn how to prepare those greens for yourself! lol (Most of them, even dandelion, are just fine as salads.)

Again, they don't have to eat ALL of the foods every day. So buy a few healthful choices and rotate to some others next time you shop for them. Variety, not volume.

You don't eat every food in the grocery store every week (or even every month), but you eat some foods today, some tomorrow, etc.. Variety, balance.

Make sure that the person in charge of the household budget reads the Russian care sheets and has those items in mind for shopping days.


If you brought a human baby home, you would have to feed and care for it properly. You could not just feed it a tablespoon of yogurt for a meal. These wee animals are entirely dependent on you for their health and well being. You are responsible for every aspect of their care. When people find that they are in over their heads, they have to consider re-homing their pets.

We are all here to support you, but there are no short-cuts in tortoises.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

I just have one problem, I can't really buy a lot of different foods and even if I did, they go bad before I can feed it all. What should I do?

You can always take extra of whatever you've bought and lay it out on some cardboard and let it dry out. Then store it in Ziploc bags or mason jars. Grind it up and mix it into future meals. @Kapidolo Farms also has a great selection of dried foods.

 

[Tom]

I just have one problem, I can't really buy a lot of different foods and even if I did, they go bad before I can feed it all. What should I do?

Get a different food item or two every time you go to the store. Endive and escarole, should be the main two that you feed on a regular basis, but use the dandelion greens, spring mix, cilantro, collard, mustard, and turnip greens for variety. Adding in the soaked ZooMed pellets helps make each of these grocery store greens a better meal for your tortoise.

This is one more reason to take some time and learn the weeds, plants and trees around you. Once you know the right ones, you can just step outside, grab a handful, and feed your tortoise for the day. Nothing could be easier. Its free, its close by, no storage, instead of wilting and going bad, more just keeps growing. Mulberry trees are everywhere in the country. Grapvines too. Either hibiscus in warmer areas, or rose of Sharon in colder areas.

 

[ZenHerper]

Eat The Weeds website (I think Dean is located in Florida)...use the search function to look up a plant you want to learn to identify in the wild (use the Russian tort care sheet as a guide). He has great photos:

Chicory History - Eat The Weeds and other things, too

Array

www.eattheweeds.com

 

[Melissacoop]

I’ve ordered a bunch of seeds online and planted about a dozen different weeds and grass and dandelion. That way I can feed a variety to mine without having to buy anything that goes bad in a few days. ?

 

[ZenHerper]

Weed seeds do very well in container gardens.

 

[Yvonne G]

I woke up this a.m. with this on my mind:

I've been worried about what other shoppers are thinking when they see me in the check out line with my cart full to over flowing with produce, so this a.m. when I woke up I was thinking I'd buy half the produce I normally buy, then I'd stop off at the feed store on the way home and get a bale of orchard grass hay.

I'll put a couple flakes of the hay in the clean wheelbarrow, then cover it with water. I'll also put half a bucket of Mazuri into a five gallon bucket and cover that with water.

then I'll put a nice pile of hay on each species' feeding station and top it with a big scoop of Mazuri.

I'll alternate every other day fresh greens then the hay mixture.

Depending upon how well that's accepted, I may even mix in some fresh green into the hay/mazuri mixture.