What else do tortoises eat?

[Sandy Courtney]

I do not have a tortoise but I grow and sell prickly pear cactus pads to someone who has a tortoise. She sent me some pictures of her tortoise eating my cactus pads and I just fell in love with the idea. The tortoise's name is Tuttle. So cute! I would love to hear of other things that tortoises eat.

 

[Sandy Courtney]

I do not have a tortoise but I grow and sell prickly pear cactus pads to someone who has a tortoise. She sent me some pictures of her tortoise eating my cactus pads and I just fell in love with the idea. The tortoise's name is Tuttle. So cute! I would love to hear of other things that tortoises eat.

Here is a picture of Tuttle...should have posted it with the other photo.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Sandy:

What else tortoises eat depends upon what type of tortoise they are. There are grass-eating tortoises, broad-leaf weed eating tortoises, fruit and carion-eating tortoises. They only occasionally will come across a cactus, so not many of them eat cactus on a regular basis.

 

[-EJ]

Every one of my tortoises eat almost everything placed in front of them. Those that are outdoors during the warm months blow me away at what they will eat.

Many new and experienced keepers screw up by feeding their tortoise what they think they should eat. This usually leads to diatary deficiencies. This is where many keepers have come up with the idea that you should feed as varied diet as possible and any plant material is fair game for any tortoise as long as it is part of a widely varied diet.

 

[Sandy Courtney]

I write articles for eHow.com and would love to write an article on the care and feeding of tortoises, so I will obviously need to read up a lot more. Thank you so much for the information so far. I have enjoyed seeing the images and habitats some of you have posted. Such a fun site.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Hey Sandy we appreciate your interest in tortoises...BUT...they are not like dogs and cats where the care is the same across the board. There are many different species and each species has it's own care sheet. Redfoots don't like high UVB and do need relatively high humidity. Sulcata need high UVB and medium humidity. Redfoots can eat protein ie...cat food worms, Gopherus agassizii can't/shouldn't have protein. Sulcata shouldn't have fruit, redfoots need fruit.
The list is immense and the difference in specific care and actually be the difference in life or death. Husbandry for chelonia is ever changing as research is easier now in the age of hi tech.
I think that what you are asking is almost impossible. You cannot write *an* article on the care and feeding of tortoises. In my opinion you would have to pick one species and write on that one.
This is Bob...

He loves strawberries...

Welcome to the forum. Please continue to ask questions and read the various threads here. The more you read the more you will realize what I am saying about one shoe does not fit all...

 

[-EJ]

With the right conditions and diet all tortoise can be kept the same with a few exceptions.

Properly researched... a general nutritional guide can easily be written. If the research is done well it can actually demonstrate that species specific care can be done away with in captive animals that are at least removed by one generation from the wild... again there are limited exceptions.

Oh... love the strawberries Bob is munching on. That's not a Redfoot... is it?????

Hey Sandy we appreciate your interest in tortoises...BUT...they are not like dogs and cats where the care is the same across the board. There are many different species and each species has it's own care sheet. Redfoots don't like high UVB and do need relatively high humidity. Sulcata need high UVB and medium humidity. Redfoots can eat protein ie...cat food worms, Gopherus agassizii can't/shouldn't have protein. Sulcata shouldn't have fruit, redfoots need fruit.
The list is immense and the difference in specific care and actually be the difference in life or death. Husbandry for chelonia is ever changing as research is easier now in the age of hi tech.
I think that what you are asking is almost impossible. You cannot write *an* article on the care and feeding of tortoises. In my opinion you would have to pick one species and write on that one.
This is Bob...

 

[Sandy Courtney]

I am astounded...I had no clue. Love the images of Bob and the strawberries! Is he a Red Foot?

I sure appreciate the education from everyone! I had thought about writing the article aimed at a young person who perhaps could not have a dog or cat due to space requirements and/or allergies. Obviously, I will need to read more on the forum threads as I have time.

What species would be a good starter for a young person, age 9 to 12?

Thanks so much everyone for your comments so far.

 

[-EJ]

If you go to other forums/lists... don't forget your armor... trying to discuss the topic of tortoise nutrition is the equivelent of swatting a hornets nest and just standing there.

The reasearch I suggest doing should be from the more technical books. Many of the newer ones have done the research you are talking about and have used the net and popular litterature as sources of information. Also... a daunting task... pick up a book on general nutrition but keep in mind that tortoises are cold blooded. This is a very important point that many seem to loose sight of.

One book I found very helpful is the Nutrition and Diet Therapy Reference Dictionary, R.T. Lagua and V. S. Claudio, Blackwell Publishing, 2004. Again, keep in mind the reference is written for people.

I am astounded...I had no clue. Love the images of Bob and the strawberries! Is he a Red Foot?

I sure appreciate the education from everyone! I had thought about writing the article aimed at a young person who perhaps could not have a dog or cat due to space requirements and/or allergies. Obviously, I will need to read more on the forum threads as I have time.

What species would be a good starter for a young person, age 9 to 12?

Thanks so much everyone for your comments so far.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I am astounded...I had no clue. Love the images of Bob and the strawberries! Is he a Red Foot?

I sure appreciate the education from everyone! I had thought about writing the article aimed at a young person who perhaps could not have a dog or cat due to space requirements and/or allergies. Obviously, I will need to read more on the forum threads as I have time.

What species would be a good starter for a young person, age 9 to 12?

Thanks so much everyone for your comments so far.

Bob is an 11 yr old Sulcata caught swiping strawberries...

 

[Sandy Courtney]

If you go to other forums/lists... don't forget your armor... trying to discuss the topic of tortoise nutrition is the equivelent of swatting a hornets nest and just standing there.

The reasearch I suggest doing should be from the more technical books. Many of the newer ones have done the research you are talking about and have used the net and popular litterature as sources of information. Also... a daunting task... pick up a book on general nutrition but keep in mind that tortoises are cold blooded. This is a very important point that many seem to loose sight of.

One book I found very helpful is the Nutrition and Diet Therapy Reference Dictionary, R.T. Lagua and V. S. Claudio, Blackwell Publishing, 2004. Again, keep in mind the reference is written for people.

I am astounded...I had no clue. Love the images of Bob and the strawberries! Is he a Red Foot?

I sure appreciate the education from everyone! I had thought about writing the article aimed at a young person who perhaps could not have a dog or cat due to space requirements and/or allergies. Obviously, I will need to read more on the forum threads as I have time.

What species would be a good starter for a young person, age 9 to 12?

Thanks so much everyone for your comments so far.

Thank you very much for the additional information. I had planed to write a very simple article that could be read and understood by a young person, say from age 9 to 12, who was interested in reading more and considering a tortoise. I am certainly a novice when it comes to these lovely creatures. I may need to rethink my plan to write something for the moment, since I don't want to pass along any wrong info.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

With the right conditions and diet all tortoise can be kept the same with a few exceptions.

Properly researched... a general nutritional guide can easily be written. If the research is done well it can actually demonstrate that species specific care can be done away with in captive animals that are at least removed by one generation from the wild... again there are limited exceptions.

Oh... love the strawberries Bob is munching on. That's not a Redfoot... is it?????

Hey Sandy we appreciate your interest in tortoises...BUT...they are not like dogs and cats where the care is the same across the board. There are many different species and each species has it's own care sheet. Redfoots don't like high UVB and do need relatively high humidity. Sulcata need high UVB and medium humidity. Redfoots can eat protein ie...cat food worms, Gopherus agassizii can't/shouldn't have protein. Sulcata can't have fruit, redfoots need fruit.
The list is immense and the difference in specific care and actually be the difference in life or death. Husbandry for chelonia is ever changing as research is easier now in the age of hi tech.
I think that what you are asking is almost impossible. You cannot write *an* article on the care and feeding of tortoises. In my opinion you would have to pick one species and write on that one.
This is Bob...

Yes Ed it is!!!

 

[-EJ]

So you would kinda be on the same level as the audience you are trying to reach.

You can do and you can keep it simple.

Check out some of the care sheets on the Reptiles web page. They are short and to the point. Read the different species accounts and you will see some basic similarities. These are the points that will keep the tortoise alive... that should be the first and basic task. Then as the keeper gets more into the hobby they can work on improvement but most simple guides focus on the basics.

...and... you're welcome.

Thank you very much for the additional information. I had planed to write a very simple article that could be read and understood by a young person, say from age 9 to 12, who was interested in reading more and considering a tortoise. I am certainly a novice when it comes to these lovely creatures. I may need to rethink my plan to write something for the moment, since I don't want to pass along any wrong info.

---

You gotta be careful with that... some newbie is going to see this post and run to the nearest petshop to get one of those odd looking 'cheap Redfoots'...

Yes Ed it is!!!

 

[terryo]

Well Maggie...you and Bob have done it again. No one can pick the "best" Bob picture, but those two certainly are at the top of the list.