What's the best food to feed my Russian tortoise?

[Tash]

I've currently been feeding my baby Russain cauliflower leaves and a small bit of carrot, I have only owned it since yesterday and am wondering what would be a good diet option?

 

[Gillian M]

A warm welcome to the forum!

 

[lismar79]

Broad leaf weeds are best. Plantain, chickory, dandelion greens, mallow, clover, mulberry leaves, and prickely pear cactus pads. Here is a good web site to help you find weeds in you yard:
http://m.thetortoisetable.org.uk/m/plants_19.asp
If you live in a colder winter area and need to buy food: endive, escrole, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, raddichio, romaine- a favorite of torts but not high in any nutritional value, squashes as a treat. Stay away from carrots too often, they are too high in sugar.

 

[Falcon70]

Welcome, there's plenty of threads and cares sheets on the forum to help you create a diet

 

[Gillian M]

I've currently been feeding my baby Russain cauliflower leaves and a small bit of carrot, I have only owned it since yesterday and am wondering what would be a good diet option?

There's a "forum" called:
"Tortoise Diet and Food" which can be of help to you. Good luck.

 

[Tom]

Check out these care sheets:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/

Then read this one:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Finally, here is a list of food suggestions:
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

 

[Tash]

Thanks for your suggestions! I've managed to get a varied diet planned.