When it comes to a tortoises diet things can be quite tricky due to a lack of information out there along with every tortoise species being different which can lead to misinformation. Many tortoise owners come to me with questions about how much to feed their tortoise, when to feed them and how often. I made this article to answer some of these questions so let’s find out.
How often should I feed my tortoise? It’s possible to overfeed your tortoise so it’s optimal to feed them around once a day, five times per week with two days off for their digestive systems to process food. As a rule of thumb you should feed them a plate of food (vegetables, plants and leaves) that’s around the size of their shell. This is the recommended amount so they get an adequate volume of food without the risk of you overfeeding them.
In this article we are going to cover what tortoises should eat everyday, how long can a tortoise go without food among some other topics we thought were important so continue reading!
Do Tortoises Eat Everyday?
Tortoises should eat everyday but if they miss a meal now and again then it’s completely fine, just as long as it isn’t a regular occurrence.
Baby tortoises on the other hand do need to eat once a day as this is the time when they need vital nutrients in order to facilitate proper growth.
If you notice your tortoise is going multiple days without eating then that’s a cause for concern. A loss of appetite in tortoises can be caused by a number of things such as :
Dehydration
Incorrect temperature or lighting
Hibernation
Illness
We have an entire post about a tortoise that isn’t eating which you can read here.
You should also avoid feeding your tortoise at night as they are known for having sensitive digestive systems and feeding them before they go to sleep will only cause digestion issues.
What Should A Tortoise Eat Daily?
A tortoises diet is completely species dependent, for example a Sulcata tortoise won’t eat the same as a Red-footed tortoise.
Tortoises are mainly herbivores meaning that a lot of the foods they eat should be vegetables, plants, flowers and leaves. They need a diet high in fiber and low in fat in order to thrive.
Let’s look into each species specific diet.
Russian tortoise – The optimal diet for Russian tortoises is one that replicates foods they would come across in nature. This means things like flowers, grasses, vegetation and small amounts of fruit are going to be perfect for your Russian tortoise.
Sulcata tortoise – Sulcata’s require a diet more full of grasses and hay – as they should make up around 90% of their whole diet. Flowers such as hibiscus, dandelions and rose petals can also be a staple in any Sulcata’s diet.
Red-footed tortoise – Most tortoises are herbivores while Red-footed tortoises are not as they can eat some insects. They are also equipped with strong enough digestive systems that allows them eat fruits like watermelon. pears, strawberries and raspberries. Fruit should only make up a small portion of their diet with the majority being dark leafy greens.
Hermann’s Tortoise – The bulk of a Hermann’s diet should also be leafy greens like spring greens, collard greens and watercress – think foods high in calcium and fiber, but low in fat. Weeds, plants and hay are also acceptable to give a Hermann’s tortoise.
There is no one set diet that a tortoise should adhere to but generally a diet that’s varied with plenty of calcium and other nutrients is going to benefit your tortoise.
How Long Can A Tortoise Go Without Food?
A healthy tortoise can go anywhere from 6 months to 3 years without food! This is assuming that they have access to fresh drinking water throughout. However just because a tortoise can go this time without food doesn’t mean they won’t experience any problems as a result.
Juvenile tortoises can go a lot less time without food as they need to be fed daily to grow properly. A baby tortoise could go around 2-3 weeks without food although it’s likely they would experience problems later in life like stunted growth.
If you’re going away for the weekend then don’t worry just leave your tortoise enough clean drinking water and they will be fine. As you read above it’s actually encouraged you have two days of the week when you don’t feed your tortoise in order to let their digestive system process all the food from the previous five days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Can Tortoises Not Eat?
As tortoises are quite sensitive animals there are a number of hazardous foods out there that they can’t and shouldn’t eat. For example some species of tortoise can’t eat fruit as it’s too high in sugar whereas species like the Red-footed tortoise can handle the high sugar content.
Avocado
Avocado makes for a toxic fruit that tortoise can’t eat – this includes all parts of the avocado so none of it is safe to give your reptile.
Tortoises can’t eat avocado for two reasons :
High in oxalic acid
It contains persin
Oxalic acid – This is a problem for tortoises as oxalic acid binds to calcium within the body hindering tortoises from making use of it.
Calcium is vital for a tortoises health as it’s responsible for bone and shell health. If they become deficient – which oxalic acid can do, then they are open to numerous problems such as metabolic bone disease and other issues.
It contains persin – Avocado also contains a toxin called persin that’s dangerous for a number of animals however it doesn’t seem to be a problem for humans.
Persin is found in all parts of the avocado and therefore it can’t be avoided. It can cause a build up of fluid around your tortoises major organs that could result in organ failure which makes it so dangerous.
Daisies
Daisies aren’t outright toxic which means if your tortoise eats a couple they likely won’t experience any negative side effects. However daisies contain a group of steroid glycosides called saponins which act as anti-nutrients that prevent tortoises from making good use of vital vitamins and nutrients.
Daffodils
Daffodils pose a danger to tortoises as they are attracted to the vibrant colors of the flower however it’s on the can’t eat list for them.
They contain lycorine which a toxic alkaloid and poisonous in large amounts. It can cause vomiting, convulsions and upset the entire digestive system so daffodils should be avoided completely.
What Do Tortoises Eat In The Wild?
The answer to this is completely species dependent. This is because there are many different tortoise species all living across the earth, which means their environment isn’t the same so in turn they all eat different foods.
In general tortoises will eat vegetables, fruits, plants, leaves and various different types of flowers. Most species of tortoise are herbivores however some will eat insects making them omnivores.
How Often Should I Feed My Tortoise – Summary
Ideally you should feed your tortoise once a day, with a plate full of vegetables, grasses and plants that’s around the same size of their shell. Tortoises don’t need to eat everyday as it’s not a requirement – some owners like to implement a 5:2 ratio meaning they feed their tortoise for five days and let them digest food during two days off with no food.
I hope this post has made you more informed about how to optimize your tortoises diet, please share it with other tortoise owners who could benefit from it!
