Do not feed your tortoises fruit!!

[ZEROPILOT]

Unless you have a Redfoot tortoise. (Including Cherryhead) A Yellowfoot tortoise or a Box Turtle.
Do not feed fruit.
It seems that almost every photo or video on the internet shows tortoises of different species chowing down on fruit. Including content by many people with THOUSANDS of followers.
Most Tortoises can not process sugars.
They'll eat fruit. Sure. And they like it. But it is very harmful to them. And can even cause parasite blooms inside of their digestive tracts.
Fruits are not on the diet. Get familiar with what is actually food for your species. And feed only items that are within those guidelines.
You're not being "nice" to your tortoise by feeding him or her a "treat" if it's something that is harmful to them.

 

[wellington]

I second this thread!

 

[Tom]

But but but... I only give it to him once in a while...

If its so bad that you can only do it once in a while, then why do it at all? Give them a healthy treat like a Hibiscus flower, dandelion, or a mushroom. Cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin, lavatera flowers... the list of good stuff is endless.

 

[Yossarian]

I am curious, particularly with temperate torts, there is a lot of wild fruit growing in temperate regions, I know from experience that if my greek finds an apple, or a blueberry or similar that has fallen from the plant/tree he eats them. I find it hard to believe that wild torts would not be feasting on some types of fruit during their season. We also feed cactus pads that have a fair amount of sugar in them, something like 5%. Is there research that confirms they cannot digest sugar or where does this guidance come from? I have of course looked for this info but this is not an easy topic to google as with many other tort related care issues.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Yep. Been in many "fights" over this topic. lol

 

[jsheffield]

I give my Redfoot and the Hingeback currently living with me some fruit as a part of a mixed diet, mostly papaya and mango, but sometimes some berries or banana, but none for the Russians or the Aldabra.

The Russians and Aldabra will get some hibiscus or dandelion flowers (and greens), a bit of butternut squash or pumpkin, and mushrooms as a minor part of their diet, but the vast majority is a mix of greens and weeds.

Jamie

 

[Wpagey]

I am curious, particularly with temperate torts, there is a lot of wild fruit growing in temperate regions, I know from experience that if my greek finds an apple, or a blueberry or similar that has fallen from the plant/tree he eats them. I find it hard to believe that wild torts would not be feasting on some types of fruit during their season. We also feed cactus pads that have a fair amount of sugar in them, something like 5%. Is there research that confirms they cannot digest sugar or where does this guidance come from? I have of course looked for this info but this is not an easy topic to google as with many other tort related care issues.

Nopal cactus only have about 1% sugar. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320293#nutrition

 

[Yossarian]

Nopal cactus only have about 1% sugar. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320293#nutrition

Thanks for the link, I was a little lazy and just looked at carbohydrates which is where I got the 5% ish number. I honestly dont know enough about how digestion works in torts to know whether they break complex carbs down into sugars or not but still appreciate the correction.

 

[turtlesteve]

This topic is complicated:

1. Fruits are not equal, and cucumbers/squash/pumpkins are fruit too - “high sugar” fruits are the issue. Spring grass is around 3-4% sugar by weight. So if we say 3-4% sugar is OK, pumpkin and squash and cucumber are good, but so are watermelon rind and tomato (which some people would balk at). And strawberries being only 5% ish sugar are much less bad than other fruits. If Ca to P is critical then all of these are “bad”. So which is it?

2. Grouping tortoises by diet is more complex. There seem to be two groups that are in the “no fruit” discussion. The first is grass eating tortoises (sulcata, astrochelys, leopards, stars, Aldabra, galops). The second group would include Testudo and desert tortoises and maybe a few others - tortoises that don’t eat grass but really don’t eat fruit either. Then beyond these groups you have species that eat sugars but not protein, or protein but not sugars, or both, etc.

 

[RosemaryDW]

I am curious, particularly with temperate torts, there is a lot of wild fruit growing in temperate regions, I know from experience that if my greek finds an apple, or a blueberry or similar that has fallen from the plant/tree he eats them. I find it hard to believe that wild torts would not be feasting on some types of fruit during their season. We also feed cactus pads that have a fair amount of sugar in them, something like 5%. Is there research that confirms they cannot digest sugar or where does this guidance come from? I have of course looked for this info but this is not an easy topic to google as with many other tort related care issues.

The testudo tortoises come from climates that are temperate but generally very dry and scrubby. While I'm not saying they never have access to fruit there isn't going to be a great deal of it, whatever it is will have much less sugar than a domesticated fruit, and the season will be quite short. Certainly they won't find a fallen apple.

The single time I gave my tortoise an excess of something with relatively high sugar (carrot) the digestive upset was swift and severe. Once was enough for me to say never again. As much as I value research into tortoise diet (there isn't enough of it), I don't need more experience to know she shouldn't have it.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

This topic is complicated:

1. Fruits are not equal, and cucumbers/squash/pumpkins are fruit too - “high sugar” fruits are the issue. Spring grass is around 3-4% sugar by weight. So if we say 3-4% sugar is OK, pumpkin and squash and cucumber are good, but so are watermelon rind and tomato (which some people would balk at). And strawberries being only 5% ish sugar are much less bad than other fruits. If Ca to P is critical then all of these are “bad”. So which is it?

2. Grouping tortoises by diet is more complex. There seem to be two groups that are in the “no fruit” discussion. The first is grass eating tortoises (sulcata, astrochelys, leopards, stars, Aldabra, galops). The second group would include Testudo and desert tortoises and maybe a few others - tortoises that don’t eat grass but really don’t eat fruit either. Then beyond these groups you have species that eat sugars but not protein, or protein but not sugars, or both, etc.

I can see that a Florida native tortoise. Such as our Gopherus population would very likely get an occasional fruit here and there. Simply because there are so many varieties growing here in the areas they are found.
But most of that is here because of human activity. And the GOPHERS probably didn't evolve to eat most of it.
No doubt many tortoises come across fruit. But is it ever healthy for them?
There is also a big difference in fruit and sugar content. A fig or a tomato is not the same as a banana or a pineapple. Etc.

 

[Yossarian]

The testudo tortoises come from climates that are temperate but generally very dry and scrubby. While I'm not saying they never have access to fruit there isn't going to be a great deal of it, whatever it is will have much less sugar than a domesticated fruit, and the season will be quite short. Certainly they won't find a fallen apple.

The single time I gave my tortoise an excess of something with relatively high sugar (carrot) the digestive upset was swift and severe. Once was enough for me to say never again. As much as I value research into tortoise diet (there isn't enough of it), I don't need more experience to know she shouldn't have it.

Apples have been cultivated in Greece going back a long time and wild apple trees are quite common on mountainsides, Testudo do range in these areas. Not sure why you singled that out. There are also a number of soft fruits that grow around Greece including wild strawberries, blackberries, figs, prickly pear fruits, etc. . . These would all be ripe and falling before brumation starts.

Understand I’m not disagreeing with the advice, I often tell people not to feed fruit as well, I can fully appreciate that somethings are good and some aren’t even if they are not toxic, this thread just got me thinking about what happens in the wild. I will caveat and say that I do agree with Tom that we are not trying to recreate the wild but to do better than that so don’t hate me for asking the questions haha.

Out of curiosity, what were the swift and severe consequences caused by carrot?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Apples have been cultivated in Greece going back a long time and wild apple trees are quite common on mountainsides, Testudo do range in these areas. Not sure why you singled that out. There are also a number of soft fruits that grow around Greece including wild strawberries, blackberries, figs, prickly pear fruits, etc. . . These would all be ripe and falling before brumation starts.

Understand I’m not disagreeing with the advice, I often tell people not to feed fruit as well, I can fully appreciate that somethings are good and some aren’t even if they are not toxic, this thread just got me thinking about what happens in the wild. I will caveat and say that I do agree with Tom that we are not trying to recreate the wild but to do better than that so don’t hate me for asking the questions haha.

Out of curiosity, what were the swift and severe consequences caused by carrot?

I agree with @Tom too, and it's kind of funny if you think about it.
If we duplicated nature, we'd have a five percent (or less) survival rate with our tortoises.

 

[g4mobile]

Unless you have a Redfoot tortoise. (Including Cherryhead) A Yellowfoot tortoise or a Box Turtle.
Do not feed fruit.
It seems that almost every photo or video on the internet shows tortoises of different species chowing down on fruit. Including content by many people with THOUSANDS of followers.
Most Tortoises can not process sugars.
They'll eat fruit. Sure. And they like it. But it is very harmful to them. And can even cause parasite blooms inside of their digestive tracts.
Fruits are not on the diet. Get familiar with what is actually food for your species. And feed only items that are within those guidelines.
You're not being "nice" to your tortoise by feeding him or her a "treat" if it's something that is harmful to them.

You forgot to mention Indotestudo. I am feeding my Elongated tortoise papaya a couple times each month. They hunt for fallen fruits and flowers in the wild and papaya is most likely a fruit they would eat in nature in Southeast Asia. I would never feed my Burmese Star any type of fruit.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

You forgot to mention Indotestudo. I am feeding my Elongated tortoise papaya a couple times each month. They hunt for fallen fruits and flowers in the wild and papaya is most likely a fruit they would eat in nature in Southeast Asia. I would never feed my Burmese Star any type of fruit.

Thank you.
I know absolutely nothing about that species

 

[motix568]

Unless you have a Redfoot tortoise. (Including Cherryhead) A Yellowfoot tortoise or a Box Turtle.
Do not feed fruit.
It seems that almost every photo or video on the internet shows tortoises of different species chowing down on fruit. Including content by many people with THOUSANDS of followers.
Most Tortoises can not process sugars.
They'll eat fruit. Sure. And they like it. But it is very harmful to them. And can even cause parasite blooms inside of their digestive tracts.
Fruits are not on the diet. Get familiar with what is actually food for your species. And feed only items that are within those guidelines.
You're not being "nice" to your tortoise by feeding him or her a "treat" if it's something that is harmful to them.

Not exactly. Depends . Is your Tortoise active? Outside, sedimentary?. My Sulcata is healthy and almost 15. He is outside for 4 months. Gets lots of Sun and all the grass he can eat. He NEVER drinks, so some fruits, like tomato, cucumber, little bit of apple etc , are his source for water. He doesn't live and never has lived in the African desert. He lives and has somewhat adapted to northeast US. Gut bacteria are also different than what his native home would be. I'm not saying tons of fruit, but don't let perfect "husbandry" take over common sense.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Not exactly. Depends . Is your Tortoise active? Outside, sedimentary?. My Sulcata is healthy and almost 15. He is outside for 4 months. Gets lots of Sun and all the grass he can eat. He NEVER drinks, so some fruits, like tomato, cucumber, little bit of apple etc , are his source for water. He doesn't live and never has lived in the African desert. He lives and has somewhat adapted to northeast US. Gut bacteria are also different than what his native home would be. I'm not saying tons of fruit, but don't let perfect "husbandry" take over common sense.

Sulcata cannot process sugars.
It really is just that simple.
It shouldn't be....And most importantly doesn't need to be fed.
One generation isn't enough to change a tortoises physiology or digestion system.

Sulcata should have access to water pools. They drink from them. Soak in them. And most want to stay in them all day long.
That water content from foods concept is decades old. It was wrong back then. Still is and it's unsettling to hear it bought up again after all of this time.
That amount of water is totally inadequate.

 

[Yvonne G]

Just watching the side of a sulcata's neck as he's gulping from the waterer should be enough to let you know wet food isn't nearly enough water for a sulcata. If you want to see him die an agonizing death because of kidney or bladder stones then go ahead and with hold water and just feed wet food.

 

[wellington]

Not exactly. Depends . Is your Tortoise active? Outside, sedimentary?. My Sulcata is healthy and almost 15. He is outside for 4 months. Gets lots of Sun and all the grass he can eat. He NEVER drinks, so some fruits, like tomato, cucumber, little bit of apple etc , are his source for water. He doesn't live and never has lived in the African desert. He lives and has somewhat adapted to northeast US. Gut bacteria are also different than what his native home would be. I'm not saying tons of fruit, but don't let perfect "husbandry" take over common sense.

You are slowly killing your tortoise by not giving him water to drink. They will drink water if it's given to them in a container they can properly drink from. The fruit is a constant gut bomb wreaking havoc on its gut!
Read Yvonnes post, number 18. She has had tortoises and yes Sulcatas for many more years than you. She has had to rescue many too.
Not giving an animal water, that needs water is animal abuse and neglect! Read the caresheet in our sulcata section and learn the proper way of caring for a sulcata.

 

[RosemaryDW]

One generation isn't enough to change a tortoises physiology or digestion system.

Can't agree enough!