What can my Russian tortoise Neville eat?

[emma ♥]

Hi Guys!

I bought my Russian tortoise in October last year, and I love him so much! I did lots and lots of research on this forum for information about looking after him as I wanted to make sure I was able to take the best care of him.

But now, I want to expand his diet further and I am getting too much conflicting information, which is confusing me! I don't want to harm him, so I am hoping that you guys can help me out.

At the moment, I am feeding him a mixture of Pumpkin, Rocket, Kale, Carrot peelings (very occasionally) and dandelion leaves, which he loves. He mainly eats the rocket and dandelion leaves to be honest.
I am wondering if there are other vegetables which I can feed him? For example, mushrooms, cauliflower - things like that? I know that lettuce is off limits, as that's no good for him. Also, what fruit (if any) am I allowed to give him? I know that fruit it very high in sugar, and some evidence suggests that you can feed fruit occasionally, some says not at all?

I'd really appreciate it if you could help me and give me some information.

Thanks everyone! x

 

[Killerrookie]

I feed my tortoise fruits once a year because they don't really need them. You can give them a fruit every month or two. Lettuce isn't bad for them it just has no nutritional value to it, I feed them it as a snack every week for variety. Now the pumpkin should be feed to them as often, and I would only feed them it once a year if I was you as a really special treat. Collard Greens,clovers,hibiscus,spinach rarely tho,and red lettuce, spineless cactus. If you have weeds in your yard I recommend feeding him them but make sure they are safe to give before feeding him and they are really good for tortoises. Hope I helped out some!!!
-Austin

 

[Jodie]

Russians primary diet should be broadleaf weeds. Fruit is like candy for a small child. I feed pumpkin as often as once a week. There are lots of flowers that are okay once in a while too. Roses, pansies, hollychock, snap dragons, primrose, daliahs.....

 

[emma ♥]

Hi Guys!

Thanks for replying to me, he does love the dandelion leaves. What others weeds would you suggest? I've never thought of flowers before, I shall have to get some of those for him to try!
With regards to vegetables, can they harm him? Things like broccoli and pepper? I've read so much about them being both good and bad!

Ta x

 

[Killerrookie]

Hi Guys!

Thanks for replying to me, he does love the dandelion leaves. What others weeds would you suggest? I've never thought of flowers before, I shall have to get some of those for him to try!
With regards to vegetables, can they harm him? Things like broccoli and pepper? I've read so much about them being both good and bad!

Ta x

Peppers are good for feeding.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Emma, and welcome to the Forum!

The best things for your Russian tortoise to eat are broad-leaf weeds like fillarree, prickly lettuce, clover, sow thistle, ice plant, coreopsis, chicory, yarrow, echinacea, rose of sharon, purslane - to name just a few.

 

[Tom]

What is best is a wide variety of broadleaf weeds. Mallow, filaree, goat head weed, hawks bit, wild mustard, sow thistle... the lists is endless. Spend some time learning about whatever weeds grow near you and then find chemical and pesticide free places to scrounge them from.

Fruit won't kill them in small amounts, but its also not "good" for them, so why feed it?

Grocery store vegetables lack the fiber and proper calcium ratio, so they need to be amended.