A question about tortoise diet

[Keithtortoise]

hi guys. I'm new into this tortoise world. I'm just wondering what should feed to my torts? Should they go completely natural diet or a combination of commercial food and grass? Sorry about my English as I'm not a native English speaker. They are my mates bowl and luo

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

If you can get the right native diet, you don't need commercial, but most people can't replicate the variety of plants their species would have access to so supplementing with a well designed commercial food helps.

Is that an Aldabra you have with your leopard?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!

There's a list of foods for your leopard tortoise in a care sheet pinned at the top of our Leopard Tortoise section. But, I'm sorry to say, we don't have a diet list for the Aldabran tortoise.

I raised two Aldabran tortoises and I fed them the same as I fed the other tortoises, dark, leafy greens, weeds and grasses, and any edible plants that are available.

The most important thing for your two tortoises at this stage, is to stop using hay as a substrate and use something you can moisten. The baby tortoises require a high humidity in order for their shells to grow smoothly and strong.

 

[Tom]

Also, species should never be mixed and tortoises should not be housed in pairs.

These will help:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[Keithtortoise]

Thank you all for your advises. Basically, I'm gonna spread them into different enclosures. Also, which tortoise commercial food is best for my torts?

 

[Tom]

Thank you all for your advises. Basically, I'm gonna spread them into different enclosures. Also, which tortoise commercial food is best for my torts?

I prefer to feed mostly weeds, leaves, flowers and succulents. There are many suitable types.

There are two commercial diets that I find suitable for use. The ZooMed Grassland tortoise food is a good way to add some fiber to the typical grocery store greens. And I like to feed Mazuri tortoise chow as a supplement a couple of times a week to make sure there are no nutritional deficiencies in my tortoise's diet.

Here is a quick list of good stuff to feed any tortoise species:
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

 

[Keithtortoise]

Thanks Tom. I really appreciate your advise a lot and I'm happy to learn more from you good people here another pic of bowl