(Updated 01/14/13)
This list is quite long. It covers the desert dwelling tortoises like the California DT, Greek, Hermanni and Russians. The Ratios are the same for desert dwelling Torts and of course some of the foods are harder to come by and some I leave out all together. It is just a nice list to pick from and change up their foods as I often am eating the same things I have gotten for them.
This list is compiled from several different sources which I have stated. If I have forgotten to list any source it was not intentional and if you PM me I will correct it. If you have plants you know can be added to this list please PM me and I will do so.
Here it is :
What to feed: Grazing on grasses and natural plants is the best nutrition for tortoises.
Feed 85% Please understand NO one food should be fed 85% of the time. This list is so that you can choose different items and these items should be fed most. (A variety of the listed Greens should be fed 85% of the time, not just one of the greens) Just like your plate should have 1/2 of it in veg. 1/4 in meat and 1/4 in carb (like potato) But no one would want to eat the same thing on that plate every day nor would it be healthy for them.
should be leafy greens listed from the highest nutritional level to least, based on calcium and vitamin levels. These are foods easily obtained from your grocery store and often have had chemicals used on them. Wash well before feeding. Or grow your own. Calcium supplements should be used 2-3 times weekly for female tortoises during egg season.
Opuntia (prickly pear cactus)
Mustard greens
**Swiss Chard
Timothy Hay
** spinach
Nappa cabbage
Grape leaves (NOT grape ivy)
Endive
Bok Choy
Collard greens
Escarole
Turnip Greens
**Dandelion greens
Desert Mallow
Broccoli Rabe (leaves)
*Kale
*Feed less frequently: potential goiter occurrences with excess.
**feed less frequently: contains calcium oxalates which inhibit absorption of calcium
Feed 10%
Fruit/Flowers-- All fruits must be seeded first to prevent intestinal problem and toxicity. Because they are flavorful, tortoises can become addicted to fruits and flowers.
Rose Petals
Geraniums
Pansies
Berries of all kinds
Dandelion
Squashblossoms
Hibiscus (flowers & leaves)
Hibiscus acetosella
Nasturtium-(leaves & flowers)
Mallow
Rose mallow
Peaches
Pears
apples
Tomatoes
plumbs
Give occasionally-moderate nutritional value
Sweet Potato (not the leaves of any potato they are toxic)
Squash (includes Pumpkin- has worming effect)
Carrots
melon
Low Quality-should be avoided
Cabbage (red and green)
Celery
corn (high sugar content)
Cucumber
beansprouts
Peas
Iceberg lettuce (almost no nutritional value- contains high amount of water)
Less than 5% Protein
Too much protein has been linked to severe shell deformities and fatty liver disease. In the past animal protein sources such as dog food have been recommended but protein should be supplied as a plant based source. Any legume (bean) is a source of protein and should be limited to 5% or less of the total diet. Tortoises that are allowed to graze and get a varied diet of greens will get adequate amounts of plant protein without supplementing. Yes Alfalfa carries a large quantity of plant protein (about 15% or more per serving).
Comment; The advantage of commercial diets is that they are easier to use than preparing a balanced salad several times a week. The disadvantage is that in spite of the claims that the commercial diets are complete and balanced, they may not be so. The ingredients are items that a tortoise in the wild would never have access to. Symptoms from eating an unbalanced diet may take years to develop.
Natural Sunlight is an important factor in the process of metabolizing calcium, Vitamin A and Vitamin D. Reptiles including tortoises can not survive without it.
Reference: Bulletin of the ASSOCIATION OF REPTILLIAN AND AMPHIBIAN VETENERARIANS Volume 4, Number 1, 1994 pg. 8-11
Edible Landscaping for Tortoises: If a plant is marked as Native it is Native to CA
Abelia (Abilia grandiflora)
African daisy (Arctotis, Dimorphotheca, Osteospermum)
Agave (agave attenuate)
Aloe and Jade Plant (Aloe species and crassula argentea)
Aquatic plants (duckweed, cats tongue, etc)
Austin Griffiths manzanita (Arctostaphylos “Austin Griffiths’) Native plant
Baby Tears (soleirolia soleirolii)
Banana Yucca(Yucca baccata) native
Bindweeds (convolvulus & calystegia spp)
Bittercress (cadamine hisuta & flezuosa)
Buckwheat (Eriogonum spp) native plants Blue Hibiscus (Alyogyne huegelii)
Callandra (Calliandra califorinia)
California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)
California Poppy (Eschscholzia California –Mahogany Red & mixed colors) native plants
California oat grass (Danthonia californica var. californica) native plant
California Tree Mallo (Lavatern assurgentiflora)
carnations
Chaparral Yucca (Yucca whipplei ssp) native plant
Chia (Salvia columbariae)
Chicory (Cichorum intybus)
Clover
Common vetch (Vicia sativa)
Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia Indica)
Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentate)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinate) native plant
Daylily (Hemerocallis hybrids) (NOT Japanese day lily)
Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens)
Desert or Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigu)
Desert Dandelion (Malacothriz glabrata)
Desert Poppy (Eschscholzia caespitosa)
Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis Burgandy)
Elephant food (Portulacaria afra) (Not Elephant Ear (Colocasia) which is toxic)
English daisy ( Bellisperennis)
Fuchsia (Epilobium spp) native plants
Gazania (Gazania spicies)
Geranium (Pelargonium species)
Giant Feather Grass (stipa gigantean)
Goldan Aster (Heterotheca sessiliflora ssp.bolanderi) native plant
Hollyhocky (leaves and flower)
Honeysuckle (lonicera subspicata) native
Indian Mallow (abutilon palmeri) Native plant
Leafy-stemmed coreopsis (Coreopsis calliopsidea)
Mesclun (Mixed edible greens)
Mexican Evening Primrose (Oenothera berlandieri)
Mexican Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeate)
Mojave aster (Xylorhiza tortifolia)
Mulberry Tree (Morus alba; M. nigra)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Native Moss Rose (Portulaca gradiflora)
Nettles (Lamium)
Night-blooming Cereus (Cereus peruvianus)
Nipplewort (Lapsana communis)
Owl Clover (Orthocarpus purpuracens)
Perennial Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Petunia (Petunia hybrida)
Pinks and carnations (Dianhus spiceies)
Plantains (Plantago major, media &lanceotata)
Pomegranate (Punica grnatum)
Prickly Pear (Opuntia species)
Rose (Rosa species)
Shaw agave (Agave shawii) native plant
Sea Dahlia (Coreopsis maritime) native plant
Sea Pink (Armeria maritima)
sedum (stonecrop)
Siskiyou Blue Fescue (Festuca Siskiyou Blue) Native plants
Spider plant (Chloraphytum)
Stream violet (Viola glabella) Native
Thistle Sage (Salvia carduacea)
Thyme (Thymus species)
Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa sinensis)
Wandering Jew (Tradescantia)
Watercress
Western dog violet (Viola adunca) Native
Wild Rose (Rosa california)
Yucca (Hesperoyucca) Native Plant
Zinnia
Zucchini squash (Cucurbita species)
Edible Grasses;
Alfalfa (Lucerne - be careful, rather high in protein unless dry)
Barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli)
Beesgras (Urochloa pantcoides)
Buffalo grass (Stenotaphrum secondatum)
Bushman grass (Schmidtia kalahariensis)
Carrot grass (Tragus racemosus)
Couch grass (Cynodon dactylon)
Crab finger grass (Digitaria sanguinalis)
Dallas grass (Paspalum dilatatum)
Darnel rye grass (Lolium temulentum)
Dew grass (Eragrostis pseudo-obtusa)
Dropseed grass (Sporobolus africanus)
Eastern Province vlei grass (Eragrostis lehmanniana)
Fescue
Kikiyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum)
Mouse barley grass (Hordeum murinum)
St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum)
Swazi grass (Digitaria swazilandensis)
Veld grass (Ehrhartacalycina)
Wintergrass (Poa annua)
Non-Poisonous Plants:
African Daisy
African Violet
Asparagus Fern
Bougainvillea
Chinese Evergreen
Christmas Cactus
Chrysanthemum
Coleus
Corn Plant
Cholla Catus
Cape Myrtle
Croton
Figs
Gardenia
Geranium Hearts
Heavenly Bamboo
Hens and chicks
Hibiscus
Ice Plant
Impatients
Jade Plant
Marigold
Mesquite
Mexican Flameleaf
Mother-in –Law Tongue
Natal Plum
Palm
Palo Verde
Pansy Peperomia
Paper Flower
Pricly Pear
Purple velvet Plant
Pyracantha
Rose
Salvia
Schefflera
Snake Plant
Snapdragon
Spider Plant
Sword Fern/Boston Fern
Wandering Jew
Yucca
Zinnia
More infor can be found here;
From Http:// www.tlady.clara.net/TortGuide/Diet.htm
http://tortnet.darchorizons.com/nutrition.html has a great list of Nutritional Considerations for Grassland, Arid, and Mediterranean Tortoises
Added an information site for Malvaceae with pics http://www.malvaceae.info/Genera/gallery.html
Acknowledgments:
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Feeding_FAQ.htm
http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/nutrientanalysis.htm
http://www.turtlecafe.com/
http://www.sdturtle.org
http://www.tortoise.org/
http://www.swanimalhospital.net/html/veggie_info.html
http://africantortoise.com/diet.htm
This list is quite long. It covers the desert dwelling tortoises like the California DT, Greek, Hermanni and Russians. The Ratios are the same for desert dwelling Torts and of course some of the foods are harder to come by and some I leave out all together. It is just a nice list to pick from and change up their foods as I often am eating the same things I have gotten for them.
This list is compiled from several different sources which I have stated. If I have forgotten to list any source it was not intentional and if you PM me I will correct it. If you have plants you know can be added to this list please PM me and I will do so.
Here it is :
What to feed: Grazing on grasses and natural plants is the best nutrition for tortoises.
Feed 85% Please understand NO one food should be fed 85% of the time. This list is so that you can choose different items and these items should be fed most. (A variety of the listed Greens should be fed 85% of the time, not just one of the greens) Just like your plate should have 1/2 of it in veg. 1/4 in meat and 1/4 in carb (like potato) But no one would want to eat the same thing on that plate every day nor would it be healthy for them.
should be leafy greens listed from the highest nutritional level to least, based on calcium and vitamin levels. These are foods easily obtained from your grocery store and often have had chemicals used on them. Wash well before feeding. Or grow your own. Calcium supplements should be used 2-3 times weekly for female tortoises during egg season.
Opuntia (prickly pear cactus)
Mustard greens
**Swiss Chard
Timothy Hay
** spinach
Nappa cabbage
Grape leaves (NOT grape ivy)
Endive
Bok Choy
Collard greens
Escarole
Turnip Greens
**Dandelion greens
Desert Mallow
Broccoli Rabe (leaves)
*Kale
*Feed less frequently: potential goiter occurrences with excess.
**feed less frequently: contains calcium oxalates which inhibit absorption of calcium
Feed 10%
Fruit/Flowers-- All fruits must be seeded first to prevent intestinal problem and toxicity. Because they are flavorful, tortoises can become addicted to fruits and flowers.
Rose Petals
Geraniums
Pansies
Berries of all kinds
Dandelion
Squashblossoms
Hibiscus (flowers & leaves)
Hibiscus acetosella
Nasturtium-(leaves & flowers)
Mallow
Rose mallow
Peaches
Pears
apples
Tomatoes
plumbs
Give occasionally-moderate nutritional value
Sweet Potato (not the leaves of any potato they are toxic)
Squash (includes Pumpkin- has worming effect)
Carrots
melon
Low Quality-should be avoided
Cabbage (red and green)
Celery
corn (high sugar content)
Cucumber
beansprouts
Peas
Iceberg lettuce (almost no nutritional value- contains high amount of water)
Less than 5% Protein
Too much protein has been linked to severe shell deformities and fatty liver disease. In the past animal protein sources such as dog food have been recommended but protein should be supplied as a plant based source. Any legume (bean) is a source of protein and should be limited to 5% or less of the total diet. Tortoises that are allowed to graze and get a varied diet of greens will get adequate amounts of plant protein without supplementing. Yes Alfalfa carries a large quantity of plant protein (about 15% or more per serving).
Comment; The advantage of commercial diets is that they are easier to use than preparing a balanced salad several times a week. The disadvantage is that in spite of the claims that the commercial diets are complete and balanced, they may not be so. The ingredients are items that a tortoise in the wild would never have access to. Symptoms from eating an unbalanced diet may take years to develop.
Natural Sunlight is an important factor in the process of metabolizing calcium, Vitamin A and Vitamin D. Reptiles including tortoises can not survive without it.
Reference: Bulletin of the ASSOCIATION OF REPTILLIAN AND AMPHIBIAN VETENERARIANS Volume 4, Number 1, 1994 pg. 8-11
Edible Landscaping for Tortoises: If a plant is marked as Native it is Native to CA
Abelia (Abilia grandiflora)
African daisy (Arctotis, Dimorphotheca, Osteospermum)
Agave (agave attenuate)
Aloe and Jade Plant (Aloe species and crassula argentea)
Aquatic plants (duckweed, cats tongue, etc)
Austin Griffiths manzanita (Arctostaphylos “Austin Griffiths’) Native plant
Baby Tears (soleirolia soleirolii)
Banana Yucca(Yucca baccata) native
Bindweeds (convolvulus & calystegia spp)
Bittercress (cadamine hisuta & flezuosa)
Buckwheat (Eriogonum spp) native plants Blue Hibiscus (Alyogyne huegelii)
Callandra (Calliandra califorinia)
California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)
California Poppy (Eschscholzia California –Mahogany Red & mixed colors) native plants
California oat grass (Danthonia californica var. californica) native plant
California Tree Mallo (Lavatern assurgentiflora)
carnations
Chaparral Yucca (Yucca whipplei ssp) native plant
Chia (Salvia columbariae)
Chicory (Cichorum intybus)
Clover
Common vetch (Vicia sativa)
Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia Indica)
Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentate)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinate) native plant
Daylily (Hemerocallis hybrids) (NOT Japanese day lily)
Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens)
Desert or Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigu)
Desert Dandelion (Malacothriz glabrata)
Desert Poppy (Eschscholzia caespitosa)
Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis Burgandy)
Elephant food (Portulacaria afra) (Not Elephant Ear (Colocasia) which is toxic)
English daisy ( Bellisperennis)
Fuchsia (Epilobium spp) native plants
Gazania (Gazania spicies)
Geranium (Pelargonium species)
Giant Feather Grass (stipa gigantean)
Goldan Aster (Heterotheca sessiliflora ssp.bolanderi) native plant
Hollyhocky (leaves and flower)
Honeysuckle (lonicera subspicata) native
Indian Mallow (abutilon palmeri) Native plant
Leafy-stemmed coreopsis (Coreopsis calliopsidea)
Mesclun (Mixed edible greens)
Mexican Evening Primrose (Oenothera berlandieri)
Mexican Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeate)
Mojave aster (Xylorhiza tortifolia)
Mulberry Tree (Morus alba; M. nigra)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Native Moss Rose (Portulaca gradiflora)
Nettles (Lamium)
Night-blooming Cereus (Cereus peruvianus)
Nipplewort (Lapsana communis)
Owl Clover (Orthocarpus purpuracens)
Perennial Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Petunia (Petunia hybrida)
Pinks and carnations (Dianhus spiceies)
Plantains (Plantago major, media &lanceotata)
Pomegranate (Punica grnatum)
Prickly Pear (Opuntia species)
Rose (Rosa species)
Shaw agave (Agave shawii) native plant
Sea Dahlia (Coreopsis maritime) native plant
Sea Pink (Armeria maritima)
sedum (stonecrop)
Siskiyou Blue Fescue (Festuca Siskiyou Blue) Native plants
Spider plant (Chloraphytum)
Stream violet (Viola glabella) Native
Thistle Sage (Salvia carduacea)
Thyme (Thymus species)
Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa sinensis)
Wandering Jew (Tradescantia)
Watercress
Western dog violet (Viola adunca) Native
Wild Rose (Rosa california)
Yucca (Hesperoyucca) Native Plant
Zinnia
Zucchini squash (Cucurbita species)
Edible Grasses;
Alfalfa (Lucerne - be careful, rather high in protein unless dry)
Barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli)
Beesgras (Urochloa pantcoides)
Buffalo grass (Stenotaphrum secondatum)
Bushman grass (Schmidtia kalahariensis)
Carrot grass (Tragus racemosus)
Couch grass (Cynodon dactylon)
Crab finger grass (Digitaria sanguinalis)
Dallas grass (Paspalum dilatatum)
Darnel rye grass (Lolium temulentum)
Dew grass (Eragrostis pseudo-obtusa)
Dropseed grass (Sporobolus africanus)
Eastern Province vlei grass (Eragrostis lehmanniana)
Fescue
Kikiyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum)
Mouse barley grass (Hordeum murinum)
St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum)
Swazi grass (Digitaria swazilandensis)
Veld grass (Ehrhartacalycina)
Wintergrass (Poa annua)
Non-Poisonous Plants:
African Daisy
African Violet
Asparagus Fern
Bougainvillea
Chinese Evergreen
Christmas Cactus
Chrysanthemum
Coleus
Corn Plant
Cholla Catus
Cape Myrtle
Croton
Figs
Gardenia
Geranium Hearts
Heavenly Bamboo
Hens and chicks
Hibiscus
Ice Plant
Impatients
Jade Plant
Marigold
Mesquite
Mexican Flameleaf
Mother-in –Law Tongue
Natal Plum
Palm
Palo Verde
Pansy Peperomia
Paper Flower
Pricly Pear
Purple velvet Plant
Pyracantha
Rose
Salvia
Schefflera
Snake Plant
Snapdragon
Spider Plant
Sword Fern/Boston Fern
Wandering Jew
Yucca
Zinnia
More infor can be found here;
From Http:// www.tlady.clara.net/TortGuide/Diet.htm
http://tortnet.darchorizons.com/nutrition.html has a great list of Nutritional Considerations for Grassland, Arid, and Mediterranean Tortoises
Added an information site for Malvaceae with pics http://www.malvaceae.info/Genera/gallery.html
Acknowledgments:
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/Feeding_FAQ.htm
http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/nutrientanalysis.htm
http://www.turtlecafe.com/
http://www.sdturtle.org
http://www.tortoise.org/
http://www.swanimalhospital.net/html/veggie_info.html
http://africantortoise.com/diet.htm