Help in varying a Russian Tortoises diet

[Amberglass]

Hi, and thank you for accepting me in to the forum. We have a Russian tortoise, probably about 30 years old. In the summer (we are in the UK) he spends most of his time in the garden eating weeds, in the winter he is indoors. In winter he eats mainly salad type leaves, hay, weeds, carrots, cucumber, melon and some re-hydrated pellets (dandelion etc). Can anyone please suggest a variation. Can we give him sweet potatoes, or any type of pea? Also can he have sweet bamboo sticks to nibble (the type for chinchillas)? Also I have been looking at pet 'toys' (not specifically for tortoises) and found snack grass balls and applewood chew sticks (for rabbits mainly). Can he have anything like that? Thanking you for your advice.

 

[SinLA]

We have a number of UK people who can advise @Sarah2020 @Lyn W but they should not eat anything except weeds/leaves. No melon, sweet potatoes, peas, cucumber, carrots, etc.

This is a good UK-based resource that errs on the conservative side for giving info: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

 

[Tom]

Hi, and thank you for accepting me in to the forum. We have a Russian tortoise, probably about 30 years old. In the summer (we are in the UK) he spends most of his time in the garden eating weeds, in the winter he is indoors. In winter he eats mainly salad type leaves, hay, weeds, carrots, cucumber, melon and some re-hydrated pellets (dandelion etc). Can anyone please suggest a variation. Can we give him sweet potatoes, or any type of pea? Also can he have sweet bamboo sticks to nibble (the type for chinchillas)? Also I have been looking at pet 'toys' (not specifically for tortoises) and found snack grass balls and applewood chew sticks (for rabbits mainly). Can he have anything like that? Thanking you for your advice.

Hello and welcome. Start here and look for the temperate species care sheet near the bottom. It contains food suggestions.

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[Sarah2020]

Hi welcome. Please read the info shared. Their digestive systems can only handle leaves and nothing sweet that we would consider a treat. In the summer I pick endless dandelions and provide them with fresh leaves. My russian tort runs over for a dandelion. Provide fresh water 24 x7 and we recommend regular shallow warm water soaks in a high sided container similar to a washing up bowl but dedicated to a tortoise. This encourages hydration and gives a bit of exercise during the 20 mins soak. Ask questions as required.