How often should I feed my Russian Tortoise?

[J.leggiero]

I have the same question. Bought a "9 month old" cough, russian tortise yesterday, then came and was reading here andit is likely the tortise is adult. I gave him some broccoli rabe, shreded carrot and piece of watermeolon and he down it it a minute. This AM I repeated and he did the same thing. So I guess I should feed him some more? he is actually my sonsa dn I will swap out this profile for his, so he can come and learn. We were also told to saok him twice a week,

 

[RosemaryDW]

I gave him some broccoli rabe, shreded carrot and piece of watermeolon and he down it it a minute. This AM I repeated and he did the same thing. So I guess I should feed him some more? ,

@denicemarie , it's a good thing your Russian is hungry (they are big eaters); you can certainly give him some more, so long as he's got a big enough enclosure to walk it off.

The foods you are feeding are wrong, unfortunately; the carrot and watermelon are very high in sugar, which he can't properly digest; they will make him sick over time. A little broccoli is okay on occasion but shouldn't be a regular food. Your tortoise needs broadleaf plants and weeds--the emphasis is on leaves.

Have you read our Russian care sheet? There is a paragraph near the bottom on food: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/.

There is another great list for foods that was written for another type of tortoise but if you skip the first bit about grass, all the foods below it are great for your Russian: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/.

You may need to rely on grocery store foods for now. Good foods for tortoises are "chicories," types of lettuce that are likely to be on the far side of the more common floppy green heads of lettuce most people buy. Anything labeled as simply "chicory" is good, as are radiccio, frisee, endive; you might even find something labeled as dandelions. The leaves (just the leaves) of turnips and radishes are good, as are carrot tops. Collards, mustard greens, and other dark, leafy greens are okay as well. You don't need to feed all of these at one time, just make sure your tortoise is getting access to different types of food. As you and your son get more experienced, you can find the better types of food listed on the care sheets.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi DeniceMarie, and welcome to the Forum!

Your new little tortoise should be fed dark, leafy greens, weeds and plants. All of the foods you mentioned are not good for a Russian tortoise. This list if for Sulcatas, but you can use it too, just take the grasses off, as Russians don't eat much grass:

Great Weeds and Grasses for a High Fiber Tortoise Diet

• Fescue/Festuca/turf grass, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fescue
• Barley Grass/ Hordeum murinum/False Barley, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hordeum_murinum
• Bermuda Grass/Cynodon/Dog’s Tooth Grass, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda_Grass
• Buffalo Grass/Buchloe dactyloides/Prairie Grass, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouteloua_dactyloides
• Chia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_hispanica
• Dandelion/ Taraxacum, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandelion
• Big Bluestem/Andropogon gerardii/big bluestem/turkeyfoot/tall bluestem, and bluejoint, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bluestem
• Blue Grama/Bouteloua gracilis, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_grama
• Broadleaf Plaintain/Plantago major/Greater Plantain, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadleaf_Plantain
• California Poppy/Eschscholzia californica/golden poppy/California sunlight/cup of gold/ State Flower of California, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eschscholzia_californica
• Chickweed/ Stellaria media, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickweed
• Chicory/ Cichorium intybus, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicory
• Clover/ Trifolium (not to be confused with Oxalis, which may be toxic), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clover
• Flowering maple/ Abutilo/ Indian mallow/velvetleaf, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_maple
• Geranium /Pelargonium/Storksbills, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelargonium
• Globe Mallow/Sphaeralcea/falsemallows, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globe_mallow
• Henbit/Lamium amplexicaule/ henbit deadnettle/greater henbit, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamium_amplexicaule
• Hibiscus, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus
• Hollyhock/Alcea, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollyhock
• Kentucy Blue Grass/ Poa pratensis/ smooth meadow-grass/common meadow-grass, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_blue_grass
• Little Bluestem/ Schizachyrium scoparium/beard grass, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Bluestem
• Mallow/Malva Sylvestris, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malva_sylvestris
• Oat Grass/Arrhenatherum/Bottom Grass, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oat_Grass
• Orchard Grass/Dactylis/ Cocksfoot Grasses/Cat Grass, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchard_grass
• Common purslane/Portulaca oleracea/verdolaga/pigweed/little hogweed/ pursley/moss rose, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portulaca_oleracea
• Rye Grass/ Lolium, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rye_grass
• Sowthistle
• Strawberry Leaves/ Fragaria, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry
• Timothy Grass/Phleum pratense/ cat's tail, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Grass

Calcium Power Foods

• Bok Choy/Pak Choy/Chinese Cabbage/ Brassica rapa (also a good source of Vitamin A), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bok_choy
• Collard Greens/ Brassica oleracea, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collard_greens (also a good source of Vitamin A)
• Dandelion, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandelion, (A good source of Vitamin A, calcium, and has a good Calciumhosphorus Ratio. However, this food is high in oxalic acid, so feed in moderation)
• Grape Leaf /Vitis species (also a good source of Vitamin A)
• Prickley Pear Cactus Pas/Oputunia Cactus/Nopales/Paddle Cactus, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia (Also a natural laxative, so feed in moderation).
• Turnip Greens/Brassica rapa/white turnip greens/turnip tops (also a good source of plant protein & Vitamin A).
• Alfalfa/ Medicago sativa/lucerne, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfalfa (also a good source of plant protein & Vitamin A)
• Mulberry Leaves/Morus leaves, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morus_(plant)

If you must buy at a Grocery Store, here are some good Options

• Arugula/Eruca sativa/salad rocket/roquette/rucola/ rugula/colewort, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arugula (also a good source of plant protein & Vitamin A).
• Bok Choy/Pak Choy/Chinese Cabbage/ Brassica rapa (a good source of Vitamin A and has a good calcium: phosphorus ratio), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bok_choy
• Collard Greens/ Brassica oleracea, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collard_greens (A good source of Vitamin A, Calcium, and has a great Calciumhos ratio)
• Turnip Greens/Brassica rapa/white turnip greens/turnip tops (A good source of plant protein, Vitamin A, Calicium, and has a good Calciumhos ratio)
• Prickley Pear Cactus Pas/Oputunia Cactus/Nopales/Paddle Cactus, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia (A good source of calcium, but also a natural laxative, so feed in moderation).
• Grape Leaf /Vitis species (also a good source of Vitamin A)
• Clover Sprouts (also a good source of plant protein & Vitamin A)
• Alfalfa Sprouts/ Medicago sativa/lucerne, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfalfa (also a good source of plant protein, Vitamin A, & Calcium)
• Mustard Greens/ Brassica juncea/Indian mustard/Chinese mustard/leaf mustard (A good source of Vitamin A and has a good Calciumhos ratio), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustard_greens
• Cat Grass/ Dactylis/ ****'s-foot/Orchard Grass, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_grass
• Wheat Grass/ Triticum aestivum, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_grass (also a good source of Vitamin A).
• Dandelion, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandelion, (A good source of Vitamin A, calcium, and has a good Calciumhosphorus Ratio. However, this food is high in oxalic acid, so feed in moderation)