Is this an ok diet?

[Denisthetortoise16]

I usually feed my Russian things like lettuce cabbage broccoli carrots sometimes and strawberry’s as a treat. I also add some dry natural food like dry grass, dandelions, etc. I struggle to find weeds around my house and I also worry about giving him the wrong plant and poisoning him. Is this diet ok? I do vary it from day to day

 

[Pistachio's Pamperer]

"Diet:
Russian tortoises need broadleaf weeds. You will need to learn about the weeds near you and which ones are okay to feed or not. Pics can be posted here on the forum in the "Plant ID" section, or you can take samples to a local nursery. Look for dandelion, sow thistle, mallow, filaree, hawksbit, and many more. If you are not 100% sure that your source is free of pesticides and other chemicals, don't feed anything from there.
You can grow your own food too. Here is one of my favorites: http://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix
I also get lots of seeds here: http://www.groworganic.com
If you must use grocery store foods I like to favor spring mix, endive and escarole heavily. Also add in carrot tops, cilantro, mustard, turnip and collard greens, and lots of other leafy greens.
It is a good idea to add a product called "Salad Style" to grocery store greens to add some fiber: http://www.tortoisesupply.com/salad-style-food-topper/
This is a new food topper and I like it a lot so far: http://www.tortoisesupply.com/HerbalHay
You can also feed them grape, mulberry and hibiscus leaves, tender young spineless opuntia cactus pads, Mazuri tortoise chow and ZooMed Grassland tortoise food. Alternating and mixing up any of these foods will give your russian a good diet and meet its nutritional needs."

To quote the care sheet...
Please read the sticky threads at the top of this thread.

SUGGESTED GUIDE

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM "EVERYTHING-TURTLES.COM" ON fb

www.tortoiseforum.org

Russian Tortoise Care Sheet

Russian tortoises have great personalities, are very hardy, tolerate a wide variety of enclosure parameters, stay small, and are generally a good "starter" tortoise in my opinion. Here is how I like to set them up: Indoor Enclosure type and size: Most people want to know the minimum size...

www.tortoiseforum.org

AND WELCOME to the forum!!!
-Meg

 

[Denisthetortoise16]

"Diet:
Russian tortoises need broadleaf weeds. You will need to learn about the weeds near you and which ones are okay to feed or not. Pics can be posted here on the forum in the "Plant ID" section, or you can take samples to a local nursery. Look for dandelion, sow thistle, mallow, filaree, hawksbit, and many more. If you are not 100% sure that your source is free of pesticides and other chemicals, don't feed anything from there.
You can grow your own food too. Here is one of my favorites: http://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix
I also get lots of seeds here: http://www.groworganic.com
If you must use grocery store foods I like to favor spring mix, endive and escarole heavily. Also add in carrot tops, cilantro, mustard, turnip and collard greens, and lots of other leafy greens.
It is a good idea to add a product called "Salad Style" to grocery store greens to add some fiber: http://www.tortoisesupply.com/salad-style-food-topper/
This is a new food topper and I like it a lot so far: http://www.tortoisesupply.com/HerbalHay
You can also feed them grape, mulberry and hibiscus leaves, tender young spineless opuntia cactus pads, Mazuri tortoise chow and ZooMed Grassland tortoise food. Alternating and mixing up any of these foods will give your russian a good diet and meet its nutritional needs."

To quote the care sheet...
Please read the sticky threads at the top of this thread.

SUGGESTED GUIDE

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM "EVERYTHING-TURTLES.COM" ON fb

www.tortoiseforum.org

Russian Tortoise Care Sheet

Russian tortoises have great personalities, are very hardy, tolerate a wide variety of enclosure parameters, stay small, and are generally a good "starter" tortoise in my opinion. Here is how I like to set them up: Indoor Enclosure type and size: Most people want to know the minimum size...

www.tortoiseforum.org

AND WELCOME to the forum!!!
-Meg

Thank you! This was really helpful

 

[Tom]

I usually feed my Russian things like lettuce cabbage broccoli carrots sometimes and strawberry’s as a treat. I also add some dry natural food like dry grass, dandelions, etc. I struggle to find weeds around my house and I also worry about giving him the wrong plant and poisoning him. Is this diet ok? I do vary it from day to day

No. Not okay, to answer your question.

Where is Salibury? England? Maryland?

Lettuce lacks fiber and calcium. Cabbage and broccoli should be fed rarely and in small amounts due to the compounds they contain. Carrots are too high in sugar. A small amount once in a while won't hurt your tortoise, but best avoided. All fruit should be avoided. Russians are not grass eaters, although you can use some grass to add fiber, if the other items you are feeding are lacking in fiber.

No one is born knowing what weeds to feed. It takes time and effort to learn the ones around you. We will help you, and you can probably find help by taking sample to a local nursery and asking for the local plant nerd. Every nursery has at least one, if not many. The plant nerds at my local nurseries will sometimes call an impromptu plant nerd meeting to confer about some of the samples I've brought in. Broadleaf weeds are WWWWAAAAAAYYYYYYY better for your tortoise, readily available, close to home, and FREE!!!

If you must use grocery store foods, favor endive, escarole and dandelion greens. These dandelion greens, by the way, are not the wild type of dandelions that grow outside. It is actually Italian dandelion, which is also good for some variety. Add in lots of other greens randomly from time to time. Like cilantro, arugula, collard, mustard, and turnip greens, celery and carrot tops, box choy, and so many others. If you must use these foods because you can't find or ID the weeds near you, you'll need to amend them with something to make up for their shortcomings as tortoise food. Soaked ZooMed pellets are one good way. Just mix it all in. Mazuri is another way. Personally, I like the "herbal hay offered by https://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix, and you can click this link for their seed mix to grow your own tortoise food in posts or in the garden. Will @Kapidolo Farms offers all sorts of fantastic dried foods supplements that you can sprinkle on and mix in. I'm using several of those and love them all.

Now that spring is here, start looking for mulberry trees, grape vines, rose of Sharon, and other season plants that should be coming back to life near you.

If you take the time to learn about what is already around you, you will be so glad you did, and so will your tortoise.

 

[Tortoise MasterMan]

Squash, both the leaves and the plant, as well as pumpkin, are both good for Russians.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Turtle and tortoise keeping has been my life long segway to becoming a scientist. What @Tom describes here is a joyful pursuit. I like gardening, I like learning new things about 'weeds' and how they are really also foods we can eat. Mostly I like seeing vigorous tortoises responding to a good diet. I know learning all this stuff can seem burdensome, and at times I'd like to feel I am at some pinnacle of self study, but each peak just gives you the vantage point to see there is more to learn and engage yourself with. Sorry to wax-on, but my interest in chelonians is my anchor to day to day life. I suspect that is the same for many.

No. Not okay, to answer your question.

Where is Salibury? England? Maryland?

Lettuce lacks fiber and calcium. Cabbage and broccoli should be fed rarely and in small amounts due to the compounds they contain. Carrots are too high in sugar. A small amount once in a while won't hurt your tortoise, but best avoided. All fruit should be avoided. Russians are not grass eaters, although you can use some grass to add fiber, if the other items you are feeding are lacking in fiber.

No one is born knowing what weeds to feed. It takes time and effort to learn the ones around you. We will help you, and you can probably find help by taking sample to a local nursery and asking for the local plant nerd. Every nursery has at least one, if not many. The plant nerds at my local nurseries will sometimes call an impromptu plant nerd meeting to confer about some of the samples I've brought in. Broadleaf weeds are WWWWAAAAAAYYYYYYY better for your tortoise, readily available, close to home, and FREE!!!

If you must use grocery store foods, favor endive, escarole and dandelion greens. These dandelion greens, by the way, are not the wild type of dandelions that grow outside. It is actually Italian dandelion, which is also good for some variety. Add in lots of other greens randomly from time to time. Like cilantro, arugula, collard, mustard, and turnip greens, celery and carrot tops, box choy, and so many others. If you must use these foods because you can't find or ID the weeds near you, you'll need to amend them with something to make up for their shortcomings as tortoise food. Soaked ZooMed pellets are one good way. Just mix it all in. Mazuri is another way. Personally, I like the "herbal hay offered by https://www.tortoisesupply.com/TestudoMix, and you can click this link for their seed mix to grow your own tortoise food in posts or in the garden. Will @Kapidolo Farms offers all sorts of fantastic dried foods supplements that you can sprinkle on and mix in. I'm using several of those and love them all.

Now that spring is here, start looking for mulberry trees, grape vines, rose of Sharon, and other season plants that should be coming back to life near you.

If you take the time to learn about what is already around you, you will be so glad you did, and so will your tortoise.