What can I feed my russian tortoise

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mel262011

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Hi, I got a russian today and need to know what to feed it. I read the sticky about what they eat, but it confused me even more. I was thinking about the spring mix. Is that good or is there something different I should be feeding it. The place I got it from was feeding it box turtle food most of the time. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
 

faejess1

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Ok... Trying out the app and so if the reply does something goofy sorry! Spring mix is A good start... It's weird but lily, my first tort hated all the stuff that My current tort Bo fat fat LOVES. We add in frisee and radicchio to our spring mix as well as hibiscus flowers, dandelion flowers, and the leaves of both plants. She has hens and chicks and aloe in her home in case she's particularly snacky and a couple times a week I rip the spring mix up and mix it with mazzuri and grassland tortoise food (I make torti-slaw). I give her spineless pear cactus when we have it and treat her with squash and carrots too. Jellybean is beautiful! Good luck!
 

Ashliewood

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faejess1 said:
Ok... Trying out the app and so if the reply does something goofy sorry! Spring mix is A good start... It's weird but lily, my first tort hated all the stuff that My current tort Bo fat fat LOVES. We add in frisee and radicchio to our spring mix as well as hibiscus flowers, dandelion flowers, and the leaves of both plants. She has hens and chicks and aloe in her home in case she's particularly snacky and a couple times a week I rip the spring mix up and mix it with mazzuri and grassland tortoise food (I make torti-slaw). I give her spineless pear cactus when we have it and treat her with squash and carrots too. Jellybean is beautiful! Good luck!
Where do you find the hibiscus radichio frisee and cactus? I'm so frustrated trying to find these things :-/
 

GeoTerraTestudo

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For Russian tortoises, try lettuce, endive, escarole, kale, dandelion greens, collard greens, mustard greens, and radish greens. If they'll accept Mazuri Tortoise Diet, so much the better. They might also accept flowers. As an occasional treat, you can give them a little bit of diced green bell pepper, grated carrots, or some berries - but don't do this more often than once every one or two months, because the sugar content of these non-leafy foods could upset their digestive system. When they're outside, they might eat some grass, but probably not much, which is normal. You might also find them browsing on weeds like clover, spotted spurge, creeping Charlie, or wild morning glories. Some people don't let them do this because these plants contain toxins and have been known to kill mammals ... however tortoises can detoxify some of the plants that mammals can't, so in my view, it's not a problem as long as they are selecting these plants themselves.
 

dmmj

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here is a partial list of what I feed my 3, hibiscus leaves and flowers, radish tops, grape leaves, artichoke leaves,squash once a month, leaves and flowers of various squashes.
 
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