Diet

One of the most important aspects of tortoise care is proper diet. The following diet guidelines will help ensure the health and longevity of a captive desert tortoise. Tortoises will accept many foods that are not good for them. They may appear completely healthy for years on a poor diet. However, a poor diet such as those that are rich in sugar, protein or animal fats impair organ function that may result in death. Reptiles have very specific dietary needs that are outlined below.

Water should be available in the enclosure at all times. Keep the water dish in the same place, so the tortoise knows where to find it. A tortoise gets a lot of its water from the foods it eats, and it may not be seen drinking frequently. Water dishes should only be a few inches deep and wide enough to allow the tortoise to soak in it occasionally.

Provide a shallow water dish that is wide enough for your desert tortoise to soak in, but not too deep that it is in danger of drowning.

Desert tortoises are herbivores (plant eaters) that in the wild browse on a wide variety of plants. Similarly, the best diet for a captive tortoise is one that provides a variety of foods to meet its nutritional needs. Captive tortoises should be allowed to graze on grasses, leafy plants, and flowers that are established in the tortoise’s enclosure. Grass can contribute significantly to a tortoise’s healthy diet if it is given access to at least a 6 foot by 6 foot area of grass. Other plants that provide a healthy, varied diet include native grasses, dichondra, filaree (heronbill), spurge, dandelion, hibiscus, wild grape, mulberry, and wildflowers such as globemallow. Tortoises enjoy the leaves, stems, and flowers of these plants.

• Captive desert tortoise food list (PDF, 13kb)

Native plant seeds can be found at the Arizona Native Plant Society Web site or by inquiring about native plants at a local nursery. Plants should be established inside the enclosure in a sufficient quantity to allow daily grazing. Avoid allowing tortoises access to toxic plants like oleander, chinaberry trees, tree tobacco and toadstools. 

Commercial produce is generally less nutritious for tortoises than native plants because they have a higher water content and lower fiber. However, produce can be given as a supplemental food source or on a daily basis if an enclosure lacks established plants for browsing. Dark greens are rich in minerals and vitamins, and they can be offered as a short-term alternative or as a supplement to grasses. They include collard, kale, mustard greens, beet greens, turnip greens, cilantro, spinach, and parsley. When dark greens and acceptable produce are offered, they should be clean, fresh, and chopped into pieces small enough for a tortoise to eat. Lettuce provides little nutrition and should be avoided entirely. Tortoises should not eat dog or cat food, or any food that contains more than 15 percent protein. These foods will cause liver and kidney damage, as well as deformed shell growth. 

Fruit, including cactus fruits, should only be offered as a special treat. It contains too much sugar and water to be fed in large amounts, and it should be fed in moderation (no more than 10 percent of the total diet). Sugar and starch disrupt digestion by changing the type of bacteria that live in the tortoise’s hindgut. It is appropriate to offer a strawberry, one-quarter of a peeled banana, or one-quarter slice of peeled cantaloupe once a month. Tortoises should not be given frozen vegetables or sodium-rich foods, including canned vegetables, dairy products, breads, or celery. 

Supplemental foods should be served on a dish or feeding platform to prevent ingestion of gravel or sand, which can cause gastrointestinal irritation or impaction.

For a complete list of acceptable foods and those to avoid for a captive tortoise, click here.

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