- Hays and Grasses. The main sources of a Sulcata tortoises’ diet should be from hays and grasses though it’s important to get the right types for your tortoise’s needs.
- Suitable Greens & Vegetables. When it comes to greens, the top picks to choose from include dandelion greens, turnip greens, kale, and spring mixes.
- Occasional Fruit. The remaining 5% of their diet can be made up of occasional fruit treats such as strawberries, apples, peaches and apricots (with removed pits), and pears.
- Colorful Food. As you prepare your tortoise’s meal, keep in mind that Sulcata tortoises respond well to bright colors, so make sure to add at least one colorful food in ...
- Water Needs. When it comes to water, you can provide a shallow bowl in their enclosure to help hydrate your Sulcata tortoise.
What can I Feed my sulcata tortoise?
It’s important that you give your Sulcata tortoise a varied diet to help meet their nutritional needs. However, the variety foods and treats should only be supplements to the main diet. Here’s our Sulcata tortoise diet sheet: Barley Grass: Good dietary staple, but don’t let your tortoise eat the grains or seeds
What can I Feed my sulcatas in the winter?
Timothy grassTimothy hay bale. Another good grass option in wintertime is Mazuri Tortoise Diet, a dried grass pellet type food that sulcatas love. You can simply put these pellets in a dish and spray them lightly to soften them up for younger sulcatas if you wish.
What kind of shelter do Sulcata tortoises need?
Shelter in the form of a doghouse or small shed is a good idea, to provide protection from the elements. Building a heated shed will provide a suitable shelter for colder weather but sulcata tortoises cannot survive cold winters outdoors.
Can I Feed my sulcata dog food?
Absolutely do not feed your sulcata dog or cat food (yes this happens). While wild sulcatas may occasionally eat carrion, they are herbivores and only need vegetation to thrive. Their bodies cannot break down proteins.
How often do you feed sulcata tortoise?
The Sulcata is the largest of the African mainland tortoise, with specimens easily reaching 24-30 inches (60-75 cm) in carapace length and 80-110 pounds (36-50 kg). Food and Feeding: Adults should be fed three times per week minimum, and hatchlings fed daily. For every feeding, dust food with a calcium supplement.
Can I feed my sulcata tortoise lettuce?
It is also important that you feed your tortoise vegetables. Leafy green vegetables such as kale, collard greens, dandelion greens and romaine lettuce are great options to feed you Sulcata tortoise.
What greens can I feed my sulcata tortoise?
Leafy greens can be offered often. We suggest 40% of the veggie diet should include collard greens, kale, mustard, turnip, and dandelion greens. Limit greens that are high in oxalates, such as parsley, spinach, rhubarb, beet greens, and collard greens.
What can I feed my African spurred tortoise?
African spurred tortoises are vegetarians, eating succulent plants both for food and much of the water they need. In the wild, their diet consists of grasses, flowers, cacti, and weeds. In captivity, i.e. in zoos, they eat a range of grasses, berseem, lettuce and morning-glory leaves.
What sulcatas should not eat?
Never give your sulcata animal-based proteins, including insects, fish or mice. Sulcatas get all of the protein they need from the grasses and other plants in their diet. Avoid legumes, nuts and beans, as they have too much protein for the health of your turtle.
Can a sulcata tortoise eat cucumber?
Cucumbers are low in calories, healthy, and safe for tortoises to consume. They don't contain any toxic compounds that could upset your tortoise's digestion. However, cucumber should only be offered in moderation because it mainly contains water and only small amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Can Sulcatas eat bananas?
Sulcatas haven't evolved to digest the high sugar content usually found in bananas. Instead, it can lead to indigestion and diarrhea. This can limit how many nutrients they're able to absorb from other foods. As such, bananas can be fed to sulcatas but in limited quantities.
What is the best bedding for Sulcata tortoises?
For all sizes of tortoise, cypress mulch has proven to be a great bedding. It's absorbent, safe and relatively low cost. Other options are various hays (timothy, Bermuda, alfalfa, orchard grass, etc.), as well as coconut coir or peat moss.
What can tortoises not eat?
Food tortoises can't eatDaffodil (narcissus pseudonarcissus)Azalea (Rhododendron species)Foxglove (Digitalis species)Avocado (Persea species)Buttercup (Ranunculus species)Auricula (Primula auricula)Bean sprouts (various)Citrus fruit (Citrus species)More items...•
How long can Sulcata tortoises go without food?
In general, a healthy adult tortoise can live for as much as 6 months to 3 years without food, provided that they have access to drinking water and their other needs are met.
How often do Sulcata tortoises poop?
A sulcata tortoise should poop every two or three days. They don't go as often as humans or other animals, due to their genetic makeup. What is this? Some tortoises poop less frequently than others, at the same time going too long without pooping can be a sign of a health problem that needs your attention.
Does sulcata tortoise bite?
So do tortoises bite? Yes, tortoises do bite. While they are typically very docile and peaceful, they are able to use the strength of their beaks to bite each other, other pets and sometimes humans for a variety of reasons.
What type of lettuce can tortoises eat?
romaine lettuceDark, leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, kale, collard, mustard and dandelion greens should make up the bulk of the diet. Other greens to try include: bok choy, red leaf or green leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, water cress, escarole, parsley, turnip greens and green onions.
Can my sulcata tortoise eat iceberg lettuce?
Iceberg lettuce provides little nutrition and should be avoided entirely. Foods should be served on a dish or feeding platform to prevent ingestion of gravel or sand, which can cause gastrointestinal irritation or impaction. Many tortoises will eat foods that are not part of a healthy diet.
Can tortoises eat regular lettuce?
Although these species are classed as omnivores, we suggest feeding your tortoise greens, flowers, vegetables and fruits as the main bulk of their diet. You can give them dandelions, mustard greens, or even hibiscus flowers, as well as other leafy greens.
Can I feed my Sulcata romaine lettuce?
Dark Leafy Greens: Romaine Lettuce, Arugula, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Chicory, Spinach, Kale. Being rich in calcium and vitamins you can feed your sulcata tortoise with these items but in small portions.
What do sulcatas eat?
In the wild, sulcatas will eat plants found growing in calcium-rich so il, thereby getting the calcium from that. Often they'll eat bits of soil that contains calcium while eating plant roots. They also seek out and eat bleached bones and desert-dwelling snail shells to supplement themselves.
What is the best grass for sulcatas?
1 / 2. Another good grass option in the wintertime is Mazuri Tortoise Diet, a dried grass pellet type food that sulcatas love. You can simply put these pellets in a dish and spray them lightly to soften them up for younger sulcatas if you wish.
How big do sulcatas get?
Sulcatas grow to over 180lbs! To learn more about them before adopting one, check out this article https://pethelpful.com/reptiles-amphibians/Caring-...
What do you feed a dandelion?
Chopped grass dampened with water :) You can also feed him a smaller bit of chopped dandelion greens, ribwort plantain, dandelion flowers and white mulberry leaves. His main diet should consist of grass
What plants can be fed on a regular basis?
Some of these safe foods are listed below. African Violet Saintpaulia. Air Plant Tillandsia.
Can you feed a sulcata a fruit?
To see a complete list, please visit The Tortoise Table. Never feed your sulcata most fruits or vegetables as they have too much water, vitamins, and/or sugars for the sulcata to digest properly!
Can a sulcata eat pumpkin?
Pumpkin is okay as a special treat along with yellow zucchini, grape leaves, and watermelon rinds. Absolutely do not feed your sulcata dog or cat food (yes this happens). While wild sulcatas may occasionally eat carrion, they are herbivores and only need vegetation to thrive. Their bodies cannot break down proteins.
