
These include:
- Amaryllis
- Asparagus Fern
- Avocado (leaves, seeds)
- Azalea
- Begonia
- Boxwood
- Buttercups
- Calla Lily
- Castor Bean
- Crowfoot
- Daffodil
- Ficus
- Holly
- Ivy
- Iris
- Juniper
- Nightshade Family
- Poinsettia
- Primrose
What vegetables can Horsefield tortoises eat?
Pumpkin is a good choice for a high-energy starchy vegetable. Horsefield tortoises should eat plenty of dark leafy green vegetables, such as collard greens, clover, wild mustard greens, turnip greens, kale, mulberry leaves, and ficus leaves.
What should you not feed a Horsefield tortoise?
Excessive Protein. types of meat or any other high protein foods need to be avoided. The Horsefield tortoise is an herbivore and not a carnivore. They will eat meat if you give it to them so be sure to keep any meat out of his housing. Protein is important for a Horsefield tortoise but excessive protein can be damaging.
Is there a free care guide for a Horsefield tortoise?
The tragedy of poor health, low quality of life and early death can be prevented you make sure to know what is harmful to your Horsefield tortoise. 100% FREE easy care guide, works for any Horsefield Tortoise. Enter your email below to get your free Horsefield care guide.
What do you feed a tortoise that hibernates?
Just a few great food options are: Avoid meat of any kind, unnatural food and over feeding. Provide a clean water bowl in the housing at all times. Hibernation is a part of life for this pet, hibernating months in the wild but less in captivity. Some owners do not hibernate their tortoise at all.

What is the best food to feed a horsefield tortoise?
A Horsfield's tortoise's diet consists of vegetation. Good foods include dandelion, clover, honeysuckle, leafy salads, watercress, curly kale, brussel tops, spring greens, coriander, parsley, rocket, carrot, parsnip, courgette and bell peppers. The bulk of the vegetation should be leafy greens.
How often do you feed horsefield tortoise?
How much and how often should I feed my tortoise? As a general rule, you should offer an amount of food equivalent to the size of your tortoise's shell. They should be fed once a day, 5 days a week.
What fruit can my horsefield tortoise eat?
Fruit eating tortoises can eat melon, raspberries, blackberries and grapes. You can also offer sweet desert apple, in sliced small amounts. Mango can also be eaten, although this can be very sticky and attract wasps. Bananas can be eaten, and cherries, in strict moderation.
Can I feed my horsefield tortoise banana?
Registered. Bananas are addictive to tortoises. But fruit shouldnt be fed on a regular basis, its not good for them. Most only use bananas when having to give medication.
How often should I bath my horsefield tortoise?
Unless directed by a veterinarian, only bathe your tortoise once every few weeks, or if the tortoise has built up grime under her arms. Tortoises are naturally quite dirty, and this is normal. They do not need frequent baths, but one every now and again won't hurt.
How do you keep a horsefield tortoise happy?
Horsefield tortoises need enrichment to keep them active and entertained. Place items like rocks, moist hides, pebbles, woodblocks, bathing dishes, and logs strategically within the enclosure. This will allow the tortoise to play, explore and seek solace if it feels insecure or threatened.
What should I not feed my tortoise?
Do not feed your tortoise dog or cat food, monkey chow or any food that contains more than 15 percent protein. These will cause liver and kidney damage, as well as deformed shell growth. Do not feed tortoises frozen vegetables or sodium-rich foods including canned vegetables, dairy products, breads and celery.
What is poisonous to tortoises?
Many common plants are toxic, and keepers must make sure that their herbivorous chelonians are kept away from them....Common NameBotanical NameToxicityAmaryllisAmaryllis belladonna2Asparagus FernAsparagus sprengerii2, 3Arrowhead VineSyngonium podophyllum1Avocado (leaves, seeds)Persea americana256 more rows
What bedding does a horsefield tortoise need?
This is a species that requires a very dry, well-drained substrate indeed - Horsfield's tortoises are unsuited to maintenance on damp clay soils, or on grass.
Can horsefield tortoises have cucumber?
Cucumber can be offered to help with hydration, or prescribed medication can be hidden within it and offered to the tortoise as a tasty treat. The leaves and flowers of the Cucumber plant may be fed in small amounts to all species. Tortoises easily become addicted to store-bought diets so avoid long term use.
Can horsefield tortoises eat apples?
Are Apples Bad for Tortoises? No, apples are not bad for your pet tortoise. Moreover, they have many benefits for your pet reptile: it is a fruit rich in antioxidants, fibers, vitamins, and minerals. It has a relatively low content in sugars and calories compared to other more “fattening” fruits.
What can tortoises eat list?
Food ListCollard, turnip, rape, and mustard greens.Kale, cabbage, kohl rabi, chard.Endive, Escarole, green-leaf, red-leaf lettuces.Red or curly lettuces.Arugula, rocket, 'corn salad', 'lamb's lettuce'Parsley, watercress.Carrot or radish tops.Sprouts.More items...
Can you overfeed a horsefield tortoise?
In captivity, we often present our tortoises with large quantities of food, and it is easy for them to overeat, which can lead to shell growth deformities and other health problems.
How long can horsefield 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.
Do horsefield tortoises drink water?
You may not even see them drinking when they're bathing but they are able to take on water through their cloaca (tail).
How active should a horsefield tortoise be?
In answer to your question Horsfields do enter a state of not doing much, in the wild they are only active for 3 months of the entire year.
What do you need for a horsefield tortoise?
All of the information you need to know specifically about your one type of pet, the Horsefield tortoise, is in this care guide. Most of the food we will be feeding him are based around green leaves and edible flowers. In addition , they need a diet high in calcium and fiber and low in protein. Calcium and fiber is important in their diet.
What do squid need to eat?
In addition, they need a diet high in calcium and fiber and low in protein. Calcium and fiber is important in their diet. Having a variety of food (as much as possible) is important to being healthy. Do not get in the routine of feeding them the same thing everyday.
Can a squid eat grass?
They can eat the grass, weeds, dandelions etc. in the outdoor setting with minimal supplements.
What is the best food for a horsefield tortoise?
Eating a wide variety of vegetables is helpful for them, since it will make it easier for them to get all of their nutrients. Grass species such as alfalfa, fescue, rye, or blue grass are good choices for Horsefield tortoises. Pumpkin is a good choice for a high-energy starchy vegetable.
What do tortoises eat?
There are even some fruits that Horsefield tortoises can eat, such as plantains and figs. Larger non-starchy vegetables like artichokes, cucumbers, aloe vera, sweet peppers, and cele ry are also great choices. Horsefield tortoises are herbivores, and need to be fed and managed accordingly.
What Types Of Food They Eat?
Horsefield tortoises have many food preferences, including dandelions. Horsefield tortoises require large quantities of calcium in order to maintain good health. They can get some of their calcium from cuttle fish bone. Overall, however, the Horsefield tortoise diet will consist primarily of vegetables. Eating a wide variety of vegetables is helpful for them, since it will make it easier for them to get all of their nutrients. Grass species such as alfalfa, fescue, rye, or blue grass are good choices for Horsefield tortoises.
What vegetables do tortoises eat?
Horsefield tortoises should eat plenty of dark leafy green vegetables, such as collard greens, clover, wild mustard greens, turnip greens, kale, mulberry leaves, and ficus leaves. There are even some fruits that Horsefield tortoises can eat, such as plantains and figs. Larger non-starchy vegetables like artichokes, cucumbers, aloe vera, sweet peppers, and celery are also great choices. Horsefield tortoises are herbivores, and need to be fed and managed accordingly.
How long do tortoises eat?
Tortoises do tend to eat very slowly, but they will usually consume all the food they need in a twenty-minute period. Owners should look at what their animals can consume in that time period, and use that as a baseline for what their tortoises should be fed on a regular basis.
Do horsefield tortoises move?
Horsefield tortoises simply don’t move much, and require only a relatively small amount of energy for their metabolic processes. To get a sense of how large an individual feeding should be, the tortoise owners should watch as their pets eat. Tortoises do tend to eat very slowly, but they will usually consume all the food they need in a twenty-minute period. Owners should look at what their animals can consume in that time period, and use that as a baseline for what their tortoises should be fed on a regular basis.
Can you feed a horsefield tortoise pellets?
Horsefield tortoises simply should not consume processed food that comes in pellets, even if this is food that is marketed towards similar species. Processed food or food that isn’t fresh in general is a poor choice for Horsefield tortoises: they have a low tolerance for foreign, artificial chemicals. Many concerned owners also make the mistake of feeding their Horsefield tortoises too much protein. Pet owners that are accustomed to feeding and raising dogs and cats may be particularly prone to making this mistake.
What do tortoises eat?
Your tort's diet is leafy greens. It is vegetarian. It should not be fed high protein foods like meat, egg, peas and beans. It cannot digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so fruit, tomato, carrot and bell pepper should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally, if at all.
What to feed kale in the garden?
My first choice to feed are weeds from the backyard such as dandelions, sow thistle, filagree, plantain, rose petals, grape leaves, pansies, petunias, hibiscus leaves and flowers, etc. I do not use pesticides in my yard. From the store I buy curly endive, escarole, mustard greens, turnip greens, spring mix, red lettuce, romaine lettuce. I feed kale once in a while. There are a lot of different things you can feed your tortoise that are listed on the Forum. Do not feed your Russian tortoise fruit.
What to supplement with in winter?
In winter, most of us supplement with store bought greens and a good quality pellet food.
Can tomatoes digest sugar?
It cannot digest sugars properly - they cause digestive and kidney problems - so fruit, tomato, carrot and bell pepper should only be fed very sparingly and very occasionally, if at all.
Where to get information on what to feed a tortoise?
If you need more information to get even more dialed in as to what to feed your pet, the best places for you to go are your local museum, plant nursery, specialist vet or reputable tortoise group . More information topics to obtain can include what plants to feed in your local area, what is edible and what is poisonous.
What is the Advanced Guide for Horsefield Tortoise?
Advanced guide. This is the only guide that is made just for the Horsefield Tortoise. Includes everything on buying, housing, food, breeding, hibernation and health issues. All of the information you need to know specifically about your one type of pet, the Horsefield tortoise, is in this care guide.
What do tortoises eat?
This works well because it takes much of the guesswork out of feeding your tortoise. They can eat the grass, weeds, dandelions, wild plants etc. in the outdoor setting. Some will naturally grow in the housing and you should also definitely plant and grow others in his housing, which will serve as a hiding spot and to browse on. This natural browsing mixed with a variety of food you provide will be an excellent diet.
What is the best tortoise to own?
A popular species of tortoise to own, Horsfield’s or Russian tortoises make an excellent tortoise for the first time keeper. This is our guide on their care, including instructions for both hibernation and overwintering.
Where do Horsfield's tortoises come from?
Named after American naturalist Thomas Horsfield, these herbivorous reptiles originate from a widespread area of Asia. They are most common in semi-desert environments that experience quite extreme temperatures and are also found at moderate altitudes. They are a small species of tortoise closely related to Mediterranean species but with a few differences, such as having four claws on the forelimbs instead of five. Males on average reach 13-20cm in length, and females are slightly bigger at 15-25cm. They are also sexually dimorphic, with females having a short, fat tail compared to the males’ longer one which is usually tucked to one side. Males also have longer claws than females. Horsfield’s are listed as vulnerable species by the IUCN, mainly threatened by human development into natural habitats and over-collection from the wild. They however do not require documentation as with some other tortoise species.#N#Generally, these tortoises are characterised by having round, slightly flattened shells that feature brown or black scutes alternating with yellow to olive green. Two Horsfield’s tortoises were some of the first creatures of earth to travel safely to the moon and back as part of the Zond 5 mission in 1968. As you may expect, they are long lived animals living up to 80 years old on average with the correct care. Ensure you are receiving a healthy tortoise and supporting responsible trade by only choosing animals bred in captivity.
What bulb do you use for a tortoise table?
To create the basking spot, a basking spot bulb can be used (this needs to be used with a dimming thermostat). For tortoise tables the bulb will be placed in a lamp stand which should be adjustable to help position the heat source to create the correct temperature and spread.
What temperature should a tortoise be?
HEATING. The basking area should be kept at 29°C-32°C at one end of the enclosure . The cooler end can be maintained at a regular room temperature, down to about 20°C. This allows a tortoise to move between temperatures and thermoregulate appropriately.
How cold can a horsfield be?
Use a digital thermometer to keep track of the temperatures in your setup. If your night temperatures are always colder than 15°C, a low power ceramic heat emitter or similar infrared heat projector on a pulse thermostat can increase ambient temperatures at night without producing disturbing light.
How long is a tortoise table?
They also allow for deeper substrate, being accessible from above. A minimum enclosure length of 3ft is recommended. Larger sizes are available such as the range produced by Vivexotic.
How old do tortoises live?
As you may expect, they are long lived animals living up to 80 years old on average with the correct care. Ensure you are receiving a healthy tortoise and supporting responsible trade by only choosing animals bred in captivity.
What to look for when selecting a tortoise?
There are certain signs that you must look for when you are selecting your tortoise. Some things to avoid are cloudy eyes, bubbly nose, light/weak and non-responsive .
What does it mean when a tortoise is captive bred?
To further explain this, “captive bred” means that the tortoise was born in captivity and not in the wild. This is crucial because when they are born in the wild they can carry many more diseases and they are use to the wild making it hard to adapt to captivity.
How long do tortoises hibernate?
Some owners do not hibernate their tortoise at all. My recommendation is to hibernate your pet 2-4 months during the winter, given that he is healthy enough to do so.
How to make a tortoise climb?
Mix a few materials such as hay, wood chips, sand, soil and gravel together. Place rocks around the housing for the tortoise to climb on or use as a hiding spot/visual barrier. A hiding spot/visual barrier reduces stress and climbing helps with exercise. Flat rocks are excellent for serving food on for him.
What is the best height for a horsefield?
1. Border. A boarder constructed out of treated wood, brick or concrete with a height of at least 40 cm (16 in.) work best.
How big is a tortoise?
Their size is on the smaller side for a tortoise, ranging from 15-20 cm or 6-8 inches full grown.
How to provide optimal care for a pet?
The true secret to providing optimal care is to replicate their natural environment of the Mediterranean as closely as possible. This will open the door to the most absolute peak state of health, happiness and energy level of your pet.
