What to feed a tortoise: weeds, leafy greens, calcium and fruit

Diet is where many pet tortoises go wrong, usually through kindness. Feeding too much rich or sugary food can cause digestive upsets, abnormal shell growth and long-term health problems. This guide covers Mediterranean species such as Hermann's, spur-thighed and marginated tortoises, and Horsfield's tortoises, which eat a similar diet. Tropical species have different needs, so check guidance for your species.

In the wild, Mediterranean tortoises graze on a wide variety of tough, high-fibre, low-sugar plants. In captivity, weeds should make up most of the diet. Veterinary and tortoise welfare guides list weeds such as:

Some keepers grow a dedicated weed patch or let part of the garden grow wild for this reason. Only pick plants you can identify confidently, and never from places that may have been sprayed with pesticides or weedkiller or are by busy roads. Even with dandelions, variety matters. Relying on one or two plants is a common mistake.

In winter or when weeds are scarce, shop-bought leaves can fill the gap. Keepers commonly use mixed salad leaves such as rocket, lamb's lettuce, watercress and other dark leafy greens. Iceberg-type lettuce has little nutritional value. Mix things up rather than feeding the same leaves every day. Some keepers also dry weeds over summer to use through the winter.

Vets and tortoise welfare groups generally advise against fruit for Mediterranean and similar species. Their gut is built for fibrous plants, and the sugar in fruit can cause digestive upset and encourage gut parasites. Some tropical species, such as red-footed tortoises, naturally eat some fruit, which is one reason species-specific advice matters.

Pellets marketed for tortoises vary widely. Many keepers use them sparingly, if at all, alongside a natural weed diet; your vet can advise.

Tortoises need plenty of calcium for their shell and bones, and many captive diets fall short. Common advice is to dust food with a calcium supplement, and sometimes to alternate with a combined vitamin and mineral supplement. A cuttlefish bone left in the enclosure is popular, but vet guidance says it should not be relied on as the only source of calcium. Calcium is only useful if the tortoise can absorb it, which depends on adequate UVB light. That is covered in the enclosure guide in this room.

Provide a shallow dish of fresh water that the tortoise can step into and out of easily. Many tortoises drink while soaking. Some keepers also give regular shallow, lukewarm soaks, particularly for young tortoises, which helps hydration.

Most adult Mediterranean tortoises are fed a pile of greens daily during their active season. Overfeeding can cause rapid growth, which is associated with shell problems, so resist the urge to keep topping up. Watch your tortoise's weight and shell growth and discuss a feeding plan with a reptile vet. What weeds does your tortoise go for first, and how do you manage winter feeding? Share your experience or ask a question in the comments.