Refined Russian tortoise diet
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
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And yet another updated version • Russian Tortoise Diet
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In this video I show you my updated version of the proper Russian tortoise diet. Instead of just using store bought mixtures you should add fresh lettuce and vegetables to the diet. Before you decide what to feed your tortoise be sure to do a good amount of research. If you have any questions please leave them in the comment section below
The stuff with the red stalk is chard. It is high in oxalyic acid and should only be fed occasionally because of this. also make sure the tortoise is well hydrated before feeding. I suggest you visit 'The Tortoise Table' to find a list of plants that are safe to feed and in what quantities.
frances greenleaf thank you
Thank you
Thank you from Sardinia Italy
Your videos are helping me out a lot we just got a new Russian tortoise yesterday so thanks
Before going on,Know all about your Veggies by name this helps so many people feeding there Tortoises.And how much with some,to much of a good thing can be bad.Thank you for trying.👍🏼
The fact you call it salad not lettuce is funny. But great informative videos
Lol
CharlesAlwaysWins I was thinking the same thing salad??? Mix them all together and then call it one salad ???? it is a great information video on feeding leafy greens ☺
Watched a few of your videos and i think your spot on mate, well done with all your success and keep making those videos :)
Also, even though iceberg lacks nutrition, it will definitely help with hydration. I had trouble getting mine to drink water and this totally helped!
That's a great varied diet. I bet your tortoise has a great life.
I like feeding fresh vegetables. Pellets while nutritional are boring. Would you want to eat your foods mixed into a lump. Glad to see you included fresh foods.
Why are you calling it Salad it is lettuce
different people say it differently no need to judge
I give my tortoise iceberg lettuce occasionally when I'm trying to give him extra water in his system. Iceberg lettuce is good for hydration. I wouldn't feed it to him often though.
romaine lettuce is also a good option for water i dont recommend iceberg tho
Some tortoises might have this problem. A solution to prevent this is to feed the tortoise its food from a rock instead of a bowl. The rock will grind down the beak naturally when the tortoises eats its food from it. You can also go and get the beak trimmed back by a vet.
no as there is no need to. Just calcium powder works better anyways as the tortoise will eat it's food with the calcium powder without hesitation. The tortoise might not however eat the cuttle bone, and if it does it can leave a bit of a mess behind. Unless your trying to breed tortoises only calcium powder is enough. However if you try to breed tortoises the female should get as much calcium as possible. In that case you can try feeding cuttlebone
While iceberg salad has no nutritional value it will get your tortoise to eat salad. Another thing you can try is to squirt a little bit of lemon juice on the salad (not a lot, just a few drops). The smell will attract the tortoise to the salad. Once your tortoise eats I would slowly switch from iceberg salad to whatever diet you chose to do. Do this by slowly replacing some of the iceberg salad you feed each day with the correct diet untill the iceberg is gone at the end.
You are talking about a cuttlebone, and yes you could get that. But not every tortoise touches that. To help with that you can squirt a bit of lemon juice on the cuttlebone I have heard though. I just find the powder a better option of getting the calcium to my tortoise.
yes, but my tortoise isn't pregnant, nor does it have an overgrown beak. But your right, in case you have a pregnant female, or a tortoise with an overgrown beak you can try feeding it cuttle bone. Hatchlings will most likely not touch it, so I would just geed them more calcium powder..
I feed my tortoise every day. When she is in an active phase she will eat two lettuce leafs each day of the week, but sometimes she will go without eating for two weeks. Nevertheless I still throw in two leafs each day so that she can start eating again whenever she wants to
I have 2 Russian Tortoises, they love Kale, spinach, dandelions as well! Rare treats include small pieces of tomato, strawberries or bananas, but mine eating mostly greens, and they will eat a pile of greens in a day about equal to the size of their shell.
Don't feed them too much spinach as it can block their digestive systems.
That is a good point, but other lettuces are full of water as well. Enough to keep the hydration level in a tortoise up. Mine has only drank from her waterbowl once and I feed her Romanian lettuce so there is enough water in that as well
If you want more variety for a better diet some other options are kale, cactus pads, radicchio, and mazuri tortoise pellets are all good things to add to your tortoises diet. :)
I don't think every tortoise has it. The problem with tortoises is that when they get it they don't appear to be sick right away. That is why it can be easy to get salmonella from a tortoise. It is however more likely to catch salmonella from other things like spinach and eggs (I just read that online, don't ask me why).
I have had a Russian tortoise since was l 3 years old I named her tutle when I got her because I couldn't say turtle my mom has shown me what to feed her but sadly she died last year I got a new tortoise I saved my money to get he is named tutle 2 I looked up this video to help me take care of my new tortoise I hope you liked my tortoise story I love my new tortoise but I did learn not to let him on my bed and not move my hand if he is coming toward it well let me say I got bit by him and he has no teeth.
thank you!
Yes definitely, quit the iceberg lettuce feeding at once! Also make sure that you get your tortoise calcium supplements in the form of powder on the lettuce leafs.
Dried grass is very good for your tortoise as that is what they find in the wild mostly. SO if he eats that keep it at that and put some calcium powder on it. Vegetables are really more of a treat.
Russian's have very similar dietry requirements to mediterranean species so should mainly be fed weeds, plants and flowers that are free from pesticides or other contaminants. These are best grown in your own garden in pots and borders. Dark salad leaves are a good minor addition. Cuttlefish keeps their beak down. UA-cam won't let me put a website link in the comments section so please read the link I give to thetortoisetable and tortoisetrust in my video descriptions. They are very helpful.
No problem, thank you for asking
thanks
Window boxes, windowsills and indoor propagators as well as in the tortoise enclosure itself (or even a hanging basket above it). All methods I use myself for growing tortoise food. Where there's a will there's a way.
Since most tortoise owners (me included) live in the city and don't have a garden growing weeds is a bit difficult. I can also not go and collect them since there is big streets close to almost every park in the city. Because of that the natural grassland tortoise food is a good addition. It basically is dried grasses and weeds, just not as fresh as grown in your own garden. A cuttlebone is not needed to grind their beak. My tortoise never had a problem with her beak,
I feed him kale, collard greens, and mustard greens I also add some grassland tortoise food thats in the video but he doesnt even look at it like its food.
The colorful vegetable in the middle is called swiss chard. Great Video!
well, looks like i need to do some adjusting......i have been feeding my tortoise iceberg lettuce everyday because its the only type of lettuce we get...... but ive recently been adding celery tops. (celery leaves) either way, ive still got to get her more lettuce!
Yes you should ignore the instructions and use it every day, just don't use to much and really only lightly sprinkle the food as the tortoise needs the calcium to build healthy bones. What it means with the deficiencies is that if your tortoise doesn't get enough calcium it's shell will be soft which can cause it to deform, it won't be able to grow properly, and ultimately it can lead to death
I get about one head of lettuce a week at my local grocery store. So thats 20$ monthly CAD for the lettuce. The calcium powder lasts half a year and cost 9$ CAD. So I think I pay about 21.50$ CAD a month.
dandelion green & endive specifically are the best for our Russian torts..also sprinkle some calcium... some torts do not eat the pellets..and my hero vet says its perfectly fine, if not better not to feed them commercial diet...all natural greens, once in a while fruits and weeds/flowers with the added calcium is best! my torts or thriving from such a diet!
my herp vets ***
do u use calcium powder everyday
+Thecookiegamer not every day...but I do have a vitamin reptile spray from the brand "zilla" that I use once a day on their food...and make sure you have a uvb lamp ..it is what they need to process.the caclium and vitimans they.eat.
you're right, but they totally love it. But if your tortoise doesn't eat anything (not even the lettuce it usually likes) I would just recommend the iceberg lettuce to get the tortoise to start eating. I think by now the problem has been solved
What are you trying to feed it? I would buy very fresh green leafed lettuce and try that. Tortoises also like different types of vegetables, you could try feeding cucumber, zucchini, carrot pieces, broccoli, spinach, etc. Make sure you clean vegetables before you feed them. Also don't feed a vegetable based diet as that's not a tortoises natural food. Try vegetables to get it eating but don't base the diet on them.
great video
Alright try leaving out the grassland tortoise food as some tortoises don't eat that. My tortoise used to eat it but then one day randomly stopped. Try switching to a different type of lettuce as your tortoise might relate the lettuce you are already feeding him to the grassland tortoise food. My tortoise doesn't touch her food anymore if I try to put grassland tortoise food on it.
I got my tortoise 2 days ago on Christmas Eve, and he still hasnt eaten. I've tried feeding him kale, blueberries, tomato, a piece of banana, and the tortoise pellets. Is he just adjusting? If so, how long does.it usually take for a tortoise to eat in its new home? Thebstore clerk said he LOVES bananas and has a huge appetite, so I've been trying to feed him what he's used to. Im buying the Spring Mix today
I guess so. I'm really bad with non aquatic plants though, I might give it a try next summer
That advice is great but then tortoises also don't eat lettuce in the wild. So really we will always end up feeding them something that they don't get in the wild.
hey, i was also wondering if i could get the calcium in just the form of a little block-thing ment for birds. i was thinking it could help her beak, but would she even touch it? i wouldn't think so, but could i get the block version instead of the powder? would it provide the same amount of calcium?
The red stalks are Chard, or so they appear to me :) Which is in the beet family and safe to feed. :)
how offen do you you need to trim his/her beck?I'm not sure and I don't know if i'm
doing harm with not so Please help.
They are awesome pets. To bad you can only really look at them for two thirds of the year because most of them hibernate.
no problem
Thank you! This video helped a lot!
today i got zoo-med natural grassland tortoise food, and calcium powder. i think the company is tetrafauna,and it's called reptocal....it says for all reptiles and includes calcium and vitaminD3. but it says to only use it once or twice a week. should I listen to it, or should I sprinkle on calcium every day? it also says that deficiencies in these critical nutrients can lead to deformities, stunted growth and even death. I'm not really sure what it means, so can you help me about it? :3
Thank you this was very helpful
excellent. tips thank you. My tortoise loves carrots I been giving him them with corllardgreens. I also let him graze in my backyard he loves to eat grass and weeds. I do not treat my yard for weeds just cut the grass and let it grow naturally. I hope to built him an outside enclose for nice days because he is getting big. I had him 6 years now his aquarium. is really getting. to small for him I live in the south so it warm most days. but I will still keep him inside at night. Please let me know what you think or should I do anything different thanks.
Sounds like you're doing a good job. I would definitely build your tortoise an outside enclosure as soon as you can!
I was thinking of putting a wood floor in the outside enclosed to keep him from trying to dig out then fill it with dirt and mulch.
I am also disappointed in the lack of adorable tortoise eating the food you prepared lmao!
I recommend the iceberg salad only because tortoises absolutely love it, make sure to switch it out of the diet as soon as your tortoise accepts other food.
1:53 if you dont know what it is why do you think you can give an unknown food to your tortoise?
You don't normally need to trim their beaks. Unless it is so overgrown that your tortoise can't open its mouth.
Thank for the ideas
Is it true that you should feed your tortoise it's weight of food every day?
Yes but in German we say Salat which sounds very similar to salad which is why I call it salad. Everyone knows what I'm talking about though.
Love the videos, but if you don't know what it is, it could be harmful to your tortoise!! What were you thinking!?
What that green with the red stems is Swiss Chard
hmm I think you might be right about the thing with your sister. Tortoises are animals that don't like being handled constantly. If she is doing that it might just make him aggressive towards all humans because he just wants to be left alone. Maybe talk to your sister about it?
I feed my turtle that every morning and it's great he loves it I get the turtle food with the calcium and vitamins in it put some water in it let it moist in a little water cut up some regular Green Leaf lettuce a little bit of cucumber and some green leaf spinach and mix it all up with that brown turtle food every single morning and he Chows it down. and by the way if your turtle is not drinking a lot of water like it should be hand feed him a little bit of cucumber cucumbers are real juicy water-wise
Do u mean lettuce instead of salad
Is rye bread good for russian tortoises
Hi! I'm thinking about getting a Russian Tortoise, and I have a bunch of questions, like, how much should you feed them and how much the food costs per month, and whether or not to feed him certain things.
Food cost depends, for a grown tortoise you'll probably need 4 containers of spring mix a month, plus some tortoise pellets that provide the tortoise with the fibre it needs. You'll also need calcium powder, but that lasts a long time. The food really is one of the cheaper things, no more than 200$ a year probably
its better to feed them Dark greens like collards and kale (provides a very good source of calcium) not spring mix..... it's a good treat though and do research from reputable torts breeders and reptile veterinarian.
How much of the grassland food do you give your tortoise? Mine is very picky about his food
I don't use that stuff anymore as I found a better alternative (similar product from germany without any filler though, just herbs and grasses). I usually just sprinkle as much as I feel like over the top of her food, not very accurate. I would say about 1/4 cup
How many times you need to feed him
My tortoise hates eating grassland tortoise food and only likes kale and leafy greens... does anybody know why?
That is not salad. Salad comes in a bowl. The one on the right is Romaine lettuce. Very important veggie for Russians. The rest I’m guessing at. Red Cabbage? Rhubarb with the red stalks.
Hey um how do u use that grassland tortoise food? I bought some prior to watching this video and all it said was sprinkle some water over it to soften it up. I did that and then soften up but then it hardened again and my Russian tortoise Henry could not eat it. What did you do to make it all crumbled up?
I put it in a small bowl and completely soak it in water (like fill the bowl with water). Once the pellets fall apart (this works faster with warm water) squish what you have in your bowl in your hand to remove the extra water. Your hands will get a bit messy so make sure you do this next to a sink where you can wash them
Thank you
i am pretty sure that the rutabaga is not good for you tort...
The red stalks look like rhubarb which has poisonous leaves make sure thats not what your feeding your tortoise
I got my Russian tortoise about a week ago and he hasn't eaten yet. Can anyone help?
ok which summer and winter months do they usually hibernate? how do I know if mine is hibernating? do they wake up periodically to eat and drink?
it depends on where you live. Different parts of the globe experience winter at different times. If you do not have a winter where you live, or you do not have extremely hot summer months, your tortoise might not hibernate. When they do they do not wake up periodically to eat and drink. You'll know when the tortoise is not active for an extended period of time
how often do u need to give them calcium powder and the natural grass? and what do u feed your tortoise daily. Thx
For a hatchling I would give calcium every day. I currently do not use the natural grassland stuff anymore as I have found a better herb mix in germany which my dad ships me. I feed her collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, dandelion and that dried herb mix daily
My diet is cut up salad with the tortoise grassland food with a couple of mealworms and blackberries sprinkled with calcium. Is that alright and should I change anything??
Tortoises are strictly vegetarians, you should not be feeding him/her mealworms. Blackberries should only be provided as a treat occasionally, for instance once a month (and around 2-3 blackberries depending on the age and size).
Should be calcium without D3
I don't mean to interupt you but does this work for ever type of tortoise
No every tortoise breed is different, research the certain breed your interested in, in depth.
First off all congrats to your new pet, I'm sure you will take good care of it.
Russian tortoises should have a diet that is based more on lettuce and herbs, compared to fruit and vegetables. Stop trying to feed it tomatoes and fruit as while the tortoise might like them it will cause some serious health problems in the future. It is normal for your tortoise to not want to eat, I would recommend to try feeding it iceberg salad to get it eating.
my tortoise, Bella is a very picky eater. I tried giving her all of those leafy greens and she won't eat any of them. she will only eat the cucumber and I have tried giving her a couple different types of pellets and she won't eat any of those either. she does like kale, collard greens, escarole, cucumbers and carrots but anything else she won't eat. I don't know what to do.
starve her for a week. What works for me is offering her the new food as her first food after she wakes up from a period of rest (which she has twice a year)
+RussianTorts starve her for a week? isn't that cruel?
The thing is that if they know they will get the food they like in a couple of days, they will wait and not eat the food they don't like. But, if you don't want to starve your tortoise, you can just wait until it hibernates (if it is a hibernating species) or enters its summer inactivity phase. Then offer the previously not liked food right after they get out of hibernation. THey are usually so hungry that they will eat any food you offer them
i have 2 Russian Tortoises and when you said to like mix it p like make different meals each day. is it okay if i keep it the same meal for awhile?
You not everyday your tortoise is fine you can change it once a week
my tortoise won't eat anything except lettuce, I try to feed him fruits and he doesn't even open his mouth. I don't think that he knows that it's food. I want to try and balance his diet but he won't eat anything except a leaf.
+Katie Eckler Fruit are not healthy anyway. Try witholding food from him for a while. My tortoise would not eat kale or anything but romaine for a while. I had to wait until she woke up from brumation (at that point she hadn't eaten for two months and was really hungry). THen she ate the kale right away
The 2nd one is rainbow char
Do feed this to my tortoise in the morning and night or just one a day?
Your tortoise should always have food available, just like in the wild. Feed your tortoise in the morning and if they run out, give them a little bit more. Make sure not to over feed them.
Hi I can't find grass land food but is it ok to use (European Tortoise Adult soft pellets)? And put it in water and mash it up with lettuce?
It's best to keep the lettuce and the pellets separate so that he has an option of which he would prefer to eat, if he only eats one then put them together so he will eat both.
Lol, The reply Was a bit late.. By now I figured out what is best for him! Thanks for the reply!
+daniel alvarado Hahaha okay you're welcome :)
How often do u feed ur tortoise
I'm new to tortoises and need to know if this diet is good for a younger/baby russian tortoise. Does it matter how old it is?
It does a bit, for babies it is really crucial that they get a lot of calcium as their shell is growing a lot in that time, so calcium powder each day is very important. You will also want to cut the lettuce into small pieces so that the tortoise can eat it easier.
RussianTorts Alright, thanks!
What's your russian tortoises name. Mines name is Tucker
My tortoises name is Potilla, comes from a german fairy book (I got her as a little child)
Hi there, Can you list the types of vegs,salad,etc that i can feed to my tortoise?
These aren't all the things they can eat because that can go into the thousands but here are a few: Spring greens, rocket, courgette, pumpkin, kale, brussel sprout, oregano, fennel, artichoke, strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, blackcurrant leaves, wild rosemary, apple, pear, tomato, grape, strawberry, melon, plum, peach, blackberry, apricot, gooseberry, raspberry, chicory, chard, endive, dahlia, bermuda grass, frisee lettuce, marrow, radicchio, lollo rosso lettuce, romaine lettuce, lambs lettuce, pak choi, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, spinach, cucumber, cress, watercress, parsnip, bromeliad, evening primrose, hollyhock, nasturtium, pansies, petunia, geranium, bittercress, black medic, blue sowthistle, bristly oxtongue, broadleaf filaree, cats ear (the plant lol), wild chicory, creeping thistle, dead nettle, field madder, dandelions, roses, nasturtium, henbit, hibiscus, white clover, mulberry leaves, prickly pear, cos lettuce, lamb's leaf, parsley, flowering maple, globe thistle etc
More could be: Goats beard, ground elder, hawks beard, hedge woundwort, kidney weed, knapweed, mallow, oilseed rape, scotch thistle leaves, sea holly, teazel, violet, bergamot, agave, aloe, purslane, Timothy hay, plantain, celeriac, daisy, calendulamarigolds, chicory, comfrey, cactus and so much more! Hope I helped :)
Remember that you should feed fruits in small amounts and that every tortoise breed is different.
I just got mine yesterday and it's eyes seem to be puffy.. is there somthing wrong . And I like to take mine outside to bathe in the sun is there an estimated time that she should be aloud to be outside
Even though this comment wad posted a year ago I will still answer it incase you're still having problems or it occurs again. Puffy eyes can sometimes be the outcome of the substrate (soil) he lives in being too dry - miss in a little water and he should be good to go! As for time being outside, I suggest only an hour for a little one as they can get cold. Once they are older they are suppose to live outside so all day. Hope I helped.
+KrackleCookiez was* also never take your eyes off your tortoise and don't allow any other animals to be around him/her.
I only feed my tortoise fresh kale, should I incorporate more variety?
You definitely should. A varied diet is extremely important for tortoise health.
Ok, i definitely will now. Thanks for replying
GiddyTV yes yes yes!
GiddyTV yes u should bc I used to feed only kale and my tortoise got sick. my vet told me to give him more of a variety
I feed mine a mixture of romane lettuce and kale sprinkled with calciam and 1once a week he gets the slightest bit of carrot also during the summer i will let him outside and at all time supervise him so that he can graze on the grass and i make sure he doesnt eat anything that is toxic to him. So i would recommend a bigger variety and maybe switch things up every once in a while i find he gets really exited when he see's something new !
can you clarify the summer hibernation please?
I bought my Russian at petco...He had the rainbow tortoise food in his bowl....Sooo he onlt eats If there is the rainbow food in his bowl. I try to mix it with the grassland, or all greens...Still. he is stubborn and eats mostly the rainbow stuff lol!...Will he eventually eat other stuff too???
they can be stubborn, they often like foods that have no nutritional value to them. Try to starve him for a week and see if he will eat the other stuff then
also have another question...it might be a dumb one....But. would be it opk to like say pick grass from my backyard for t hem to eat?. Grass, weeds. and of course dandelion. of course it is not sprayed with anything. is that ok?
yes it is, make sure there are no fertilizers used by you or your neighbors. Check if your neighbors spray as well (the rain can end up washing it into your yard). If all is good, make sure you wash the greens thoroughly as they can be dirty from exhaust fumes from cars etc. Don't be upset if your tortoise only goes for the dandelions, mine has never eaten grass in her life ;)
lmao///Im just tryin to get him to eat more than just his dumb rainbow food lol!. so im thinkin wild stuff...But. ill keep that im mind...Is the grass and dandies good in fiber as well?
it is great in fibre, grass is essentially just fibre
Have you ever gotten sick from the salmonella the tortoise has?
do they eat red or green cabbage?
No cabbage is bad for russian tortoises it has too much protien for them.
Things you can't feed them:
Cabbage
Iceberg lettuce
Bok choy
Spiced greens
Meat
Insects
Egg shells
Cat, dog, fish food etc.
Are the pellets required?
No, but they provide the tortoise with a change in diet. You can also buy timothy hay (in the small animals section of most pet stores) and put that on their greens. It is full of fibres and a good addition to their diet
is it safe to feed russ torts kale?
Yes, kale is a great food for tortoises.
Oh. I think mine is a hibernating species but idk anything about that.
What species is your tortoise? If it is a mediteranian species it will hibernate or brumate (people still don't really agree on what to call it) in the summer and winter. Examples would be greek tortoises, russian tortoises, and similar species
Mine is a russian
What months do they hibernate and do I need to do anything? I read if you keep the indoor temperature steady they won't have to hibernate
The thing is that even if you keep the indoor temperatures steady the tortoise will still notice that the seasons are changing and will automatically try to hibernate. When mine does this in the winter (even though the temps stay warm in the house) I just let her be and turn of the lights not to waste electricity. I don't do a full hibernation with my tortoise because I don't have the space.