GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR DESERT TORTOISE DIET REQUIREMENTS

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR DESERT TORTOISE DIET REQUIREMENTS
These new feeding guidelines, generated by the last 15 years of Desert Tortoise Diet
research, are provided to replace outdated feeding guidelines.
A desert tortoise should be allowed to forage and graze on a variety of naturally growing
plants to facilitate exercise, muscle development, and beak and nail growth control.
In the wild a desert tortoise may consume up to 150 types of plants in a season, with
preferences (per habitat environment) for 7 to 15 plants.
For captive desert tortoises, the basic diet should be 80-90 percent grasses and forbs
(weeds) and the only fruit they should be given is the tuna (apple) from opuntia (prickly
pear) cactus. Below you will find lists of food plants that can be easily grown to provide
a balanced diet; also a short list of acceptable greens that may be purchased to
supplement their diet should you be unable to grow a large enough variety of foods,
however-- there is no replacement for a natural diet.
GRASSES
Bermuda                            Mediterranean
Orchard                             Desert Indian Wheat(narrow leaf plantago)
Mexican Feather Grass         Arizona Cottontop
Curly mesquite                    Desert Galetta and Needle Grass
Indian Rice Grass                 Fescue            St. Augustine
ASSORTED WEEDS, LEAVES AND FLOWERS
Desert Dandelion                 Dandelion                       Chickpea
Common (Cheese) Mallow     Apricot Globemallow         Desert Chia
Desert Plantain                    Herons Beak                    Owls Clover
Desert Thistle Sage             Sowthistle                       Shepherds Purse
Cassia (Senna)                    Redstem Storks Bill            Fremont’s Pincussion
Brown Eyed Primrose           Evening Primrose              Mojave Spurge
Rock Hibiscus                      Hibiscus Flowers               Trailing 4 o’clock
Sweet Alyssum                   Goldfields                         Nasturtiums
Plains Coreopsis                   Desert Marigold                California Poppy
Tidy Tips                           Mojave Copeopsis             Mulberry Leaves
Rose petals                        Grape leaves             Beavertail Cactus (Opuntia basilarus)

Acceptable greens – Chicory, collards, dandelion, endive, kale, turnip (would have to be
supplemented with dried or ground up Bermuda , Orchard or Timothy grass hays, and are
not as nutritious as natural graze items listed above).

Supplementation with calcium is required, cuttlebone with the hard backing removed is
ideal as it facilitates beak health and allows the tortoise to self regulate calcium ingestion.

Desert Tortoises NEED to LIVE OUTDOORS in sunshine with shade, burrow and water.
If a tortoise has to be kept indoors due to health or other reasons, it is recommended that
calcium with Vitamin D3 by used on all foods 2 or 3 times a week , however, do not use the Vitamin D3 if housed outdoors.  Should you need to use a calcium dust, be sure it is phosphorus free.

Seed mixes for the plants listed may be obtained from various places, two of which are:
http://www.turtlestuff.com  , http://www.theodorepayne.org

Further info: http://www.tortoise.org , http://www.kerncttc.org ,
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Gopherus/