One of the trickiest things to nail down as a new sulcata tortoise owner is what to feed them. Even the most experienced owners continue to research and fine-tune their pets’ diets for years after adopting their first tortoise!
This article introduces the core nutritional needs of a sulcata tortoise, including how those needs vary from more popular pet tortoises belonging to the Testudo genus. You’ll learn why a proper diet is important, what’s on the recommended sulcata tortoise diet and food list, and how to make sure your pet gets the right balance of vitamins and minerals for long-term health.
Sulcata Tortoise Profile
The sulcata tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata), also known as the African spurred tortoise, is popular in the pet trade for its adaptability and curious personality. They are one of the biggest tortoises and can easily live 80 years or longer in captivity.
Perhaps the most important thing to know about this tortoise breed is that it needs to live outdoors. Sulcatas should only be kept indoors during periods of cold weather. Because of this, you really need to live in a warm climate to adopt one of these tortoises as a pet.
While your sulcata tortoise will spend nearly all of its time outside, it still requires daily care. Things like investing in a quality enclosure and providing a healthy diet will set your (likely lifelong!) pet up for success.
Physical Characteristics
Sulcata tortoises are most famous for their size. These gentle giants are the third-largest species of tortoise in the world (bigger tortoises have existed, but are sadly extinct today) and are the largest species commonly kept as pets.
The average adult measures about 18 inches long, but some can grow up to 30 inches. Females are noticeably larger than male tortoises.
Size isn’t the only thing that matters. You also need to consider how much your pet tortoise could weigh. When it comes to sulcatas, mature weights can range from 70 pounds to more than 100.
Though these tortoises are big, remember that their metabolisms are very slow. Sulcatas have adapted to the low-nutrient, high-fiber foods most readily available in their native habitat.
Natural Habitat
For any animal, habitat and diet go hand in hand. Sulcata tortoises are native to some of the driest parts of Africa, where the only reliable food sources are grasses and tough shrubbery. Wild tortoises make good use of this plant matter, constantly grazing as they slowly travel across the arid landscape.
Behavior and Temperament
Their curious personalities make sulcata tortoises a bit accident-prone. Keep an eye out for things they can climb on or get stuck between. Avoid giving your sulcata access to inedible things they could mistake for food. (These tortoises are drawn to bright colors, which they sometimes mistake for edible flowers or fruit.)
Sulcata tortoises like to burrow. You should plan for this behavior by building an outdoor habitat with soft dirt and underground fencing to keep them contained.
Safe Foods for Sulcata Tortoises
I know how easy it is to feel overwhelmed by the (often conflicting!) advice you hear from pet stores, the internet, and fellow tortoise owners. How do you know what will provide the nutrients and energy your tortoise needs to stay happy and strong?
In this section, I’ve broken down the nutritional needs of your average sulcata tortoise and explained the how and why of feeding a balanced, sustainable diet in captivity.
After reading, you’ll be equipped with knowledge about what your tortoise should eat on a daily basis and what should only be offered as an occasional snack (or not at all).
Grass and Hay
Fresh grass and dry hay should, ideally, make up around 90% of your sulcata tortoise’s regular diet. These foods are most similar to the plants they would be eating if it were living in their native habitat.
Why are grass and hay so good for a sulcata tortoise? Because they are high in fiber, low in moisture, and low in protein. Most grasses are also fairly low in oxalic acid, which can cause issues in some tortoises if consumed in large amounts.
Recommended grasses and hays include:
- Timothy grass
- Barley grass
- Meadow grass
- Oat grass
- Orchard grass.
There are also many happy and healthy sulcata tortoises who feed on their owners’ regular turf grass. Popular options that perform well in warmer climates include:
- Bermuda grass
- St. Augustine grass
While alfalfa is easy to find in pet supply stores, it’s not the best option for tortoises because of its high oxalate content. Feed alfalfa grass/hay as a rare treat or not at all.
Wherever your tortoise’s grass and hay comes from, be sure it’s free of potentially harmful treatments like pesticides, herbicides, mold or pest activity.
Additionally, avoid using chemicals on your own lawn or garden if this is something your tortoise may occasionally munch on – even if that isn’t their main food source.
Flowers and Leaves
Sulcata tortoises are avid gardeners… the flowers just don’t live very long to tell the tale!
Hibiscus and rose flowers are both popular treats for hungry sulcatas. They will also happily munch on ‘weeds’ like dandelions, chickweed, and violets.
Sulcata tortoises enjoy leaves from some ornamental shrubs and trees as well. Cross-reference any leaves against a list of toxic plants for tortoises before feeding them to your pet.
You can offer up tortoise-friendly flowers and leaves for your sulcata to snack on in addition to its regular diet of grasses and hays. Just remember that any flowers fed to your tortoise need to be free of harmful chemicals.
Fruit
Sulcata tortoises love fruit, but should only receive it as a very occasional treat (or not at all).
Fruit is super high in sugar and water, especially when compared to the bulk of a tortoise’s daily food intake. Just like you or I can’t live on a diet of candy and pastries, your tortoise can’t survive on fruit alone!
Grazing tortoises like sulcatas are particularly sensitive to fruit because of their unique digestive systems. While other pet tortoises may be able to eat fruit as often as once or twice per week, most experts agree that sulcata tortoises shouldn’t eat fruit at all.
With that said, I understand that pet ownership isn’t always about being perfect. Sometimes we want to treat our animal companions to something typically forbidden—e.g., during end-of-life care.
In such cases, ‘safe’ fruits to offer your tortoise include things like:
- Banana
- Strawberry
- Melon
- Apple
- Pear
- Peach
- Apricot
Be sure to remove the hard pits from any stone fruit (e.g., peaches, apricots) before letting your sulcata tortoise take a bite.
If you have any questions or concerns about feeding your sulcata tortoise fruit (or its diet in general), your veterinarian is always the best source of information.
Vegetables
Vegetables shouldn’t be the bulk of a tortoise’s daily food intake. (If fruit is candy, we could say that veggies are akin to a slice of pizza. In other words, totally fine to have in moderation!)
Remember when I said that grass and hay should make up about 90% of your tortoise’s diet? Well, vegetables should make up most of the other 10%.
Some popular tortoise-approved vegetables include:
- Shredded carrots
- Squash
- Corn
- Lettuce
- Dandelion greens
- Cabbage
I often see new tortoise owners conflate grasses and leafy greens (e.g., dandelion greens, lettuce, kale, and turnip greens).
While this plant matter might all seem the same to you or me, leafy greens contain a lot more protein than fresh grass or dry hay. Feeding too many leafy greens to your tortoise can, over time, impact its growth and overall health.
Vitamins and Minerals
Key vitamins and minerals are easily supplemented by sprinkling your tortoise’s food with a specialist powder. Of these vitamins and minerals, calcium is by far the most important to overall health. Too little calcium can result in poor bone and shell development.
The Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital recommends a high-quality calcium supplement that is free of phosphorus for sulcata tortoises. This is because tortoises get plenty of bio-available phosphorus from their diets and too much phosphorus can interfere with calcium absorption.
For this reason, I use and recommend this Reptile Calcium Powder as it’s phosphorus free.Â
Most tortoises can also benefit from taking a vitamin supplement such as Exo Terra Calcium + D3 Powder Supplement on a weekly or biweekly basis. The vitamins and minerals your tortoise needs supplemented can vary with its diet and even enclosure type, so I definitely suggest chatting with your vet to determine the best supplementation routine for your pet.
Unsafe Foods
If you follow my advice above, you’ll be well on your way to feeding your tortoise a healthy diet. However, I also want to give you an easy reference list for some of the things you should NOT feed your Sulcata:
- Meat or dairy—Sulcata tortoises require a low-protein diet and these foods contain far too much protein for them to safely consume.
- Pet food—You might be surprised to learn that some people try to feed their tortoises kibble meant for cats or dogs. Don’t do this!
- High-protein veggies—Not all vegetables are safe for tortoises. Steer clear of things like beans, peas, and their byproducts that are naturally packed with protein.
- Grains—Similarly, grains like wheat and barley are fairly high in protein. Sulcata tortoises can eat the leaves of these crops but shouldn’t be fed the seeds.
How and When to Feed
One of the best ways to keep your pet tortoise happy and healthy is to commit to a regular feeding schedule. In this section, I offer some easy tips and tricks for getting started based on your sulcata tortoise’s needs.
1. Feed at least 3 times per week
While tortoises can go a long time without eating, it’s best to feed your pet often. Adult sulcata tortoises prefer to eat at least 3 times per week.
There may be times when your tortoise’s appetite decreases and it doesn’t want to eat as often—e.g., this is common in colder weather—but you should still offer fresh food on a regular basis.
2. Provide tons of variety
Tortoises can be picky! For a well-rounded diet and a bit of variety, I recommend mixing together 2 or 3 different grasses, hays, or veggies for each meal.
3. Supplement with vitamins and minerals
You can ensure your pet tortoise gets enough calcium by adding a powdered supplement to every meal. Additional vitamins and minerals may be supplemented every few weeks as needed.
Health Problems Related to Poor Diet
Poor diet contributes to most health issues in domesticated sulcata tortoises. In this section, I’ve covered some of the most common diet-related issues. If you have any questions, I recommend talking to your tortoise’s vet to learn more.
Improper Growth
A diet too high in protein (or just overfeeding in general) can cause rapid growth in younger tortoises. This may cause shell deformities like bumps or pyramiding. In extreme cases, these deformities can impact the tortoise’s health, quality of life, and expected lifespan.
Uric Acid Buildup
Another issue associated with a high-protein diet is uric acid buildup. Uric acid is a natural by-product of metabolizing protein and is normally flushed out by the tortoise’s kidneys. If a sulcata tortoise eats too much protein, however, uric acid crystals can build up in the bladder and other organs.
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, uric acid buildup can cause greater health issues like gout affecting the joints or heart.
Calcium Deficiency
Feeding your tortoise too little calcium can cause serious issues like shell softening and metabolic bone disease. Other things that can trigger these diseases include a diet too high in phosphorus (which interferes with calcium absorption) or a vitamin D deficiency (which can be caused by too little UVA/UVB exposure).
A healthy tortoise needs a balance of calcium and phosphorus in their diet. I recommend working with a vet to finetune your tortoise’s diet if you notice signs of these deficiencies.
Oxalate Buildup
Most experts advise against feeding foods high in oxalates. Many popular veggies sold for human consumption fall into this category, including things like spinach and broccoli. You should also check any landscape plants your sulcata tortoise has access to for high oxalate levels.
Fortunately, grazing tortoises like sulcatas don’t seem to be as sensitive to oxalates as other species. Their guts are designed to digest tough plants in their native environment, many of which are high in oxalic acid.
However, a diet high in oxalates can still interfere with calcium absorption and cause kidney stones. You can prevent issues with oxalate consumption by keeping your pet tortoise well-hydrated and feeding a healthy, varied diet (i.e., only feeding high-oxalate vegetables in small quantities).
Toxic Shock Syndrome
Grazing tortoises such as sulcatas have special bacteria in their guts that help digest rough foliage. Feeding your tortoise foods high in sugars or acids—fruit is the most common culprit—can damage these beneficial bacteria. This can interfere with the tortoise’s digestion to the point of causing toxic shock syndrome.
Questions
Do sulcata tortoises need to eat every day?
Sulcata tortoises are large grazers native to a dry, semi-barren habitat. Adult tortoises are used to going a couple of days without eating much and can be fed about 3 days per week. Young tortoises (less than 1 year old) can eat every day.
How long can a sulcata tortoise go without eating?
Tortoises can go several weeks without eating due to their slow metabolisms. This allows them to survive in tough habitats like the desert where food isn’t always available. Pet tortoises may go brief periods without eating if their enclosure is too cold or they don’t feel well.
Citations
- Merck Veterinary Manual Metabolic and endocrine diseases of reptiles
- Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital of Louisiana Sulcata tortoise care sheet (PDF)
- MedVet Sulcata tortoise background and care recommendations
- Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital Diet for sulcata tortoises
