Hello there, I bought a leopard tortoise a year and a half ago and he is my world. He has a big garden to graze (i only let him out when it is warm of course) I thought I was looking after him just fine until I noticed he pees like a camal and it's started to look a bit brown lately, he also poos very rarely. I bought him from a shop and they were feeding him mixed leaf lettuce when I got him (and from having a rabbit and knowing lettuce was bad for her, I figured they were doing all the wrong things). The problem is, I started feeding him cucumber because I thought that was much better for him but wasn't ever really told what to feed him. He eats a lot of grass and dandelion leaves when he's outside, but the truth its, I DONT REALLY KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR HIM. I got worried, went crazy and bought a load of different things from my local grocery, banana, cabbage, you name it (again all the wrong stuff) Luckily he just scowled at me and didn't touch any of it. But if someone could enlighten me on what I should be feeding my dearest Merve, that would be great.
Bean
XxXx

hi,
leopard torts should have about 70% grasses in their diet that includes lawn grasses and alfafa

I would avoid alfalfa, its very high in protein.........what you need is Redigrass which should make up around 70% of their diet. Im pretty sure Pets at Home sell it, or ring your local pet shop and enquire if they can order it for you.
Try soaking it for 10 minutes before you initially feed it to your tortoise, once soaked it will stick to the weeds and your tortoise will eat it with his weeds.
Hope this helps

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Phoebe

Keeping: Hermanns and Whitei's

Leopards shouldn't have alfalfa!!

They do need 70% of their diet to be grass and/or hay, they need a high fibre dry diet. You can use all different kinds of hay like Supa Forage Excel, Readigrass, Graze On, Timothy hay, Burmuda Hay etc

If they are not used to eating a dry diet though you will have to be tough to get them onto it, but it will be much healthier for them, and easier for you come winter!

looks like i wasted £1 on a kg of alfalfa then lol...

You certainly did! If you have a guinea pig or rabbit, or know someone who has ten the best bet is to give it to them.... Not daily though instead of normal hay. Once a week for them would be fine.

yeah ive got 2 guinea pigs thanks

Yes you did Andrew, and once again you have me banging my head against the wall with your 'advice'................do yourself, and your tortoises, a favour and do some research.


To any newbies reading this, please DO NOT give alfalfa to tortoises....it is known to be one of the worst foods you can feed........extremely high in protein and promotes too-rapid growth and shell deformities.

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Phoebe

Keeping: Hermanns and Whitei's

i did do research and 2 website have said it, no mention on the tt website

somebody is getting too big for their boots

couldnt give a damn anymore! well ive still got these books aswell that say it aswell

and i just sold my viv for the tortoises sake!
everytime i try and post i always get people saying i should do all this better!