What to feed a tortoise
What tortoises eat: dandelion, plantain, clover and other UK weeds, how much and how often, calcium, water, and the foods and plants that are bad for them.
Mediterranean and Horsfield tortoises graze on tough, fibrous plants: weeds, wild flowers and leaves. High fibre, high calcium, low sugar, low protein. Most supermarket salad is the opposite.
Good, everyday foods
| Plant | Notes |
|---|---|
| Dandelion (leaves and flowers) | A favourite. Grows almost everywhere. |
| Plantain (ribwort and broadleaf) | Excellent staple |
| Sow thistle | Soft, high in calcium |
| Cat's ear, hawkbit, hawksbeard | The "dandelion lookalikes" are good too |
| Clover | In moderation |
| Hibiscus, mallow, nasturtium leaves and flowers | Easy to grow in pots |
Pick from places that haven't been sprayed, walked by dogs or near busy roads. Rinse if dusty.
How much and how often
Offer a pile about the size of the shell each day when they're active and warm. Some keepers skip a day a week. Uneaten food should be cleared in the evening.
Calcium
Leave a piece of cuttlefish bone in the table for them to nibble, or dust food with a plain calcium powder a few times a week. UVB is what lets them use it, so the two work together.
Water
Fresh water in a shallow dish every day, plus shallow warm baths, especially for youngsters.
Never feed
- Fruit (for these species), bread, cereal, meat, cat or dog food
- Buttercup, foxglove, ivy, daffodil, tulip and other bulbs, rhubarb leaves, lily of the valley
- Anything sprayed with weedkiller or slug pellets
Quick answers
Can tortoises eat fruit?
Is lettuce OK?
Can I buy tortoise food?
Checked November 2026. General information, not veterinary advice.