So you want to feed store bought produce to your animals?

 A grazing tortoise needs a high fiber, high calcium and low phosphorus diet.  A calcium to phosphorus ratio of at least 2:1 needs to be maintained.  Some supermarket produce items may seem healthy at first glance, but when investigated  more closely, many of these items are poor  food choices, and can lead to irreversible health problems.

Some species such as Redfoots, Hingebacks, and Box Turtles tolerate some animal protein in the diet as well as a little more vegetable protein and sugars than their grassland grazing cousins, but the balance of calcium to phosphorus remains critical, as does water content , oxalate content.

Grazing tortoises do not have the type of digestive system necessary to break down excessive sugars. Excess water and sugar can create intestinal problems (diarrhea, digestive flora imbalance and parasite problems.)

Many of these items are also very high in oxalic acid. Oxalates can contribute to significant renal and bone development problems.  One must weigh the good along with the bad when choosing any food item.

Items marked with RED are of items to avoid.  BLUE indicates the component, contents, etc. that may be harmful.  Do your homework and if at all possible, offer natural items (rather than those in the supermarket.)   Natural foods after all, are what a tortoise would generally eat if not in captivity, and duplicating wild diets as closely as possible will help to maintain peak health. 

Tortoises have kept themselves healthy in the wild for millions of years.

** = data unavailable  DM = Dry Matter Basis

The plants listed below can potentially cause problems with bladder stones, renal failure, and some are listed in databases as poisonous.

Please use the utmost care when deciding what plants you offer to your tortoises!  While a few of the plants listed are OK to use with cautious moderation, (clover, for example) overeating of any of these plants may cause serious illness

If used, grow in un-enriched soil ONLY.

When growing,  unpleasant to humans who touch it

When in doubt of true species name, play it safe. Common names can be dangerous.  

Offer clovers only in strict quantities.

Another plant with a common name that can be a harmful species if the wrong one is chosen..   

DO NOT GROW IN ENRICHED SOILS!

Only wild desert primroses are considered safe, wild Gopherus are observed eating them, OTHERS (cultivars) are considered to be potentially toxic.

Leaves; Flowers- Grandiflora - Plants may contain up to 9.3% oxalates and are known to cause acute oxalate poisoning, this one is dangerous.

Roots not naturally consumed by wild tortoises anyway.