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The Easiest Way to Feed Your Tortoise Correctly

Calculate exact portion sizes, diet ratios, calcium supplements, and feeding schedule for your pet tortoise in seconds. Works for Sulcata, Russian, Leopard, Red-foot, Hermann's and all common species. No signup, no ads, 100% free, forever.

✓ Species-specific diet ratios
✓ Prevents metabolic bone disease
ðŸĐš Based on veterinary research & guidelines
ðŸĐš

Based on veterinary research & ARAV guidelines

Standards match captive tortoise care best practices

Calculate My Tortoise's Food ðŸĨŽ
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I love dandelion greens! ðŸĨ°

ðŸĒ Tell Us About Your Tortoise

ðŸ’Ą Tip: Weigh your tortoise monthly on a kitchen scale!

ðŸĒ Meet Our Cute Tortoise Friends!

Sulcata / African Spurred Tortoise

3rd largest tortoise in the world, friendly, chonky grazer, loves dandelions

Russian / Horsefield Tortoise

Tiny, adventurous, always exploring, stays small, perfect beginner friend

Red-foot / Yellow-foot Tortoise

Colorful, friendly, loves fruit and occasional snacks, humid forest friend

All our cute tortoise friends are non-aggressive and love eating leafy greens! ðŸĨŽ

💎 Real Tortoise Keeper Stories

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Mark D.

Sulcata keeper, 8 years

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"I was overfeeding my baby Sulcata with too much kale and not enough hay. The diet ratio breakdown showed me exactly what I was doing wrong, his pyramiding stopped and he's growing perfectly now!"

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Lisa M.

Russian Tortoise keeper, 4 years

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"I had no idea calcium with D3 was that important for indoor tortoises! Got my little guy on the schedule from this calculator and he's way more active and has a perfectly smooth shell now."

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Jake R.

Red-foot Tortoise breeder, 10 years

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"This gets the red-foot diet right - most guides forget they need fruit and occasional protein unlike the arid species. I send this to all my new baby tortoise buyers."

ðŸĒ First 7 Days With Your New Tortoise Guide

Bringing home a new tortoise? Follow this guide to reduce stress and get them eating well:

Day 1

Set up enclosure with correct temperatures/UVB/humidity. Place tortoise in, provide shallow water. LEAVE ALONE - no handling, let them explore and find hides.

Day 2-3

Only open enclosure to refresh water and offer a small amount of food. Minimal handling. Let them settle in, they will be stressed from transport.

Day 4

Short handling session (10-15 minutes max). Supervised roam time on grass if weather is appropriate. Don't put them in water yet.

Day 5

Offer first full meal using our calculator portion guide. If they don't eat, remove after a few hours and try again next day - new environment stress is normal.

Day 6

Give them a lukewarm shallow soak for 10-15 minutes to help hydration. Check they are passing stool normally.

Day 7

By now they should be settled and eating. Start the regular feeding/supplement schedule from our calculator.

ðŸ’Ą Tip

Hatchling tortoises are shy! It's completely normal for them to hide for the first week. Just make sure temperatures are correct and food is available.

ðŸĒ Tortoise Care Guides

Deep, beginner-friendly guides to feeding, housing and keeping your tortoise healthy — written by real keepers.

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Tortoise Safe Foods List

Weeds, greens & flowers you can feed daily, occasional treats, and the toxic foods to never offer — by species.

Read guide → 🐘

Sulcata Tortoise Care

How big they really get, enclosure size, temps & UVB, grass-based diet, and why a cute baby becomes a 100-lb pet.

Read guide → 📐

Shell Pyramiding

Why captive tortoises grow bumpy shells, whether it's reversible, and the diet + humidity setup that prevents it.

Read guide → ❄ïļ

Hibernation Guide

Which species hibernate, how to fast and prepare, safe fridge/box methods, weight checks, and when NOT to hibernate.

Read guide → 🐎

Russian Tortoise Care

The best beginner tortoise: small size, enclosure setup, weed-based diet, hibernation.

Read guide → ðŸĨ

Common Illnesses

Respiratory infection, shell rot, parasites, eye problems, when to see a vet.

Read guide → ðŸ’Ą

UVB Lighting Guide

T5 vs T8, indoor vs outdoor, basking bulbs, photoperiod.

Read guide → ðŸĶī

Calcium & Supplements

D3 vs no-D3, supplement schedule, multivitamins, preventing MBD.

Read guide → ❄ïļ

Seasonal Care

Summer vs winter care, temperature tolerance, year-round tips.

Read guide → ðŸĪ

Handling Guide

How to pick up, handling frequency, building trust, shy tortoises.

Read guide →
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Not sure how much to feed?

Get an exact portion, diet ratio and calcium schedule for your tortoise's species, age and weight.

Open the calculator →

Tortoise Keeping Buying Guides

Unbiased recommendations for supplies that make tortoise keeping easier, tested and used by real keepers.

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Best UVB Lights for Tortoises (2026)

UVB lighting is NON-NEGOTIABLE for indoor tortoises. Bad UVB causes metabolic bone disease, permanent shell deformity, and death.

What to look for:

  • ✅ 10-12% T5 HO UVB output for arid species
  • ✅ Correct fixture size for your enclosure
  • ✅ Replace every 6-12 months even if still lit
  • ✅ Mount 12-18 inches above tortoise shell
  • ✅ Pair with a digital UV meter to check output

ðŸ’Ą A good UVB setup saves you thousands in vet bills from MBD.

See Recommended UVB Setups →
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Best Substrates for Tortoises (2026)

Good substrate holds humidity, allows burrowing, and is safe if accidentally ingested. Bad substrate causes impaction and health issues.

Recommended:

  • ✅ Coconut coir / cypress mulch (holds humidity well)
  • ✅ Orchard grass hay / timothy hay (edible, safe)
  • ✅ Topsoil + sand mix (arid species outdoor)
  • ❌ Avoid: walnut shells, cedar, pine, pure sand

ðŸ’Ą Substrate should be at least 4 inches deep so tortoises can burrow.

See Recommended Substrates →
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Best Tortoise Enclosures & Tables

Proper enclosure size is critical - tortoises need space to roam, graze, and thermoregulate between warm and cool sides.

Sizing guide:

  • ✅ Hatchlings: 2x4 ft tortoise table minimum
  • ✅ Juveniles: 4x8 ft enclosure
  • ✅ Adult Russians: 8x4 ft outdoor pen
  • ✅ Adult Sulcatas need large outdoor space
  • ✅ Open top tortoise tables are better than glass tanks

ðŸ’Ą Tortoises don't understand glass, closed tanks cause stress.

See Recommended Enclosures →

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We only recommend products we would use for our own tortoises.

❓ Tortoise Feeding FAQ

How often should I feed my tortoise?

Young growing tortoises under 1 year old should be fed daily. Subadults 1-5 years old every other day. Adult tortoises 5+ years only need feeding every 3 days. Adjust based on body condition: underweight tortoises eat more frequently, overweight tortoises eat less often.

How much calcium does my tortoise need?

Hatchling/juvenile tortoises need phosphorus-free calcium carbonate with D3 2-3 times per week, dusted on their food. Adult tortoises need calcium 1 time per week, plus a cuttlebone in their enclosure they can gnaw on as needed. Outdoor tortoises getting natural sunlight may need less D3.

What foods are toxic to tortoises?

Never feed spinach, rhubarb (high oxalates bind calcium), avocado (toxic to reptiles), onion/garlic, citrus fruits, iceberg lettuce (no nutrition), dog/cat food (too high protein causes shell deformities), bread/pasta or any processed human food. These cause permanent health issues.

Do tortoises need UVB lighting?

YES, indoor tortoises absolutely require 10-12% T5 HO UVB lighting 12 hours per day to synthesize vitamin D3 and absorb calcium. Without UVB they will develop metabolic bone disease, soft shell, permanent deformities, and eventually die. Outdoor tortoises get enough UVB from natural sunlight and don't need artificial lighting.

Why is my tortoise not eating?

It's normal for new tortoises to refuse food for the first week while settling in. Common reasons: temperatures too cold (they can't digest food below 70°F), stress from new environment, pre-brumation in winter, dehydration, or illness. If your tortoise refuses food for more than 2 weeks, check temperatures and consult a reptile vet.