Having a correct and healthy diet for your red-footed tortoise is perhaps the most critical part of his care. A correct diet ensures that your red-footed tortoise develops well, stays strong, stays healthy, and even determines the quality of the tortoise’s colors.

Basically, a red-footed tortoise’s diet can be divided into three parts: green leafy vegetables, fruits, and supplements.

Also remember that the list below is not complete, but rather provides an accurate guide to your turtle’s diet.

green leafy vegetables

Leafy green vegetables are a very important staple in your turtle’s diet and should be the bulk of your turtle’s diet because of the nutrients they contain. Some basic leafy greens that you might like to include in your turtle’s diet are romaine lettuce, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, and sometimes spinach.

fruit

Fruits are another important part of your red-footed tortoise’s diet. These fruits include tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, apples, melons, papaya, and bananas.

Fruits should only be fed two to three times a week because of how sweet they are. If a red-footed tortoise is fed too much fruit, that’s all it will want to eat and it won’t receive the vital nutrients that come from the green leaves.

supplements

Supplements, especially a calcium supplement, are used to improve your turtle’s diet. The calcium supplement is important because it ensures a healthy and strong development of bones and shell. These calcium supplements can be purchased at any pet store with a reptile section or online. Lightly sprinkle your turtle’s meals with the calcium supplement on a semi-regular basis.

Foods to Avoid

A common mistake that new turtle owners make is to purchase and feed their turtles pelleted food. Pelleted foods do not provide essential nutrients to your turtle’s diet and also contain grain products that are the cause of pyramidal turtle shells.

Also, your turtle should not be given any other human food except those mentioned in this article and other sources.

Water

It is also important that you keep a constant water source available for your red-footed tortoise. I keep a shallow dish of water in my turtle’s habitat. Make sure the dish is large enough for your turtle to fit in, as it can double as a soaking tray.

Be sure to replace the water regularly because dirt and other waste products get into it regularly.