Zoo database

Sulcata tortoise

Centrochelys sulcata

Natural diet Sulcata tortoise

Grasses
Herbs

The Sulcata tortoise is a herbivorous grazing species. In nature, they largely consume grasses and vegetables. Their natural diet contains enough moisture to stay hydrated but additional water supplementation is recommended in captivity.

Feeding advice Sulcata tortoise

Feed quantity per day

3-5% of body weight

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 50 kg and eats 4% of its body weight, it will get

50 x 0.04 = 2 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

10% Concentrates
10% Other vegetables
79% Grass, lucerne and other roughages
1% Other

Proportions (fresh product)

0.1 x 2 kg = 200 g concentrates
0.1 x 2 kg = 200 g other vegetables
0.79 x 2 kg = 1580 g grass, lucerne and other roughages
0.01 x 2 kg = 20 g other

Diet suggestions

In moderation

Fruits (without large pits)
Herbs

Not recommended

Lettuce, cabbage or spinach varieties
Predominantly feeding hay that is high in oxalates (e.g. alfalfa hay)

Additional advice

Feed according to the “Feed quantity per day” for 3 times per week (3-5 times for tortoises 1-5yr old).
Feed high fiber products in the diet (read more about differences between vegetables).
Avoid high protein and fat in the diet as it can cause the tortoise to outgrow its shell.
Feed fruits occasionally as a treat, since it’s not included in their natural diet.
Tortoises require adequate calcium through the form of supplementation or by feeding concentrates.
Sulcatas respond to vivid colours, adding at least one colourful ingredient stimulates feeding activity.
Foraging behaviour can be stimulated by dispersing the food throughout the enclosure (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

Metabolic bone disease
Respiratory disease
Shell softening

Feed quantity per day

Sample percentage calculation

Feed composition

Proportions (fresh product)

Tortoise LS Diet

Kruidenmix - 3 kg

Agrobs TESTUDO

DK Multi-vit

Marieke Post

Manager R&D & QA