Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am the new owner of 3 russians (found them on petfinder.com). They are the ones with the waxed shells (see posting below from yesterday). They seem fat and sassy and pretty dang healthy. Their previous owner has had them about 8 yrs. She told me they love PEAS. Now after doing research I found out do NOT feed them Peas (specifically) or fruit, with the possible exception of ocassional apples. Confused at how these guys could be so healthy after yrs. of the wrong diet, I put in a call to a russian friend who has chatted with me in the past of encountering these torts in the wild. She said in Russia, they are frequently found in gardens in summer enjoying the cool weather crops, including shell PEAS! And she said it wasn't unusual to encounter them on the steppes eating wild strawberries and other wild berries. So whats up? All the stuff I have read online says do not give them this type of food, stick with greens. I would like to hear from other russian owners who have fed fruit and peas. While its probably not a great idea to make this a mainstay of the diet (not with any tortoise I would think) is it really all that harmful?

There are many foods you could feed to your russians that will not kill them as long as it is part of a "varied diet". A tort might eat some peas and berries in the wild, but it is probably grazing on a wide variety of weeds and grasses, too.

I used to feed peas to a russian I had a few years ago. At that time it was one of only a few foods he would eat. But I also worked in some greens and weeds.

I also think that a bad diet can be somewhat offset by proper hydration and environment. By that I mean the diet won't harm them as quickly if everything else is top notch. Adding some calcium and vitamin supplements will also help offset any deficiencies.

Also, animals are tougher than we think, and are capable of surviving under terrible conditions.

I feed my russians the following:

1) Grocery greens: endive, collards, turnip greens, some dark lettuces

2) Weeds: clover, henbit, plantain, dandelion (flower and leaves), wild strawberry, etc.

3) Raw vegetables: carrot, squash, zucchini, watermelon rind (if that's a vegetable)

4) Fruits: apple, peach

If weeds are plentiful, I feed mostly weeds. If not, I add more greens. I add some raw vegetables every week, and throw a hunk of fruit in every couple weeks. They also eat some grass in their outdoor pens.

If your torts are hooked on peas, just patiently work in more greens and weeds, finely chopped, into the peas while reducing the amount of peas. And add some calcium powder on a weekly basis. Keep them well hydrated by regular soaks.

Best of luck.

I think part of the reason why some people say "never feed this food" is the fear that someone will decide to use only one food for their animal. I've seen "sudden death warnings" given for spinach!

I remember trying to find a dietary staple for my torts. It just doesn't exist.

I know my russkies will tear into watermelon rind, but I doubt it would be a good, everyday food. They also love carrots, but the lack of calcium along with the higher oxalates make it something to throw in every once in awhile.

So variety is the key.

Ask EJ.

Thats good common sense and I intend to follow it. So far the russians eat pretty much anything I put in front of them, so far its been plantain, dandelion and romaine. I think I will let them eat some fruit once in awhile and maybe as treat, some of their beloved peas. Thanks for responding!

Not to sound like a madman, but feed them 95-100% weeds and dark, leafy greens. If you've ever seen the various environments they come from you'd be hard pressed to find peas, watermelon, peaches, or squash growing anywhere. The nutrients in those items are all in a variety of dark greens and weeds. About the only way a wild Russian would run across any of these items is in about 5-8% of their natural range. In those areas they are considered agricultural pests, much like Box Turtles were in the 1920's and 30's in parts of the Eastern US (Maryland and Virgina in particular).

I've kept arid species for 33 years and always fed them only weeds, cactus, and dark greens and have never had any problems. Why risk it?

MAnga seems to love it...would it hurt?
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"raised by a cup of coffee"

1.0 ball python- Azazel
1.0 columbian boa- Brooklyn
1.0 red blood python-Hiss
1.0 peach phase thayeri-Sancho
0.1 creamsicle corn- Pandora
0.1 partial stripe ghost corn- Raven
1.0 Sunglow motley corn-Ernie
1.1 hognose- Pricilla and Odd
0.1 russian tortoise- Manja
0.1 collared lizard-O-ren
0.1.1 leos- Boji and Kodama
0.1 beardie- Indie
1.0 BTS- Griffon
0.1 Iggy- Sunny
0.0.2 Red american toadlets with 0.0.7 legs total (er, i have one w/3....)
0.0.1 gray tree frog toadlet
0.0.6 land snails
0.0.2 millipedes of unknown species from TN
0.0.1 spotted slug
5.3 bettas
0.1 pacific parrolet- Mishka
1.1 cats- Cairo and Oberon
2.3 ratties Rizzo, Bounce, Bree, Blitzkreig, and Zelda

Perfectly fine. When I mentioned cactus I should have specified the entire plant - fruit and all. I feed our arid groups the fruits about once every two months as that's when they are available in the hispanic markets here in Minneapolis. Feed them the entire fruit, rind and all.

ljhjkh

I'm amazed at the great condition of some of the tortoises I've gotten from people who fed all the 'wrong' foods and didn't have a clue as to how to 'properly' care for a tortoise.

I've learned a great deal from those situations.

As Brad mentioned, you really can't go wrong if you feed as varied a diet as you possibly can.

My guys (russians) get grocery greens, lawn weeds, grass clippings, yard clippings (rose, hibiscus... leaves and flowers) and of course...MAZURI TORTOISE DIET. I actually had to cut back on the tortoise diet because of the growth I thought it put on them but have since determined that it was not the tortoise diet itself but the quantity that they would consume. These little guys are really pigs.

As far as fruits and veggies go, I like to go with the low moisture content stuff like berries, apples, pears... I found melons and squash and the like really give them the runs.

If you'd like to feed a 'natural' diet, good luck. I'd be surprised if you can find a fraction of the plants that they would encounter in their native range unless, of course, you are located in their native range.

At this point any diet you provide, regardless of the source, is going to be artificial.

If you really get into these guys this is a 'must have' book. This is probably the most up to date reference there is.

Kuzmin, Sergius L.
TURTLES OF RUSSIA AND OTHER EX-SOVIET REPUBLICS
(2002) A comprehensive overview of the tortoises and freshwater turtles inhabiting the territories of the former Soviet Union. Includes information on keeping and breeding, diseases and treatment, ecological problems, nature reserves, conservation problems, pet trade and other anthropogenic factors.

You can find it here

http://www.zoobooksales.com/cgi-bin/catalog.cgi

As to the peas, I don't use them but don't see how it can hurt as part of a varied diet.

Enjoy. They are great pets.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

EJ said: "As far as fruits and veggies go, I like to go with the low moisture content stuff like berries, apples, pears... I found melons and squash and the like really give them the runs."

I only feed them fruits, melon rind & squash (or zucchini) when they are outdoors, where they also consume a fair amount of grass and fibrous weeds. So whatever "loosening" effect these items may have, it seems to be countered by the high-fiber diet.

When the torts are indoors I have to find ways to increase the fiber because their diet has more low-fiber greens. I've found timothy hay to help if chopped finely enough and moistened.