Zoo database

Hermann’s Tortoise

Testudo hermanni

Natural diet Hermann’s Tortoise

Hermann’s tortoises have a herbivorous diet. Although their diet is dependent on the population (eastern or western), territory and seasonal availability, it primarily includes a variety of plants and herbs. Opportunistically, also some insects may be consumed.

Fruits
Fruits
Grain / seeds
Grain / seeds
Grasses
Grasses
Leaves
Leaves

Feeding advice Hermann’s Tortoise

Feed quantity per day

10%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 2 kg and eats 10% of its body weight, it will get
 
2 x 0.1 = 0.2 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

1% Supplements
9% Concentrates
40% Leafy greens and cabbages
50% Browse

Proportions (fresh product)

0.01 x 0.2 kg = 2 g supplements
0.09 x 0.2 kg = 18 g concentrates
0.4 x 0.2 kg = 80 g leafy greens and cabbages
0.5 x 0.2 kg = 100 g browse

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Variety of hay (grass, timothy)

Variety of browse

Leafy vegetables

Supplements

Not recommended

Fruits
Celery

Common diseases

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

  • Metabolic bone disease
  • Respiratory disease
  • Shell softening

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least one feeding moment per day.
  • Tortoises require adequate calcium through the form of supplementation or by feeding concentrates.
  • The supplements should be given according to the appropriate dosage that is mentioned on the labelling.
  • Although present in their natural diets, feeding fruits might lead to abnormal fermentation in the hindgut because of high sugar levels in cultivated fruits compared to wild fruits (read more about nutritional values of (wild) fruits and vegetables).
  • Foraging behaviour can be stimulated by dispersing the food throughout the enclosure (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).