What do leopard tortoises eat?
I copied and pasted. The diet should be at least 70% grasses and hay. Not surprisingly, given its preference for grassland habitats the Leopard tortoise grazes, extensively upon mixed grasses weeds, and flowers. It also favors the fruit and pads of the prickly pear (Opuntia sp.), succulents and thistles. “Meat” foods should never be given to Leopard tortoises because it can lead to excessive growth, high blood-urea levels, kidney/liver problems, and bladder stones. In captivity it is a common error to feed too much wet food such as lettuce, tomatoes and fruit when in reality this tortoise requires a coarse, high fiber diet. The sugar content of fruit will also alter the pH of the gut which results in a die off of the normal gut flora. Feeding excessive fruit or soft foods frequently leads to repeated flagellate (a type of parasite) and other gut problems such as colic, most probably as a result of increased gut motility. More information can be found in the diet section of this site. D
