Herbivorous Tortoises

Tortoises date back to prehistoric periods of Earth. These shelled creatures live longer than most animals and inhabit extreme environments such as deserts and tropical islands. Many tortoises are herbivorous, although still deadly to small invertebrates and their own species. Many tortoises are on the endangered species list and require vigilance by environmental watch communities to ensure preservation. In addition, keeping a tortoise as a pet requires necessary attention, because not all species enjoy salad lettuce for dinner.

  1. Gopher Tortoise

    • Gopherus polyphemus, or gopher tortoise, is a land tortoise that originated in North America. Gopher tortoises inhabit dry environments, typically found in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. Gopher tortoises feed off of vegetation and hide under brush, creating large burrows that are home to other creatures, such as frogs, mice, foxes and even snakes. Ranging from dark tan to gray, the gopher tortoise feeds on plants that are low to the ground, such as apples, pawpaws, blackberries, saw palmetto berries and fruits. In Florida, the gopher tortoise is a threatened species due to the loss of habitat.

    Mediterranean Tortoise

    • Mediterranean tortoises belong to the genus Testudo, which includes Hermann's tortoise and spur-thighed tortoise. These tortoises have shiny green or tan-colored shells with indents that look like a soccer ball. Relatively small, the Mediterranean tortoise is a common pet originally from Europe. Mediterranean tortoises consume flowers, stalks and green leaves in the wild. Hermann's tortoise is a brightly colored species with a yellow and green shell. In the wild and captivity, these tortoises prefer sunlight until too hot, and then return to hidden dwellings under bushes or wood. In the winter months, Mediterranean tortoises hide under dead leaves.

    Desert Tortoise

    • In California and Mexico, desert tortoises, or gopherus agassizii, live in the Mojava and Sonoran deserts. However, these tortoises are also found in some regions of Utah, Nevada and Arizona. These herbivorous tortoises prefer dandelions, alfalfa, cactus, fruit, flowers, soil and rocks. With a horned nose and dusty brown shell, the desert tortoise maintains its moisture from grasses consumed in the spring. The desert tortoise has many predators in the wild, including ravens, badgers, coyotes, roadrunners and gila monsters. Desert tortoises also build burrows to hibernate in the winter.

    Giant Tortoise

    • The giant tortoise is one of the oldest creatures on Earth and lives on tropical islands. The aldabra tortoise is the largest of all tortoises, weighing around 800 pounds. Giant tortoises are typically herbivorous, eating grasses, leaves, fruits and other plants. Giant tortoises gather on grasslands, being most active in the morning. While naturally herbivores, these tortoises may consume smaller animals and even feed on dead tortoises.

    Leopard Tortoise

    • Stigmochelys pardalis is a large, brightly colored tortoise native to Africa. The leopard tortoise is the fourth largest species of tortoise, with adults weighing about 40 pounds. Leopard tortoises live in grassland habitats and maintain a diet of fruit, flowers, weeds and grasses. Leopard tortoises thrive on high-fiber diets rather than a wet diet of lettuce or tomatoes. Leopard tortoises require an outdoor habitat with relatively warm temperatures of 90 degrees. Humid habitats are not suitable for leopard tortoises. Their shell pattern is rather distinct with tropical yellow and green colors.