Sulcata tortoises are strict herbivores and should maintain a diet solely of grasses and weeds. The occasional vegetable or fruit are fine as occasional treats. Dog food contains animal proteins which are not safe for a sulcata tortoise to eat as a main diet. So…. No a Sulcata tortoise should not eat dog food, however a kibble here and there won’t kill your tortoise.
Sulcata tortoises are opportunistic feeders and will try nearly everything. A few kibbles of dog food here and there won’t hurt a sulcata tortoise, but it’s not ideal to provide constant access to dog food, much less use dog food as a staple diet for a sulcata tortoise.
Alternative Diet for Sulcata Tortoise
During fall and winter months when grasses and lettuces may not be as easy to grow, there are safe alternatives that you can offer a sulcata tortoise. You don’t want to feed dog food to a sulcata tortoise, but there are other pellet diets that are safe for sulcatas.
Pellets for Sulcata Tortoise
Instead of feeding dog food or cat food to a sulcata tortoise, offer tortoise pellets.
There are many brands and types of pellets safe for sulcata tortoises. These pellets have been formulated for proper health and diet.
Safe tortoise pellets for sulcata tortoises include hay pellets, Mazuri pellets, Zoo Med Grassland pellets, Lugarti pellets.
You will find that nearly every tortoise keeper has their own opinions on which tortoise pellet diet is the best. Some think Mazuri original pellet has too much “junk” whereas others swear by it. In the end, try a few different types of tortoise pellets to find what works best for your sulcata.
Why is Meat Animal Protein Bad for Sulcata
Being herbivores, sulcata tortoises require a high fiber diet that is low in protein. The protein that sulcatas do eat should be plant proteins which can easily be provided through different greens, grasses and even hay.
A sulcata tortoise diet that is too high in protein can cause a variety of health problems including kidney failure, rapid growth and shell pyramiding.
