Can tortoises eat beetroot?
Beetroot is better left off a tortoise's plate. It isn't immediately toxic, but the root is high in sugar and oxalates, and oxalates bind calcium in a way that works against a tortoise's need for strong bone and shell growth — exactly the opposite of what a herbivorous tortoise's diet is meant to do. An occasional taste of the leaf is a lower-risk option than the root, but neither is a food to build a diet around.
Picked for your pet
Tortoise Feeding Kit
Komodo tortoise salad mix, hay cakes, a flower treat bar and calcium supplement for a balanced tortoise diet.
£20.49
Pettex Reptile Tortoise
Calcium-added tortoise substrate, 10 litres, for arid-habitat tortoises and lizards
£9.99
Komodo Tortoise Eco Terrain
Soil and sand substrate for arid tortoises, deep enough to burrow in, 10 litres
£9.99
Komodo Tortoise Leaf Mix
A 100G dried botanical leaf mix as a complementary treat for tortoises and other reptiles
£5.29
Why beetroot doesn't suit a tortoise's diet
Herbivorous tortoises need a high-fibre, low-sugar, low-oxalate diet made up largely of weeds and leafy greens, closely reflecting what they'd graze on in the wild. Beetroot root works against several of those requirements at once — it's comparatively high in sugar and carries a notable oxalate load.
This doesn't mean a single accidental mouthful is a crisis, but it does mean beetroot isn't a food worth deliberately including, when there are plenty of genuinely suitable leafy greens that don't carry the same concerns.
The oxalate problem, in plain terms
Oxalates bind with calcium in a way that stops it being used properly by the body, and calcium is central to healthy shell and bone growth in a tortoise. A diet regularly high in oxalate-rich food can undermine that over time, which is why it matters more here than it might for many other pets.
This is also why tortoise keepers are generally advised to limit other high-oxalate foods like spinach, alongside beetroot, rather than treating any one of them as an isolated exception.
What a tortoise's diet should actually look like
The bulk of a pet tortoise's diet should be high-fibre weeds and leafy greens such as dandelion and plantain, reflecting a natural grazing diet as closely as possible. A calcium supplement is often recommended too, ideally on the advice of a vet or reptile specialist who can guide the right approach for your species and setup.
Occasional low-oxalate treats have their place, but the emphasis should stay firmly on variety within the suitable greens rather than reaching for whatever vegetable happens to be in the kitchen.
If your tortoise has already eaten some
A small accidental amount of beetroot is unlikely to cause an immediate problem in an otherwise healthy tortoise, but it shouldn't become a habit or a regular part of their diet going forward.
If your tortoise seems off colour, isn't eating, or shows any change in behaviour after eating something unusual, get them checked by a vet experienced with reptiles rather than waiting to see, since tortoises can hide signs of illness well until a problem is more advanced.
Building a better everyday diet
Rather than reaching for whatever vegetable is left over from the kitchen, it's worth setting aside a small patch of garden, or a pot, for tortoise-safe weeds and greens, so a suitable variety is genuinely available rather than an afterthought.
A properly formulated tortoise food alongside fresh greens can also help fill gaps in a home-grown diet, particularly outside the growing season when fresh weeds are harder to come by, and is worth discussing with a reptile-experienced vet if you're setting up feeding routines for the first time.
More for your pet
Things we stock that owners commonly reach for here. Nothing on this page depends on you buying one.
Komodo Tortoise Fruit Mix
A fruit-based treat mix for tortoises, made from dandelion, aronia berries, strawberry and redcurrants
£5.29
Komodo Tortoise Food Salad Mix
A complete holistic tortoise diet flavoured to taste like fresh salad
£7.29
Komodo Tortoise Food Cucumber
A complete holistic tortoise diet in cucumber flavour, high in fibre
£7.29
Common questions
- Can tortoises eat beetroot leaves?
- The leaves carry a lower risk than the root, but they still aren't an ideal regular choice given the wider oxalate concern. An occasional small amount is unlikely to cause harm, but leafy greens more suited to a tortoise's diet are the better staple.
- What vegetables should tortoises avoid?
- High-oxalate vegetables like beetroot and spinach, and anything high in sugar or starch such as most fruit and root vegetables, are best kept as rare exceptions rather than regular food for a herbivorous tortoise.
- Why is calcium so important for tortoises?
- Calcium is essential for healthy shell and bone growth, and a tortoise that doesn't get enough, or whose calcium is being blocked by high-oxalate food, can develop serious shell and skeletal problems over time. A vet or reptile specialist can advise on appropriate supplementation.
- What should most of a pet tortoise's diet be?
- The bulk should be high-fibre weeds and leafy greens that reflect a natural grazing diet, such as dandelion and plantain, with only occasional low-oxalate treats and a calcium supplement where advised by a specialist.
Related
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Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.