The Horsefield Tortoise has very different dietary needs than tropical species such as the Red Foot Tortoise. Firstly, it should not consume any animal protein. You could perhaps provide it with titbits of fruit once or twice a week, but its digestive tract cannot accommodate the sugars of fruit. The safest fruit option is apples and even those should not be indulged in frequently.In nature, the Horsefield tortoise hibernates for a period of up to six months in winter and burrows down and grows less active during the high summer. This second hibernation is referred to as aestivation. Therefore, it needs to consume as much nutrients as possible during its brief spell of activity, not only to provide body reserves for winter, but also for reproduction. It lays six to ten clutches of eggs, sometimes twice or three times a year. The tortoises are more active when in captivity, but may get less opportunity to exercise if kept in an enclosure. They may hibernate for shorter periods. All these factors could easily cause them to be overfed.
When keeping Horsefield tortoises, you should take care to expose them to a fairly large variety of those foods they can eat. Avoid Iceberg lettuce, which has no nutritional value and may spoil their appetite for other food. On the other hand, Romaine lettuce, red and green leaf lettuce, endive, escarole, radicchio, chicory, turnip and mustard greens, Kale and Collards can be included with a clean conscience. Like various other tortoises, Horsefields love eating flowers. Roses, hibiscus, dandelion, cornflowers, California poppy, Forsythia and Chrysanthemum flowers make a great treat for them.
Meat, grains and any type of dog or cat food is unsuitable for the Horsefield tortoise. There are also types of food that can cause the wrong sort of chemical reactions to form, resulting in the body absorbing less of the necessary minerals than it should. There are high concentrations of phytic acid in beans, peas and cereals and since this binds with minerals, it means that less calcium will be absorbed.
If your tortoise wishes to hibernate, it will usually show signs such as slowing down, eating less and making attempts to burrow. If your tortoise has a healthy body weight, there is no reason not to let nature take its course. If however, it has been battling some infection or shows signs of a parasite infestation, you would be advised to keep it lively. Do consult your vet, when in doubt.
The Horsefield Tortoise has a versatile character that can intrigue and surprise you.