Desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) are selective herbivores that track the flowering phenology of their preferred food plants.

Is a desert tortoise a herbivore, carnivore or omnivore? Desert tortoises are herbivores or plant eaters. They eat the tough, scratchy grasses and plants available to them in the desert heat. Some examples of what they eat include herbs, flowers, various types of grasses and cacti along with the fruit of cacti.

Turtles are omnivores meaning they eat vegetation and meat. Tortoises tend to be herbivores but have been known to occasionally eat meat. Both turtles and tortoises date back 220 million years! They both have a very long lifespan with sea turtles living up to 70 years and the more common turtles living up to 40 years.

Green sea turtles have finely serrated jaws adapted for a mostly vegetarian diet of sea grasses and algae. As adults, these are the only predominantly herbivorous sea turtles; although some occasionally also dine on jellyfish and sponges.

Turtles smell well, both on land and under the water. They don’t have nostrils, they have bumps under their chins. These bumps, called barbels, have nerves that allow them to pick up scents. In a land turtle, this well-developed sense helps avoid predators.

Turtles do not have a smell of their own. They produce unpleasant smell if they are not clean or if the tank in which they reside is not clean. Usually, particles of food or the vegetation surrounding the turtle get stuck on its body. These stuck particles emit a foul odor if they are not cleaned.

Turtles do get bored. You may notice several times that your turtle is either digging or climbing in the tank. If you have a single turtle as a pet, you should try to keep your tank as entertaining as possible. This will ensure that your turtle is not bored and will keep itself entertained.