I enjoy Tim Dowling’s columns – he is funny. But I have a quibble about him giving his tortoise lettuce, which has virtually no nutritional value (Saturday magazine, 8 November).
I worked as a records keeper at a zoo for more than 20 years, and one of my duties was keeping track of tortoises brought in by people who could no longer care for them. We were also the meeting place for a turtle and tortoise club, and offered information on their dietary needs.
Too many people believed that tortoises only eat lettuce, which resulted in all sorts of health problems, including death from malnutrition. So I hope that Tim is offering his pet a variety of chopped veg and fruit, such as broccoli, spinach, carrots, courgettes, apple – whatever it will eat. In the wild, they eat a wide variety of plants (leaves and flowers).
If your tortoise wanders in your garden, watch what plants it likes to nibble on. It wouldn’t surprise me if dandelions were a favourite.
Rosemary A Fletcher-Jones
New Milton, Hampshire
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