HEVER TORTOISE WORLD® - UK'S FIRST CERTIFIED ORGANIC GROWER OF SAFE & EDIBLE PLANTS FOR REPTILES & A HERBIVOROUS REPTILE HEALTH FOOD STORE
Welcome to Hever Tortoise World. We are the UK’s First Certified Organic Health Food Store for Tortoises and other Herbivorous Reptiles. You will also find a wide range of Natural Dried Flowers & Leaves for your pets in our online shop.
As well as stocking Dried Tortoise Foods, we are also incredibly proud to have become the UK’s First Certified Organic Grower of Reptile Safe, Edible Live Potted & Plug Plants. A large range of our Potted & Plug Plants have been Certified by the Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G) – one of the UK’s largest Organic Certification Bodies. We are passionate about growing your pets’ live plants Organically without the use of harmful chemicals. So, they are safe to be fed to your pets straight away.
At Hever Tortoise World we are particularly interested in Tortoise Nutrition and feeding our own tortoises healthy, natural and varied diet. Because this is vital to their health. Having grown flowers and herbs for our own tortoises, most of whom have been rescued, we saw an amazing transformation in our animals. As their health improved, we wanted to share this natural fresh and dry tortoise food with others.
Our Range includes Dried Natural Edible Flowers, Leaves & Herbs (aerial parts of the plants including stems, leaves and flowers). Also, Dried Natural Mixed Products (flowers, leaves and herbs) as well as Fresh Weeds & Flowers.
Buy Fresh Weeds and Flowers for Reptiles (Tortoises & other Herbivores) harvested from our own land at Hever and Surrey, which is currently in conversion to Organic Status with OF&G. As a company we truly believe in nurturing our land and feeding our soil and the micro/macro-organisms that live in it. Looking after the soil using Organic methods without harmful pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilisers, ensures our plants are healthy, happy and safe to feed to your animals.
Our weeds and flowers are either naturally growing on our sites or we cultivate them from organic or our own seeds. In addition, we utilize other propagation methods and employ biological controls to keep our plants healthy. We cross-reference all fresh plants with well known German Wolfgang Wegehaupt books on safe, edible tortoise feeder plants. In addition, we refer to the German writer Thorsten Geier as well as The Tortoise Table to identify edible plants.
Having grown in healthy soils with very few inputs and no artificial fertilizers, our reptile weeds, herbs and flowers are safe to feed. They are edible plants and can be fed straight away without worrying that they may have been sprayed with pesticides.
As we are passionate about horticulture (our Co-founder Natasha holds a number of RHS Qualifications as well as a Master’s Degree (MSc in Horticulture/Crop Production Technology), we love growing plants. As well as cultivating weeds and flowers for tortoises and other herbivores, we grow several companion plants, trees & shrubs. Because companion plants serve as a magnet for many pests, they protect other more delicate plants from insect attacks. Therefore, this reduces the reliance on any, even natural, methods of pest and disease control, making plants happy and healthy.
Understanding plants is paramount to their health. Healthy plants grown by organic methods have been found to be more resilient to pests and diseases. They also contain more nutrients and have improved taste. So, by buying from us, you can rest assured that our fresh weeds and flowers are of the highest quality.
The Natural Fresh and Dried Herbivorous Reptile Foods are derived from nature. Therefore, they do not contain any additives which are often found in commercially manufactured products. Plant leaves, flowers and stems naturally contain high fibre and important nutrients. Tortoises and other herbivorous reptiles need this for their healthy growth and development. For example, constituents such as naturally occurring amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, prebiotics and antioxidant compounds. We do not include any other ingredients to our fresh and dry tortoise food.
Most of these foods are suitable for all Herbivorous Reptile species such as Green and other Iguanas, Uromastyx and Bearded dragons. As well as small mammals like Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Chinchillas and other rodents!
Ingredients such as soya/alfalfa meal, peas, beans, spinach and brassicas are high in protein. Long-term use of such ingredients, in addition to poor husbandry practices (lack of exercise, hydration, incorrect or absent provision of species-specific UV-B spectrum of light), can be a contributing factor in bladder stone formation in arid habitat/grassland tortoise species whose diets should not contain high protein.
Feeding tortoises diets high in protein, low in fibre and Calcium, and high in Phosphorus long term can be detrimental. Such diet can contribute to accelerated growth and the subsequent development of Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). The Tortoise Trust Charity (UK) has written scientifically based articles on this topic.
Utilising her horticultural knowledge, our Director Natasha came up with an exciting range of Natural Fresh and Dried Tortoise Foods. As a former Qualified Exotics Veterinary Nurse, she has a wealth of knowledge on tortoise husbandry and nutrition. Furthermore, her practical experience at the RHS Garden Wisley and her Master’s Degree in Horticulture underpins our horticultural practices.
We carefully source Dried Edible Leaves and Flowers for Tortoises from ethical suppliers with the highest quality standards. They are 100% Natural, free from GMO organisms, Non-irradiated and they do not contain preservatives.
Also, we source many of our ingredients from Certified Organic Producers. Growers and farmers who produce plants using Organic methods are Certified by a number of Organisations. These include The Soil Association, Organic Farmers & Growers as well as others. Organic standards prohibit the use of Genetically Modified (GM) ingredients and the routine use of chemicals (pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers). These practices promote biodiversity and nourish soils the natural way.
In turn, organically managed, healthy soils produce robust, nutritious plants with increased levels of vitamins, minerals and other biological substances. Organic practices of soil management also support a greater diversity of other plant and animal species.
So, by purchasing our Dried Edible Leaves and Flowers for Tortoises & other Herbovores, you help to improve the health of your animals. Moreover, you support our family business and our suppliers, many of whom chose to grow their crops Organically.
Please, remember that most animals are creatures of habit and will often refuse new foods. But with time, patience and careful introduction of the new item, most animals will eventually accept it. Some eat new foods straight away (either dry or moistened), others may take a week or several weeks to accept a new plant or flower. Please, see below further Instructions on how to introduce new foods to your animals. The Useful Information & Advice Section on our website includes Winter Feeding of Tortoises as well as other useful resources.
Our Healthy Natural Food for Tortoises are suitable for all tortoise species. The correct species-specific diet is paramount to good health. In the wild, herbivorous reptiles, including tortoises, come across a great diversity of plant species available seasonally. Depending on which ecosystems and habitats they come from, their dietary menu can be different. It could consist of plants, some of which are poisonous to other animals, invertebrates, carrion and bones of other animals. In addition, fruit with seeds and mushrooms is a staple diet of Forest species. Some tortoises are herbivores but others are omnivores consuming both plant and animal matter. Variety is extremely important for good tortoise health.
Our Healthy Natural Food For Tortoises range is suitable for all species of tortoises including Temperate zone Herbivores. These include Mediterranean (Greek/Spur-Thighed, Hermann’s & Marginated), Egyptian and Central Asian tortoises (Horsfield/Russian). And from Gopher group (i.e. Bolson), Tropical Grassland/Savannah (Leopard, Sulcata, some Hingebacks),Tropical Herbivores (Pancake, Indian/Burmese Stars, Radiated & Aldabra).
Equally, the foods are suitable for Omnivorous Tropical Tortoises (Redfoot/Yellowfoot, Burmese Mountain, many species of Hingeback tortoises, Elongated and Forsten’s/Travancore). Providing single ingredient foods and species-specific mixes, we are certain you will find the best natural foods for your tortoises.
Our species-specific mixes are formulated for a particular group of tortoise species (i.e. Tropical Forest, Savannah, Mediterranean, etc.). However, the mixes can also be fed to other species as they are made up of only natural ingredients. These are just natural leaves, stems and flowers and are not contraindicated for any tortoise species. In addition, every tortoise is individual, and just like us, humans, some tortoises have particular preferences. But by feeding a varied diet we can ensure their diets are as nutritionally close to the wild as possible.
Our Packaging Solutions
We are always on the lookout for the most sustainable packaging solutions for our operations and we have recently greatly reduced our use of plastics. Where we absolutely need to we use recycled plastic plant packaging which can then be further recycled.
Also, it is our Policy that we use minimal packaging for our products, just enough to protect them during delivery. We try to avoid overpacking, which only results in increased waste going to landfill. Our packaging is widely recyclable and can be reused in a variety of imaginative ways! Further to offset our carbon footprint, we plant trees/shrubs on our land to capture/lock the carbon from the atmosphere and use Organic methods of horticulture which promote natural carbon capture and storage within our soils. Thus, reducing the negative impact that carbon has on our environment.
Please, visit our Sustainability page to read more about what we are doing to help care for our Planet.
About Us
Established by Shaun and Natasha and our two daughters in 2021 to help raise awareness of a great diversity of Tortoise species and their threatened status in the world by providing Borrow My Tortoise Educational Experiences to schools and private events. Shaun is passionate about all animals and has worked with, trained and cared for many species including our tortoises and the Therapy Miniature pigs for a number of years.
Natasha has worked professionally with many animal species for over 35 years and holds two BTEC National Diplomas in Small, Large & Exotic Animal Care, Management and Conservation (at Distinction levels), a Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (at Distinction level, a qualified Veterinary Nurse), several RHS Certificates in Horticulture, Planning, Construction and Garden Design (practical and theoretical, Level 2 and 3), a Degree in Human Nursing as well as a Master’s Degree in Horticulture/Crop Production and Technology (at a Merit level).
With a background of working with animals of all kinds across many sectors, including Cotswold Wildlife Park, London Zoo & Reptile House, Bicton College Farm & Small Animal & Reptile Houses, West Midlands Safari Park and Reptile House, Wood Green Animal Shelters, RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre, the Cornish Seal Sanctuary as well as many livestock farms, kennels and catteries across the UK, we have decades of varied experiences in animal management, conservation and education.
In addition, we were first in the UK to breed and professionally train Miniature Pigs to a Certified Therapy Status accredited by the American Mini Pig Association, who went on to provide Miniature Pig Therapy to various caring establishments and specialist schools for several years.
Situated in the stunning tranquil area in the “Garden of England”, nestled between historic market towns of Edenbridge and Hever, Kent, we are minutes away from pleasant countryside walks and a several mile Eden Valley walk which passes through High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty along the banks of River Eden and Medway and Nature Reserves.
Please, note we are an online store only and are not open to the public.
