TortoScope: Tortoise Plant ID

Snap a plant, find out if it's safe to feed your tortoise. TortoScope identifies the plant from your photo and gives you a clear safety rating — based on a catalogue of over 800 species with practical, keeper-focused advice.

You've spotted a wildflower in the garden and you're not sure if your tortoise can eat it. You're foraging on a walk and want to know what's edible. You're checking a houseplant before you bring it into the habitat. Take a photo, get an answer.

TortoScope is built for the tortoise-keeping community — Russian, Hermann's, Sulcata, Leopard, Marginated, Greek, Indian Star, and Hingeback owners. It's also useful for keepers of other herbivorous reptiles, including green iguanas, terrapins, and the herbivorous turtle species.

HOW IT WORKS

• Snap a photo of a leaf, flower, fruit, or whole plant
• The app identifies the species and cross-references a tortoise-feeding safety database
• See a clear safety rating, the parts to avoid or feed, and the reasoning behind it
• When species identification isn't certain, you still get useful guidance at the genus or family level — so common safety patterns (Solanaceae, Apocynaceae, Polygonaceae) still apply

WHAT'S IN THE CATALOGUE

Over 800 plants, including:

• Wildflowers, weeds, and garden herbs commonly found in UK and US gardens
• Vegetables and salad greens you might already have at home
• Houseplants — both safe options and the toxic ones to avoid (Pothos, Philodendron, Dieffenbachia, Sansevieria, and others)
• Tropical species for fruit-eating tortoises (Redfoot, Yellowfoot)
• Grasses for grazing species (Sulcata, Leopard)
• Cacti and succulents (including Opuntia)

Every entry includes:

• A safety rating: Safe, Feed in moderation, Feed sparingly, or Do not feed
• Toxic compounds named where relevant (oxalates, saponins, cyanogenic glycosides, calcium oxalate raphides)
• Which parts are safe or unsafe and how often (if ever) to offer it
• Reference photos so you can confirm the identification yourself
• Notes on similar-looking species you shouldn't confuse it with

Browse the full catalogue, search by common or scientific name, and check anything you're considering for the enclosure or habitat.

WHY GETTING THE DIET RIGHT MATTERS

Captive tortoises rely on their keepers for nutritional balance. Wrong-food choices contribute to Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD