I read that these can cause dehydration in a Tortoise if fed to often is that right as my Tortoises only seem interested in green leaves they will not eat flowers at all and in my area all i can find is clover,Dandy lion,Plantain and clover leaves and the white/red flower they grow they eat a mix of this every day there is also bindweed and they seem to love eating the leaves of that is this diet ok does anyone have any suggestions on what i could add to it i am growing seeds but i will be waiting atleast another week or two until they are ready.
What species of tort do you have?
Bind weed shouldn't be fed really as it is bad for them ( SUEEEEE!!!! HELP)
Depending on species it's normally just grass and weeds with some flowers. My tort wouldn't eat grass for a year and now he us a real lawn mower!
(07-22-2010 07:36 AM)Maz Wrote: [ -> ]What species of tort do you have?
Bind weed shouldn't be fed really as it is bad for them ( SUEEEEE!!!! HELP)
Depending on species it's normally just grass and weeds with some flowers. My tort wouldn't eat grass for a year and now he us a real lawn mower!
Sorry i have two hermann tortoises
(07-22-2010 07:36 AM)Maz Wrote: [ -> ]What species of tort do you have?
Bind weed shouldn't be fed really as it is bad for them ( SUEEEEE!!!! HELP)
Depending on species it's normally just grass and weeds with some flowers. My tort wouldn't eat grass for a year and now he us a real lawn mower!
LOL - at one time a certain 'expert' claimed that dandeions were probably the best food to feed a tortoise as they had a good calcium to phosphorous ratio, now we are told by thte same source that they cause dehydration. To be honest my torts probably have more dandelion than anything else as that is what seems to grow best around here. I tend not to take a lot of notice of sources based on what is good/bad for humans and some mammals if this is a plant that grows naturally in a tortoises normal habitat, as their digestion varies so greatly from ours. We are told that ranunculus (buttercup) is toxic whereas in the wild it has been found that collected tortoise poo has been analised and found to contain a fairly high percentage of buttercups. I have seen them eat these in the wild and also lots of hte dandelion family. We also saw a wild tortoise eating papaver (red poppy). As far as bind weed is concerned, it's on Lin Kings recommended list under Convolvulus & calystegia spp, so that is good enough for me. I think, as with many things, if unsure then only give in moderation and along with other suitable plants at the same time to give them the choice.
Having said that my Aphrodite loves foxgloves and these most certainly would do her a lot of harm if eaten in quantity (she has already been tubed to counteract a reaction to these - silly girl) so never just assume that the tortoise knows best.
If you have a good weedy lawn, this is a good foraging place for them as a rule.
Hope this helps and is not too much waffle
(07-22-2010 12:49 PM)wizzasmum Wrote: [ -> ] (07-22-2010 07:36 AM)Maz Wrote: [ -> ]What species of tort do you have?
Bind weed shouldn't be fed really as it is bad for them ( SUEEEEE!!!! HELP)
Depending on species it's normally just grass and weeds with some flowers. My tort wouldn't eat grass for a year and now he us a real lawn mower!
LOL - at one time a certain 'expert' claimed that dandeions were probably the best food to feed a tortoise as they had a good calcium to phosphorous ratio, now we are told by thte same source that they cause dehydration. To be honest my torts probably have more dandelion than anything else as that is what seems to grow best around here. I tend not to take a lot of notice of sources based on what is good/bad for humans and some mammals if this is a plant that grows naturally in a tortoises normal habitat, as their digestion varies so greatly from ours. We are told that ranunculus (buttercup) is toxic whereas in the wild it has been found that collected tortoise poo has been analised and found to contain a fairly high percentage of buttercups. I have seen them eat these in the wild and also lots of hte dandelion family. We also saw a wild tortoise eating papaver (red poppy). As far as bind weed is concerned, it's on Lin Kings recommended list under Convolvulus & calystegia spp, so that is good enough for me. I think, as with many things, if unsure then only give in moderation and along with other suitable plants at the same time to give them the choice.
Having said that my Aphrodite loves foxgloves and these most certainly would do her a lot of harm if eaten in quantity (she has already been tubed to counteract a reaction to these - silly girl) so never just assume that the tortoise knows best.
If you have a good weedy lawn, this is a good foraging place for them as a rule.
Hope this helps and is not too much waffle
No not too much waffle at all great post that has given me peace of mind as im so worried about not giving them the proper care and everytime i read something on the net i go into panic i read that dandy and bind weed were no good yet the lady that sold me the torts gave me a few pages on diet and these two things were on there and her oldest tortoise was 48 years old so she must know what she is on about. im just a worrier ! it was only last night i read on health concerns like mouth rot and the panic started all over again. Thanks for the advice its much appreciated
No not too much waffle at all great post that has given me peace of mind as im so worried about not giving them the proper care and everytime i read something on the net i go into panic i read that dandy and bind weed were no good yet the lady that sold me the torts gave me a few pages on diet and these two things were on there and her oldest tortoise was 48 years old so she must know what she is on about. im just a worrier ! it was only last night i read on health concerns like mouth rot and the panic started all over again. Thanks for the advice its much appreciated
[/quote]
I'm sure your breeder does know what she is talking about, but don't assume that because their torts are old it means they have reared them. Most torts older than around 20 years are most likely wild caught
Also many people have adult torts die after they have had them for 20 or thirty years, as this is how long it takes them to die if cared for incorrectly
Unfortunatley not many people like to change if they think they are doing things correctly so it's the torts that suffer in the end
(07-22-2010 05:05 PM)wizzasmum Wrote: [ -> ]No not too much waffle at all great post that has given me peace of mind as im so worried about not giving them the proper care and everytime i read something on the net i go into panic i read that dandy and bind weed were no good yet the lady that sold me the torts gave me a few pages on diet and these two things were on there and her oldest tortoise was 48 years old so she must know what she is on about. im just a worrier ! it was only last night i read on health concerns like mouth rot and the panic started all over again. Thanks for the advice its much appreciated
I'm sure your breeder does know what she is talking about, but don't assume that because their torts are old it means they have reared them. Most torts older than around 20 years are most likely wild caught
Also many people have adult torts die after they have had them for 20 or thirty years, as this is how long it takes them to die if cared for incorrectly
Unfortunatley not many people like to change if they think they are doing things correctly so it's the torts that suffer in the end
[/quote]
I guess so i didnt think of it like that, I managed to find some dead nettle tonight so gonna give that ago in the morning as they are both asleep now and have been most of the day as been cold and wet here they had some buddleia flowers this morning which turned out to be a success i am now hunting for milk thistle but my picture aint t good and what i have seen similar to it so far looks far to sharp to eat
Hermann's Tortoises also enjoy vegetables, such as cauliflower, cucumber, broccoli, dandelions, and carrots. Take note that these are just four main tortoise types inhabiting the planet. Some of these tortoises are considered to be endangered species, and laws have been enacted to regulate their purchase and sale to protect them. Prior to purchasing your pet tortoise, make sure you check your state's regulations regarding which types of turtles and tortoises you can legally keep as pets.
(09-30-2010 06:07 AM)henryphillips Wrote: [ -> ]Hermann's Tortoises also enjoy vegetables, such as cauliflower, cucumber, broccoli, dandelions, and carrots. Take note that these are just four main tortoise types inhabiting the planet. Some of these tortoises are considered to be endangered species, and laws have been enacted to regulate their purchase and sale to protect them. Prior to purchasing your pet tortoise, make sure you check your state's regulations regarding which types of turtles and tortoises you can legally keep as pets.
Goodness, most of those foods are not much good for tortoises, not sure where you did your research. I've yet to find wild brocolli, carrots and cauliflower
It really is best to stick to those naturally occuring where they came from and closely related UK species