what are your tortoise's favourite foods? Mine is plantain- they seem to eat that first, then the rest of the weeds, they also love saxifraga and lavatera flowers too.
Josh
(08-28-2008 08:49 PM)tortoise_dude Wrote: [ -> ]what are your tortoise's favourite foods? Mine is plantain- they seem to eat that first, then the rest of the weeds, they also love saxifraga and lavatera flowers too.
Josh
HI mine love clover then sow thistle, rose petals too although they dont have them often as i get complaints from hubby for picking his flowers!
Wendy
LOL, Mine are big fans of Rose petals too!
Herculees (my hermann) loves dandilions, especially the flowers and Bert and Ernie (T.g.i) love plantain and go crazyfor lambs lettuce!!!!
it took me ages to get mine to eat dandelions! i keep tryin with rose petals but he does funny noises at them.
mine go mad for campanula, but there again i've got a greedy bunch so they'll eat everything i give them
i pinched a sedum about 2'x3' from nextdoor (house is empty) it was gone in 2 weeks! i have to say they also enjoy bedding plants, petunias, pansies and they love hosta
can they eat grass cuttings or not anyone?
Hello Everyone,
To give favourite food is just good But Health is also important.
I am going to discuss some health issue.
It is important to provide the opportunity for the youngsters to graze naturally on food plants growing in their areas. This way they will develop muscle and keep down their beaks and claws. This of course means planting and nurturing some of the very 'weeds' you have previously tried to eradicate from your garden - you will learn to love them!
Avoid toxic plants such as daffodil, ragwort, spurge, columbine, hellebore - if in doubt check in a library book on toxic plants. In my experience, they will generally avoid them, but you may inadvertently mix them in with other leaves. To be safe though, remove these from tortoise areas, particularly where the youngsters are, but there is no need to rip them out of your garden!
Avoid high-protein plants such as peas, beansprouts, sweetcorn - being seeds they are very high in protein so in excess they can not only cause over-rapid growth but also seriously affect calcium metabolism, owing to their high phosphorus to calcium ratio, resulting in over large, soft shelled juveniles.
Avoid plants with a high oxalic acid content like spinach
Avoid overuse of kale and sorrel with relatively high oxalic acid content.
Avoid high sugar foods e.g. fruit in excess.
Avoid high phosphorus foods e.g. banana - also quite addictive.
Avoid especially all unnatural foods, particularly high protein and high fat foods like meat-based dog and cat foods, which are without doubt highly damaging to the growth and health of tortoises.
well ive only tried dandelions but have got clover for later ..
George and ernie eat like theres no tomorrow!!