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I have 1.2 desert tortoises in a large pen. One end of the pen is dirt...about 1/8th of the total. Across the dirt/grass edge I have used 4x4 posts laying to make a border, and at either side I've planted a Thompson's seedless grape vine. I put stakes in the ground and strung wire from one side to the other to support the vine as it grows. The vines are only a couple years old and I forget to water them, so they're still pretty small.

Last Saturday I had the tree guy out to thin out the cottonwood tree a bit. One of the branches he cut fell on my grapevine stake, and I didn't see it until this morning. My little grape vine was laying on the ground and it looked like the grape leaf skeletonizer had been at it. However, there were two very pleased-looking desert tortoises by the grapevine, rubbing their tummies.

Yvonne

cute story! i need to get some grape leaves for my little guys.

Lucky little DT's not so lucky grape vine. I have four but for some reason I can't get two to stay alive for nothin.

Sweet story Yvonne, I invisioned my two on their backs rubbing their tummys (gave me such a laugh). I planted mine just outside the pen so that I can (hopefully) control were they run too (the grape vines not the torts). And who gets how much.

I have an excess of concord and fox grapes in my area, the leaves are a major part of summer diet. You probably now have concords as they are used for blight free root stock on other grape varieties (North America's contribution to wine industry).