# What cacti/ succulents are good for tortoises?



## tusontilly (Jul 4, 2016)

What cacti/ succulents are good for tortoises? In AZ there is an abundance if cacti: prickly pear, cholla, barrel, beaver tail, etc. Are these appropriate food sources for tortoises (minus the spines, of course). What about the flowers of these cacti, or even the fruits?? I've read where some folks feed their tortoises succulents...any particular kind?? I have a variety of these native plants in my yard (desert grown, not store bought)...


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## Anyfoot (Jul 4, 2016)

tusontilly said:


> What cacti/ succulents are good for tortoises? In AZ there is an abundance if cacti: prickly pear, cholla, barrel, beaver tail, etc. Are these appropriate food sources for tortoises (minus the spines, of course). What about the flowers of these cacti, or even the fruits?? I've read where some folks feed their tortoises succulents...any particular kind?? I have a variety of these native plants in my yard (desert grown, not store bought)...


I'm not up on cacti(huh uk here). 
Opuntia(aka prickly pear) is good, pads,fruit and I'm sure flowers. Not sure if that's for all tort species. What species do you have? 
Welcome btw someone else will help you out soon.


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## Gillian M (Jul 4, 2016)

Welcome to the forum!


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## tusontilly (Jul 5, 2016)

Thanks for the quick response...I'm in AZ, USA, where the temps reach 100+ in the summer...I am gathering info before I decide...I think the best fit for me would be the desert tortoise...I'm preparing my yard to adopt a rescue desert tortoise, however, I'm open to other types too...


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## ZEROPILOT (Jul 5, 2016)

Prickly pear here.
A lot of members don't remove the spines. I do. If for no other reason than I don't like the spines in my fingertips.
I also feed the fruit when it's available.


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Jul 5, 2016)

tusontilly said:


> Thanks for the quick response...I'm in AZ, USA, where the temps reach 100+ in the summer...I am gathering info before I decide...I think the best fit for me would be the desert tortoise...I'm preparing my yard to adopt a rescue desert tortoise, however, I'm open to other types too...


I live in Phx AZ . And you would love desert torts , and lot of people on the TFO would love to have AZ desert tort BUT can't . And I love mine !


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## Gillian M (Jul 5, 2016)

ZEROPILOT said:


> Prickly pear here.
> A lot of members don't remove the spines. I do. If for no other reason than I don't like the spines in my fingertips.
> I also feed the fruit when it's available.


Wouldn't it hurt the torts if the spines are not removed?


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## tusontilly (Jul 5, 2016)

WOW!! That's what I wanted to hear...you TRULY understand what I'm trying to explain...What foods do you feed your tortoise?...I'm learning prickly pear pads are ok...do you remove the spines first?...what about beaver tail, donkey tail, or succulents?...someone mentioned that jade is ok...I have an abundance of naturally grown cacti & succulents...Is aloe or agave appropriate??


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## ZEROPILOT (Jul 5, 2016)

Gillian Moore said:


> Wouldn't it hurt the torts if the spines are not removed?


The torts that eat wild cactus don't remove the spines first.


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## Gillian M (Jul 5, 2016)

ZEROPILOT said:


> The torts that eat wild cactus don't remove the spines first.


I did not know they did. Thanks your answer anyway.


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## ZEROPILOT (Jul 5, 2016)

tusontilly said:


> WOW!! That's what I wanted to hear...you TRULY understand what I'm trying to explain...What foods do you feed your tortoise?...I'm learning prickly pear pads are ok...do you remove the spines first?...what about beaver tail, donkey tail, or succulents?...someone mentioned that jade is ok...I have an abundance of naturally grown cacti & succulents...Is aloe or agave appropriate??


I have Redfoot and they are very different than a desert tortoise and I only have prickly pear growing in my yard. I DO remove the spines. But it's my choice. Not necessary.


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## ZEROPILOT (Jul 5, 2016)

Gillian Moore said:


> I did not know they did. Thanks your answer anyway.


A lot of folks who feed cactus do it the natural way...Spines and all.
Just the thought of spines stuck on my tongue and inside my throat are enough to make me want to remove them first.


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## tusontilly (Jul 5, 2016)

Aesthetically, removing the spines work for me...does a variety of cacti constitute a "varied" diet?? I have an abundance of cactus choices....


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## BrianWI (Jul 6, 2016)

We have prickly pear in WI. However, I think they are protected.


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## tusontilly (Jul 7, 2016)

Grandpa Turtle 144 said:


> I live in Phx AZ . And you would love desert torts , and lot of people on the TFO would love to have AZ desert tort BUT can't . And I love mine !
> View attachment 179245


Will you share your wisdom with me?...I probably have the exact same environmental conditions/concerns...I'll bet you don't have a swamp cooler, though...we do!!!


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Jul 7, 2016)

tusontilly said:


> Will you share your wisdom with me?...I probably have the exact same environmental conditions/concerns...I'll bet you don't have a swamp cooler, though...we do!!!


Just ask and I'll do my best .


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## tusontilly (Jul 7, 2016)

Grandpa Turtle 144 said:


> Just ask and I'll do my best .


What do you feed your tortoise(s)?...ever give them "wild" desert grown cacti (prickly pear, aloe, agave, etc.)?...if you can, pleaseshow me a picture of your tortoise habitat...I'm curious about how you made a "hide" fhem...if they're small, how do you protect them from predators? As I mentioned earlier, Phoenix is very similar to Tucson as far as tortoise habitat is concerned...


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Jul 7, 2016)

You have to understand I have Greeks , Russians , Leopards , Hermanns , Marginales , 3 toe box , ornate boxes , Pancakes , Egypations, and AZ Desert Torts . I feed Aloe , cacti , weeds , and store vegys . 1/4 of the enclosure is covered all the time for shade I have a flower pot that is broken and it's on it side and the desert torts are digging their own cave under the flower pot .


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## Sam&TillsTortugas (Jul 7, 2016)

I live in El Paso Tx and we have swamp coolers too. Our environments are very similar. Today it is 100 degrees. We have different types of cactus all over the place, have you managed to get your turtles yet?? I want to relocate a prickly pear on the side of our house into their enclosure and was wondering if you fed it to them.


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Jul 7, 2016)

Sam&TillsTortugas said:


> I live in El Paso Tx and we have swamp coolers too. Our environments are very similar. Today it is 100 degrees. We have different types of cactus all over the place, have you managed to get your turtles yet?? I want to relocate a prickly pear on the side of our house into their enclosure and was wondering if you fed it to them.


You don't need to relocate the big cactus , just cut off 1-2 pads leave them alone for 24-48 hours then plant them in a flower pot , give them some water every day for a week or so and then plant them in the enclosure . Good luck !


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## Sam&TillsTortugas (Jul 7, 2016)

Grandpa Turtle 144 said:


> You don't need to relocate the big cactus , just cut off 1-2 pads leave them alone for 24-48 hours then plant them in a flower pot , give them some water every day for a week or so and then plant them in the enclosure . Good luck !



Awesome i will do exactly that! Thank you!!


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## Glory Bonilla (Jul 8, 2016)

Yes It is..


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## tusontilly (Sep 9, 2016)

Since I don't know how to start a thread, I'm going to ask my food-like question here... I live in Tucson, AZ...I want to plant an apricot tree near my tortoise enclosure...is this tree safe for tortoises?


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## Anyfoot (Sep 9, 2016)

tusontilly said:


> Since I don't know how to start a thread, I'm going to ask my food-like question here... I live in Tucson, AZ...I want to plant an apricot tree near my tortoise enclosure...is this tree safe for tortoises?


What species of tort, you don't want a fruit tree in a sulcata enclosure for example, but a redfoot would benefit from one.


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## tusontilly (Sep 9, 2016)

a desert tortoise...also, are tulip trees or purple leaf plums poisonous to desert tortoises??


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