# Feeding them opuntia cactus...



## chandlerledray (Feb 16, 2010)

I purchased a opuntia cactus (a small one in a little pot) at home depot yesterday, and there is spikes on it...I took a piece of it off, and used pliars to take out the torns, is that it? I don't want anything to spike them, or is it safe ?


----------



## franeich (Feb 16, 2010)

Home depot sprays poison on it and your tort will be eating the poison. Put it in new soil and wait a few months.


----------



## chandlerledray (Feb 16, 2010)

Good thing you told me that!!

So I should just plant it and wait a while?


----------



## franeich (Feb 16, 2010)

Im no expert but I read that you should remova all the old soil and plant it in new.


----------



## jackrat (Feb 16, 2010)

Ditto on waiting a while before feeding.When I feed cactus,pads or fruit,I just hold it over the flame on a gas stove and burn them off.Then I hold them under cool running water and go over them with a clean scrub pad.Only takes a few seconds.


----------



## tortoisenerd (Feb 16, 2010)

Just replacing the soil won't get rid of the chemicals as they are systemic. It takes about 3-6 months. I buy the pads at the grocery store and although they are not organic I feel safe with it as he eats a very small amount and they are meant for human consumption (also the ones I get tend to look "ugly" which means less chemicals). The ones at garden centers are very heavily sprayed for sure since they are not meant to be eaten.


----------



## Madortoise (Feb 16, 2010)

I pluck the needles with eyebrow plucker and wear gloves so they won't get to me.


----------



## ika (May 4, 2010)

I purchased mine from Mexican grocery store. human eat it too.


----------



## terracolson (May 4, 2010)

take it back to home depot!

they will give you a refund!


----------



## elegans (May 4, 2010)

Depending on where you live, these are very easy to grow plants. Yes, it is true that if you just bought it at HD I would not feed it off to my tortoises. But not likely that you need to wait 3 to 6 months. Cactus and succulents are not sprayed with nearly the number pf pesticides that many other ornamental plants are. They tend in general to be tougher than many of the "bugs" that attack their counterparts. So they were probably sprayed by the same pesticide that was applied to most other commercial plants. A 30 day wait is probably as much as you need to worry about. Most "salad" greens are sprayed right up till 10 days before harvest by the same chemical. Sorry for the diatribe but in addition to loving reptiles I am in the horticultural profession. Flora & Fauna / Douglas Beard


----------



## Gus (May 4, 2010)

Hi Ika btw do you know how the maxican eat it 



ika said:


> I purchased mine from Mexican grocery store. human eat it too.




I dun think you're from singapore right? if not I can pass you some hibiscus plant and opuntis cactus for you to grow and feed your tortoise



chandlerledray said:


> I purchased a opuntia cactus (a small one in a little pot) at home depot yesterday, and there is spikes on it...I took a piece of it off, and used pliars to take out the torns, is that it? I don't want anything to spike them, or is it safe ?


----------



## DeanS (May 7, 2010)

I mentioned this in another post but there's a lady in Miami who sells on ebay (username dorisviola) and she grows and sells opuntia nopal (thornless)...she is very reasonable and very generous and will accomodate any requests...starter pads, fruit, you-name-it. I'm growing some now and feeding out every coupla days or so. Besides, it's one of the few things you can hand feed...


----------

