# Schlumbergera Cactus Flowers



## CandyAss (Oct 15, 2018)

Is anyone aware if it's safe for Desert Tortoises to eat the flowers from Christmas and Thanksgiving Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata & bridgesii)? I currently have my tortoise enclosure on my patio, right under a Thanksgiving cactus that is full of buds and should bloom right in time to live up to its name. The screen on top of the enclosure is small enough that no flowers should be able to fall into it, but on the off chance one did I want to be sure it's not a lethal meal. 
I don't use any pesticides on my plants, and the only fertilizer I use is Cactus Juice, which is fed at 1tsp per gallon of water, and goes onto the soil, not on the leaves. 
If it is safe, then it will be a great seasonal treat for my littles! Thanks in advance for your help and advice!


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## Maro2Bear (Oct 15, 2018)

Greetings

Yep... ive fed both plant and flower to our Sully for a few years. All good.


*Common Name: *Christmas Cactus
*Latin Name:* _Schlumbergera bridgesii _
*Family Name: *Cactaceae
A mild toxicity has been reported in dogs and cats that have eaten Christmas Cactus, but tortoises have a slow digestive process and are very unlikely to be affected by eating this plant, so it can be fed in moderation and always as part of a wider, varied diet.

Grown in pots as a house plant in the UK, the exotic flowers come in various shades of pink, red, yellow, peach and white. See also *Easter Cactus*.

Source: https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=92&c=3#.W8TsWP8pChA


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