# Food question



## TortyTom (May 3, 2014)

I have some Loquat trees around my house and my sulcata has been known to eat the leaves. I did a search on http://africantortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm and it said they were safe. I just looked on another site and it said not safe? I Did a search on here but find nothing. Does anyone know if the Loquat leaves are safe? I know he/she goes after them like a fat kid in a candy shop!


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## Maggie Cummings (May 3, 2014)

Don't you think that if they were bad for him he would have showed some signs by now? You know Tom will give you a better answer...


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## TortyTom (May 3, 2014)

Well my Darwin is a tad tarded. lol I have seen him go after things he is NOT allowed to eat. I just want to make sure it's not doing any damage.


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## Maggie Cummings (May 3, 2014)

TortyTom said:


> Well my Darwin is a tad tarded. lol I have seen him go after things he is NOT allowed to eat. I just want to make sure it's not doing any damage.



He doesn’t sound 'tarded to me, just 100% Sulcata...


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## Tom (May 3, 2014)

maggie3fan said:


> You know Tom will give you a better answer...




Who me? Not on this one. I've got zero experience with Loquats or Loquat leaves and tortoises.

Most of the time they won't eat things that are toxic to them, but sometimes they will. Further some toxins take a while to build up over time. One or two servings might not do anything, but a few leaves here and there of something toxic over a period of several weeks or months might have an effect.

Oxalis is a good example. I used to periodically feed it to my tortoises once in a while before I knew what is was. I thought it was just another type of clover. Oxalis is very high in oxalic acid which binds with calcium and makes it unavailable to the tortoise. Over time this could lead to MBD and other calcium deficiency related problems. My tortoises got a calcium rich diet and lived outside in full sun every day and they never showed any ill effect. If I had continued feeding oxalis to them, or fed more of it more often, I might have seen a problem. They were very happy to eat it too, even though all sources list it as a "Do not feed" item.


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