# Red cabbage for my redfoot?



## mattgrizzlybear (Sep 15, 2012)

I have a bag full of romaine, finely cut carrots and red cabbage. Is this okay for me to feed my redfoot? Also I am getting spring mix. Thanks!


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## tyler0912 (Sep 15, 2012)

Mine Love Red Cabbage Every So Often, Not actually checked if it's safe for them, but done no problems on my end  
Everything else sounds good.
Dont forget Red's need fruit,weeds, and protein in there diet too .


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## Alan RF (Sep 15, 2012)

tyler0912 said:


> Mine Love Red Cabbage Every So Often, Not actually checked if it's safe for them, but done no problems on my end
> Everything else sounds good.
> Dont forget Red's need fruit,weeds, and protein in there diet too .



Have you ever tried aloe Vera? I'm asking as my mum gave me some and I thought I'd check seen as your talking about food for RF ?


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## tyler0912 (Sep 15, 2012)

I havnt' personally as its hard to find around here, even at the garden centres, but yes it is great for tortoises


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## mattgrizzlybear (Sep 15, 2012)

Ok thanks. I think I have a pretty good food schedule. Thanks!


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## Alan RF (Sep 15, 2012)

tyler0912 said:


> I havnt' personally as its hard to find around here, even at the garden centres, but yes it is great for tortoises



Great! My mum keeps a lot of it because she's a herbalist and a strict organic grower!  thank you x


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## Redstrike (Sep 15, 2012)

Matt, do you have a yard and/or garden? Here's a list of things I regularly take from the yard and garden that are great for my tortoises. Best part is, it's all free! 

Weeds:
Dandelion greens & flowers, plantains (plantag spp., not the fruit), wild strawberry, common mallow, wild violet/johnny jump-ups, hawks-bit, etc.

Garden:
Grape leaves (there's also wild grape, it's pretty much a weed), Hibiscus species (leaves and flowers), opuntia cactus pads, mullberry tree, and Hostas.

Nothing wrong with grocery store greens! Weeds are nice due to the high fiber content with nutrients that come close or exceed grocery store greens, and did I mention they're free?  I think Yvonne and others provided you a couple nice links in a previous thread, here's another that I like: http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plant_database_14.asp


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## mattgrizzlybear (Sep 15, 2012)

Redstrike said:


> Matt, do you have a yard and/or garden? Here's a list of things I regularly take from the yard and garden that are great for my tortoises. Best part is, it's all free!
> 
> Weeds:
> Dandelion greens & flowers, plantains (plantag spp., not the fruit), wild strawberry, common mallow, wild violet/johnny jump-ups, hawks-bit, etc.
> ...



I do have a garden but it's almost done for the season. Next year I will try to plant plenty of tort-friendly greens. Thanks!


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## Madkins007 (Sep 15, 2012)

mattgrizzlybear said:


> I have a bag full of romaine, finely cut carrots and red cabbage. Is this okay for me to feed my redfoot? Also I am getting spring mix. Thanks!



Romaine, carrots, and red cabbage are certainly OK, but overall not real great. As a mix this is a little low in calcium and only so-so on a lot of other key nutrients. Perfectly OK to use, but should be kept as part of a larger rotation and/or you can add something with lots of calcium like collard greens.



Alan RF said:


> Have you ever tried aloe Vera? I'm asking as my mum gave me some and I thought I'd check seen as your talking about food for RF ?



Aloe is a member of the Lily family, which is a concern for reptiles, but not a proven toxic plant. It is hard to find good nutritional info for things not used as human plants, but there is certainly some good stuff in it.

Overall, I personally would not bother with it as a tortoise food just because of the uncertainty.


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## Alan RF (Sep 15, 2012)

Madkins007 said:


> Romaine, carrots, and red cabbage are certainly OK, but overall not real great. As a mix this is a little low in calcium and only so-so on a lot of other key nutrients. Perfectly OK to use, but should be kept as part of a larger rotation and/or you can add something with lots of calcium like collard greens.
> 
> 
> Aloe is a member of the Lily family, which is a concern for reptiles, but not a proven toxic plant. It is hard to find good nutritional info for things not used as human plants, but there is certainly some good stuff in it.
> ...





Ok madkins I won't! Much appreciated


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## mattgrizzlybear (Sep 15, 2012)

Madkins007 said:


> mattgrizzlybear said:
> 
> 
> > I have a bag full of romaine, finely cut carrots and red cabbage. Is this okay for me to feed my redfoot? Also I am getting spring mix. Thanks!
> ...





I am going to feed him other things than spring mix and cabbage mix. I also bought some calcuim powder so I can sprinkle some on it when I feed him it. Thanks!


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## Madkins007 (Sep 17, 2012)

To clarify my stand on Aloe- there may be absolutely nothing wrong with it. I just have not seen a nutritional value chart on them, and am reluctant to offer anything to my tortoises without knowing more about it nutritionally. I know the sap and juice have semi-medicinal values, but that is different than offering the leaves as food.


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