# Dangers of Avocado Trees?



## Honuboy (May 3, 2016)

I get conflicting info on the interwebs about the danger of having an Avocado tree in or near a tortoise enclosure.

I have an avocado tree in my backyard. 

How concerned should I be?

Coco my gopherus more or less has free reign on my entire backyard (About 1/4 acre). The Avocado tree is only in one small corner but he spends a lot of time in that general area.



^^^Coco taking some shade under the avocado tree.



^^^Coco cruising the yard and grazing in the sprinklers.


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## JoesMum (May 3, 2016)

All parts of the avocado tree are toxic, so it shouldn't be fed... but that's different to having one small one in a huge enclosure when there's plenty of stuff that is suitable to eat and your tort will probably ignore it other than deciding it's good to sleep under. 

I have pyracantha in my garden and Joe completely ignores it. 

If you are concerned, put a low fence or wall round it.


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## Honuboy (May 3, 2016)

JoesMum said:


> All parts of the avocado tree are toxic, so it shouldn't be fed... but that's different to having one small one in a huge enclosure when there's plenty of stuff that is suitable to eat and your tort will probably ignore it other than deciding it's good to sleep under.
> 
> I have pyracantha in my garden and Joe completely ignores it.
> 
> If you are concerned, put a low fence or wall round it.



Yeah he seems to ignore it. He has plenty of other options for more tasty/healthy foods.

I'm not too worried about it, I just wanted to get some more opinions.


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## Razan (May 3, 2016)

Once in ignorance I fed a pile of avocado branches to my large sulcata. He ignored them. Reading advice on the Tortoise Forum informed not to feed leaves to a sulcata but some avocado fruit with out pits and skin should be ok in moderation. He loves the pitted skinless fruit.

Our desert tortoise roams freely in the yard including under the avocado tree. He has not had any issues with it. He has not been seen eating any part of it.

If anyone wonders...No, the sulcata and the CA desert tortoise do not roam in the same area. Neither like avocado leaves.


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## Sara G. (May 3, 2016)

Razan said:


> Once in ignorance I fed a pile of avocado branches to my large sulcata. He ignored them. Reading advice on the Tortoise Forum informed not to feed leaves to a sulcata but some avocado fruit with out pits and skin should be ok in moderation. He loves the pitted skinless fruit.



I thought avocados in general were a huge no go for torts?
Not just the skin or the pits but I thought the fruit itself was potentially toxic for torts (and for other animal species as well).
Not trying to sound snotty by the way. I'm just curious!


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## jaizei (May 3, 2016)

Sara G. said:


> I thought avocados in general were a huge no go for torts?
> Not just the skin or the pits but I thought the fruit itself was potentially toxic for torts (and for other animal species as well).
> Not trying to sound snotty by the way. I'm just curious!



The flesh itself is fine occasionally. Everything else is more of a grey area. It's possible that only certain varieties are toxic; the leaves are used in some cooking (for humans).


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## Sara G. (May 3, 2016)

Good to know! Maybe I'll see if my tort would be okay with a small bit every now & again. Thank you.


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