# bougainvillea....safe?



## Tony the tank (Apr 13, 2016)

Wondering if bougainvillea flowers were considered safe to feed Russian tortoises? Seems to be some contradiction..Whether it's safe or not....any info would be appreciated...


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## mike taylor (Apr 13, 2016)

Tortoise table . org


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## Yvonne G (Apr 13, 2016)

The sap is mildly toxic.


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## Tony the tank (Apr 13, 2016)

I have a rather lg bougainvillea that is in full bloom... Was going to pull some of the flowers for the tortoises...just keep getting contradicting info.... Some say toxic.. Some say fine, some say fine in moderation..


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## Tom (Apr 13, 2016)

Tony the tank said:


> I have a rather lg bougainvillea that is in full bloom... Was going to pull some of the flowers for the tortoises...just keep getting contradicting info.... Some say toxic.. Some say fine, some say fine in moderation..



I found the same contradictory info that you are finding, and just opted to not feed it.

For years I was under the impression that it was toxic, but then a saw a source or two that said it wasn't… I'd rather not risk it.


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## ascott (Apr 13, 2016)

Tony the tank said:


> Wondering if bougainvillea flowers were considered safe to feed Russian tortoises? Seems to be some contradiction..Whether it's safe or not....any info would be appreciated...



Everything I have researched shows that the flower itself is edible...and in some places it is deep fried as a food for us (humans)...the stem and thorns create a problem...would seem because the grow pretty rapidly and can get thick and create a rip and tear hazard to flesh and such...ouch. If I had those beauties I would be carpeting the CDTs enclosure with them....yum....but that is just my take...


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 14, 2016)

Hmmm. I have always fed them. The papery, pretty color, bracts part. The flower is actually the dinky white tubular things in the middle. I have, lucky me I guess, never given that. Perhaps that is the part with, I would guess, mildly toxic elements. But the papery bracts are sometimes eaten, sometimes not. Depending on appetite and what else was grazed, or in the salad of the day. For tortoise eating variety. Now, for eye candy, and for coverage of a chain link fence, they cannot be beat. Stunning beautiful plant. Thorny, yes. Can get crazy, but if your pruners are kept handy, it is really worth the while.


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## ZEROPILOT (Apr 14, 2016)

I have a lot of them hanging and growing all over my back privacy fence and have seem several RF eating flowers and leaves in the past when I wasn't careful about trimming them back.
I don't see them do it on a regular basis. Thankfully they seem to be unharmed.
This scratch is from monday.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 14, 2016)

Yep. Bougies and roses make us pay for their beauty!


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 14, 2016)

Yep, bougies and roses make us pay for their beauty!


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## ZEROPILOT (Apr 14, 2016)

I've been replacing some cracked and damaged fence pickets.


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