# Elephant ears and Banana plants?



## DoctorPotterWho (Sep 13, 2016)

My father has Elephant ear plants and banana trees in his back yard here in South Florida. He has never used any pesticides or fertilizers on them. Are both of these leaves edible and safe for my red foot?

Thanks!


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## Yvonne G (Sep 13, 2016)

Elephant ear is high in oxalates. It is a mainstay in the Manouria tortoises' diet, however, my RF and YF tortoises don't eat it. I have cut off a banana frond occasionally for the RF and YF and they eat it, but I only give it to them occasionally.


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## DoctorPotterWho (Sep 13, 2016)

Yvonne G said:


> Elephant ear is high in oxalates. It is a mainstay in the Manouria tortoises' diet, however, my RF and YF tortoises don't eat it. I have cut off a banana frond occasionally for the RF and YF and they eat it, but I only give it to them occasionally.



Thank you! I have two nice sized Hibiscus plants (only leaves on it at the moment). They used to be in a smaller enclosure with my other Red Foot who passed from Resp. infec. I completely sanitized the planter box and replanted in fresh organic soil. Those should be fine still to transfer to the new outdoor enclosure, right?


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## Yvonne G (Sep 13, 2016)

Yes.


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## DoctorPotterWho (Sep 13, 2016)

Perfect! Thank you!


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## TammyJ (Sep 14, 2016)

Yvonne G said:


> Elephant ear is high in oxalates. It is a mainstay in the Manouria tortoises' diet, however, my RF and YF tortoises don't eat it. I have cut off a banana frond occasionally for the RF and YF and they eat it, but I only give it to them occasionally.


I seem to have noticed that the things that tortoises like to eat are things that they can reach, in general? Weeds, low bushes and ground vines rather than tree leaves.


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## EP429 (Sep 14, 2016)

One of my RF's obliterated an elephant ear we planted in the back yard. No ill effects from ingesting it, he wanted to see that plant die though. Had to fence it off, it's trying to recover


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## Millerlite (Sep 14, 2016)

My mountain tortoises will eat any elephant ear and banana tree in site. Reds never touched it. Elephant war is toxic to most tortoises and turtles tho

Kyle


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## TammyJ (Sep 14, 2016)

I am not sure what "Elephant Ears" is on this thread...we have something we call "Cocoa" Plant in Jamaica, (not cocoa as in chocolate) and the roots are eaten like yams by us humans and are delicious, the leaves do look just like elephant ears....


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## MichaelaW (Sep 14, 2016)

Taro is often called elephant ear because they look very similar, but is a different plant called _Colocasia esculenta. _It's from the same family _Araceae _as elephant ear, which is called _Alocasia._


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## DoctorPotterWho (Sep 15, 2016)

EP429 said:


> One of my RF's obliterated an elephant ear we planted in the back yard. No ill effects from ingesting it, he wanted to see that plant die though. Had to fence it off, it's trying to recover


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