# Is leaf from the Hemp plant (weed) healthy/good for my leopard?



## miccodan (Aug 21, 2013)

I was wondering weather the leaf from the hemp plant which is a marijuana plant without any flowers or "bud" on the plant would be safe/good for my leopard. I ask because it is a "weed" so to speak and was wondering if it would be beneficial towards towards feeding it to him. Please don't reply if your going to simply jump to the assumption that I would be getting my turtle "high" without an actual explanation as to why. Thanks in advance!


----------



## wellington (Aug 21, 2013)

I have never smoked weed nor do I really know what part of it is used for humans, but I would make a safe bet that it is not good for them. Just for the reason of what it does to humans.


----------



## miccodan (Aug 21, 2013)

wellington said:


> I have never smoked weed nor do I really know what part of it is used for humans, but I would make a safe bet that it is not good for them. Just for the reason of what it does to humans.



I beg to differ, although I have never actually fed it too him, the actual "hemp" part of the plant is legally grown all over the country here for stuff such as Clothes, Paper, Building Supplies, Plastics, Fuel and most importantly food! Here is an excerpt from a different source which outlines how healthy this plant is. 

About one third of hemp seed's weight comes from hemp oil, which is both edible but highly nutritious, containing essential fatty acids. The whole seed is about 25% protein, and is a a good source of calcium and iron, as well as having more omega-3 than walnuts--all of which point to hemp's potential for food and as a dietary supplement. But hemp also can be put to good use in iced tea and brewed into beer, fermented into wine, and distilled into other alcoholic beverages. Oh, and there's hemp milk too.

Its widely available here and ALOT of people overlook it simply because its associated with marijuana although hemp itself has no psychoactive properties. This is why I am looking for an "educated" answer as to weather this would be healthy or not for my tortoise, thats assuming he'll even want to eat it. Thanks in advance!


----------



## Turtulas-Len (Aug 21, 2013)

I don't know the answer to your question, but back in the 70s I used to buy sterilized (so not able to germinate) hemp seeds from a pet store near Georgetown in Wash DC for a plum headed parakeet I had and I don't think he got high from them. How a plant affects humans compared to any animal not just tortoises is still mostly unknown at this time, I don't know where hemp plants are native to but if they are native to an area where a certain tortoise is, that species very well may eat it as part of their varied diet.


----------



## alysciaingram (Aug 21, 2013)

I know a large quantity of the world uses hemp based animal food selections. From what I've read the hemp plant is ok for mammals; however I can't seem to find more info on reptiles interactions. I'm curious if Russian tortoises consume it in the wild since there are large fields in their natural habitat. Also there's a nagging voice telling me that I've read it is poisonous to reptiles, but I can't find the source. I'll keep looking.


----------



## miccodan (Aug 21, 2013)

alysciaingram said:


> I know a large quantity of the world uses hemp based animal food selections. From what I've read the hemp plant is ok for mammals; however I can't seem to find more info on reptiles interactions. I'm curious if Russian tortoises consume it in the wild since there are large fields in their natural habitat. Also there's a nagging voice telling me that I've read it is poisonous to reptiles, but I can't find the source. I'll keep looking.



Yeah I defiantly wont be feeding him it without more assurance that it would be beneficial.. especially if it might be poisonous. From what I have heard it is very healthy at least for humans and am very curious about tortoises.


----------



## N2TORTS (Aug 21, 2013)

Oh boy â€¦â€¦â€¦.now this should get interesting


Cannabis is the only plant genus in which can be found the unique class of molecules known as cannabinoids. Cannabis produces two major cannabinoids-THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), and several other minor cannabinoid compounds. In raw form, marijuana leaves are actually loaded with a non-psychoactive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer nutrient compounds known as cannabidiol (CBD) that is proving to be very promising in the medical field . 

Your tort will be just fine .. And like mentioned , it is used in numerous foods for â€œ Meat producing animalsâ€ .fast growing and full of fiber too! 


Now don't get me started on the medical part ....I'm all for it!


----------



## yagyujubei (Aug 21, 2013)

It's not poisonous, whether they will eat it or not is another story. Deer, sheep and goats will eat it, though. (or so I've heard)


----------



## Kapidolo Farms (Aug 21, 2013)

Herbivorous animals seem to be less effected by the "drug" aspects of cannabis than omnivores. One reason growers of the illegal types use fences is to keep deer out of their patch.

In his doctoral thesis Dr. Shi Haitao, found wild cannabis to be part of the natural diet of russian tortoises in western China.

In some, less provincial, parts of the world cannabis is grown for the oil from the seeds for cooking, the stalk for fine cloth and paper, and as cattle feed after it has been anarobicaly fermented, much like corn silage for cows here in the US.

Will


----------



## miccodan (Aug 21, 2013)

Wow, This all seems very promising, I am going to grow some seeds, that way I know they are not sprayed and are 100% organic and try giving my Leo it. I will update everyone on weather he likes it or not. Thanks for the information!


----------



## Teodora'sDAD (Aug 21, 2013)

Keep us updated!.. but dont you need to obtain a liscense to grow it legally first?


----------



## jjsull33 (Aug 21, 2013)

This is good to know, Thanks for posting this. In my line of work I have easy access to the leaves and have always heard that the levels of cannabinoids in the leaves were enough to cause liver/kidney failure in a reptile, however I can't remember who told me that and I always just played it safe and never fed them any. It is good to know I may have a new cheaper source of food as part of a varied diet.


----------



## miccodan (Aug 21, 2013)

Teodora said:


> Keep us updated!.. but dont you need to obtain a liscense to grow it legally first?



My father has ankylosing spondylitis (natural curvature of the spine) so yes he has a license as well as an established spot to grow it. Which is why I am also able to grow as much fresh weeds and succulents for my leo year round in Canada, even with snow on the ground ha ha .


----------



## alysciaingram (Aug 21, 2013)

miccodan said:


> alysciaingram said:
> 
> 
> > I know a large quantity of the world uses hemp based animal food selections. From what I've read the hemp plant is ok for mammals; however I can't seem to find more info on reptiles interactions. I'm curious if Russian tortoises consume it in the wild since there are large fields in their natural habitat. Also there's a nagging voice telling me that I've read it is poisonous to reptiles, but I can't find the source. I'll keep looking.
> ...



American hemp, or hemp dogbane is what I was thinking of! My bad. I am still researching if there are any documented resources stating interactions of reptiles with hemp as a food source. You would think with wild caught animals being near to hemp crop fields there would be more readily available research! Now I'm curious enough to hunt for it


----------



## miccodan (Aug 21, 2013)

alysciaingram said:


> miccodan said:
> 
> 
> > alysciaingram said:
> ...



Ill be waiting to hear!


----------



## jjsull33 (Aug 21, 2013)

Same! I am afraid to test it out personally haha, I can't wait to hear what you find out.


----------

