# good plants to eat?



## jobeanator (Mar 13, 2009)

ive been looking on ebay to buy seeds and i recently found some sellers selling seeds and i didnt know if some of these seeds that turn into plants are good for tortoises to eat. heres a list.

RED CLOVER
WHITE CLOVER
ALSIKE CLOVER
CRIMSON CLOVER
SWEET CLOVER
PLANTAIN
MILK THISTLE
SAINFOIN
BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL
ALFALFA
EVENING PRIMROSE
CHICORY
VETCH

Birdsfoot Trefoil 
Black Knapweed 
Common Sorrel 
Cowslip 
Field Scabious 
Hoary Plantain 
Lady's Bedstraw 
Selfheal 
Yellow Rattle 
Oxeye Daisy 
Meadow Buttercup 
Musk Mallow 
Ribwort Plantain 
Wild Carrot 
Yarrow 
Crested Dogstail 
Slender Creeping Red Fescue 
Red Fescue 
Common Bent


are all these seeds save for tortoises to eat or should i be cautious? let me know, help is always appreciated!!


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## Crazy1 (Mar 13, 2009)

Here is a list that are approved plants, http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-5823-post-47217.html&
on your list I see buttercup toxic, and Alfalfa too high in protien, check the rest the list.


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## jobeanator (Mar 13, 2009)

thanks! this makes this alot easier now. has anyone else started growing plants for their torts? what does everyone use for seeds? i was contemplating buying seeds from carolina pet supplys but there shipping charges for seeds are kinda expensive.


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## mlocke4548 (Mar 13, 2009)

Stay away from milk thisle. Plantain is really good but hard to grow because the torts love it and eat it so fast


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## Laura (Mar 13, 2009)

Your local nursery should have a good variety of seed.. I got a pasture mix with clover and it did real well.


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## George (Mar 14, 2009)

I recently purchased some seeds from the link below, very cheap Ã‚Â£1.29 for a small bag of seeds - I brought dandelion, plantain and a mixed bag for my IST but they supply much more. Growing them in my little green house so just waiting to see what happens.

http://www.urbantortoise.co.uk/page9.htm


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## stells (Mar 14, 2009)

Many members on here are from the US so just thought i would make it aware that seeds cannot be shipped from the UK to the US.
For those in the UK the forum in my link has a shop that sells seeds.. plug plants etc..


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## Itort (Mar 14, 2009)

Another seed that I find good to plant are violets or pansy (viola sp). Nasturtums are also good.


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## stells (Mar 14, 2009)

also Petunia's.. campanula..

Milk thistle is fine as long as it is not grown in nitrate rich soil..


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## egyptiandan (Mar 14, 2009)

Buttercups in small amounts are just fine for tortoises. A study done on Hermanns about their eating habits in the wild showed that they eat a fair amount of Buttercups in the wild when available. It's also part of a Greek tortoises diet. My Russians will eat them if they grow in their enclosures and if I let them forage outside the enclosure. 
Most, if not all, of the toxic plant lists are geared towards mammals and not tortoises.

Danny


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## Crazy1 (Mar 14, 2009)

Thanks for that clarification on Buttercups Danny. Seems like I learn something new every time I get on the forum. One of the reasons I love it here.


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## dmmj (Mar 14, 2009)

one thing I grow a lot of are radishes from seed, then I eat the radishes and give the tops to my torts, BTW I grow a lot of radishes. I also grow nastrinums. I dont think it is spelled right


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## tortoisenerd (Mar 15, 2009)

I think radish greens and sprouts are my tort's favorite food. He can smell them from pretty far away. I found a place near me that sells a container of radish sprouts (like you'd see alfalfa sprouts) for $1.50. They end up lasting a long time since they still have the seeds attached and are on a moist piece of foam. It's one of the few things I can get at the store besides spring mix for the tort that he can eat them all before they go bad.

I am growing a bunch of greens and veggies from seed, but I didn't mark what I planted where so I just have a bunch of little sprouts that all look the same, lol.


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## DuttonWebb (Mar 15, 2009)

Im starting a tortoise garden! Lots of grasses and some hay. I've been feeding my sully store bought greens. I think it will be nice to switch him over. Does anyone think I could just let the mature grass continue to grow inside his enclosure or would he eat every last bit and not leave any left to grow?


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## tortoisenerd (Mar 15, 2009)

Most people have a hard time letting plants grow right in the enclosure. If you have a couple trays (such as a cat litter box, kitten size), you could rotate them, and sink the tray into the substrate in the enclosure so the tort can graze. Remove it, and let the plants recover for awhile.

I couldn't find a good space in my enclosure for the tray, so I just pick off some sprouts and such and put them on his food. I still haven't been able to grow enough to be a significant food source, so I still buy greens at the store. It does help with the variety though.


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## DuttonWebb (Mar 15, 2009)

tortoisenerd said:


> Most people have a hard time letting plants grow right in the enclosure. If you have a couple trays (such as a cat litter box, kitten size), you could rotate them, and sink the tray into the substrate in the enclosure so the tort can graze. Remove it, and let the plants recover for awhile.
> 
> I couldn't find a good space in my enclosure for the tray, so I just pick off some sprouts and such and put them on his food. I still haven't been able to grow enough to be a significant food source, so I still buy greens at the store. It does help with the variety though.


 Thats fine. I'll do that then. I might build a tray close to his enclosure size and just let him roam in it during feeding time.


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