# Eating dried oak leaves?



## ChiKat (Mar 31, 2010)

Today while Nelson (10-month Russian) was outside he found a dried oak leaf and began eating it. Is this normal? Harmful in any way?
(He also tried to eat sunflower seed shells, dirt, and a piece of plastic  )

Needless to say, I gave him lettuce shortly after since he was obviously hungry!

And because I can't ask a question without posting a picture...


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## Stephanie Logan (Mar 31, 2010)

I think that Russian tortoises in the wild almost certainly eat a lot of "garbage" like dead oak leaves, and live to tell the tale (or post the photo  ).

Of course, I am not an expert but like you I do love Nelson...


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## Tom (Mar 31, 2010)

Don't know if this helps, but dead, dried up oak leaves are a main component of the diet of my roaches. I throw a handful of two or three kinds of oak leaves in every bin. Most roach keepers do this and then we feed the insects to our insectivorous animals. As long as there were no chemicals sprayed on the leaves, it should be just fine for him.


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## kbaker (Apr 1, 2010)

I have used leaf litter (oak and others) for my Sulcatas during the winter the past two years. They eat most of it before it breaks down. I have not seen any ill effect from it. I even planted an oak tree in their pen. Maybe in a few more years it will supply some shade in the summer and some extra food in the fall.

One more thing...during the winter I feed a lot of store bought greens and it tends to give the tortoise less than firm stools. With the extra leaves in their diet, it keeps their stool nice and firm.


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## GBtortoises (Apr 1, 2010)

Dried leave are not at all "garbage" food! Their a very common part of many tortoises diet, especially Northern Mediterraneans and Russians. 

If there are any "garbage" foods they are the high water content, low nutrional lettuces that are being fed. Which as kbaker mentions above, produce less than firm stools. 

Outdoors my tortoises all get fed various types of tree leaves including but not limited to maple, poplar and oak. They will not touch them when the leaves are fresh and green but will begin eating them once the leaves begin to turn brown and more brittle. My Marginateds in particular will devour dried leaves.


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## ChiKat (Apr 1, 2010)

GBtortoises (sorry I don't know your name!) that's great to hear! I have both maple and oak trees in my yard. I'll have to collect some of the dried leaves that have been out there since winter.


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## GBtortoises (Apr 2, 2010)

Katie-As with any tortoise foods it's always best to do some research and know which may be poisinous and which should be safe to feed. 

My name is Gary by the way.


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