Can my tortoise eat this?

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sulcata101

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ImageUploadedByTortForum1375896696.480275.jpg. Whenever I take him out to graze, he always tries to eat this, I don't let him because I don't know if its toxic.
Please leave a comment if you know. Thanks :)
 
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GeoTerraTestudo

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sulcata101 said:
. Whenever I take him out to graze, he always tries to eat this, I don't let him because I don't know if its toxic.
Please leave a comment if you know. Thanks :)

Looks like creeping charlie (Glechoma hederacea), which is in the mint family. Herbivores don't typically eat mints, because of their strong flavor and toxic compounds. I wouldn't worry about it, though. After a couple bites, your guy should learn to leave it alone. My female Russian did (the male was never interested to begin with).
 

Tom

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YES!!! That is mallow. It makes up a major component of all of my tortoises diets for about 4-5 months a year when its cool and rainy. It grows everywhere around me, including in their pens. For years I've been letting some of it go to seed and spreading the seeds around. The tortoises also poop out the seeds and it grows very well in their main poopy areas too. I get whole areas filled with it and I rip out the mallows non-edible competitors by the roots, so the mallow can really take over in some spots.

Great tortoise food.
 

sulcata101

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Thanks! You guys are so much help! Now I don't have to constantly pull him away from it.
He LOVES it.
 

GeoTerraTestudo

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Oh, man. I always confuse toxic creeping charlie with the edible mallows. They look so much alike to me. Is there any good giveaway to tell the difference?

PS - Makes sense why your tortoise loves them so much, since they're mallows. :)
 

Tom

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GeoTerraTestudo said:
Oh, man. I always confuse toxic creeping charlie with the edible mallows. They look so much alike to me. Is there any good giveaway to tell the difference?

PS - Makes sense why your tortoise loves them so much, since they're mallows. :)

Sorry man. I don't know what creeping Charlie looks like. I just know mallow because I have it all over the place and my tortoises have been eating it for years. The little seed pods, leaf texture and shape, plus the flowers are all pretty distinctive.
 

Jabuticaba

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sulcata101 said:
Thanks! You guys are so much help! Now I don't have to constantly pull him away from it.
He LOVES it.

Good! :) Given a choice of spring mix and other wild greens, my torts will always opt for wild greens. Mallow is their fave.


May[CHERRY BLOSSOM] @ YWG
Hermann's [TURTLE][TURTLE]& Aussie [DOG FACE][DOG FACE][DOG FACE]


This is Creeping Charlie or Ground Ivy: http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plants_19.asp?mode=main&catID=413

If you look for other images online, some patches are easy to mistake for mallow.


May[CHERRY BLOSSOM] @ YWG
Hermann's [TURTLE][TURTLE]& Aussie [DOG FACE][DOG FACE][DOG FACE]
 
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