Are these weeds edible for my baby sulcata tort?

brian.le02

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I live in Arizona and this is the time where my backyard is INFESTED with weeds and I thought I’d take advantage of this so I was wondering if any of these are edible for my baby sulcata

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I know this is a lot but even if you know one type is edible it would help me a lot THANK YOU for your time I appreciate it greatly.
 

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brian.le02

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I also plan to buy and plant grass in my yard what type of grass would be best I have heard there are different types? (Might be a very dumb question but I just want to be safe haha)

Also if needed just give me the # and I can take a better picture (also sorry if there are any repeat in pictures)
 
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Tom

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1. I think #1 is spurge and its safe, but someone else should verify BEFORE you feed it to your tortoise.
2. Sow thistle. Good tortoise food, but I don't like to feed it once it gets moldy like that.
3. More sow thistle.
4. Mallow. GREAT tortoise food!
5. Horse weed. Do NOT feed.
6. More spurge?
7. I can never remember the name of this one, but its good to feed.
8. More horse weed.
9. Grass of some sort. Fine for an older, larger tortoise, but probably too coarse for a baby.
10. Lambsquarter. Not toxic, but mine don't like it. My sulcata won't eat it, but my leopards will in small amounts.
11. Mallow.
12. Mallow.
13. Sow thistle.
14. Horse weed. Do not feed.
15. Mallow in foreground, and I don't know the one in the back ground.
16. Horseweed.
17. Horseweed.


There are lots and lots of mulberry trees all over the cities in AZ. I see them every time I'm there. All over Phoenix and its suburbs, like Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, etc... Seen them in Tucson too.

Do not buy grass seed form the hardware store. Use a mixture that is intended for consumption by pasture animals like horses. Tyler at tortoisesupply.com sells some good ones. Also check out his testudo mix, and his herbal hay. All good stuff.
 

brian.le02

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Mar 22, 2019
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Location (City and/or State)
Surprise Arizona
1. I think #1 is spurge and its safe, but someone else should verify BEFORE you feed it to your tortoise.
2. Sow thistle. Good tortoise food, but I don't like to feed it once it gets moldy like that.
3. More sow thistle.
4. Mallow. GREAT tortoise food!
5. Horse weed. Do NOT feed.
6. More spurge?
7. I can never remember the name of this one, but its good to feed.
8. More horse weed.
9. Grass of some sort. Fine for an older, larger tortoise, but probably too coarse for a baby.
10. Lambsquarter. Not toxic, but mine don't like it. My sulcata won't eat it, but my leopards will in small amounts.
11. Mallow.
12. Mallow.
13. Sow thistle.
14. Horse weed. Do not feed.
15. Mallow in foreground, and I don't know the one in the back ground.
16. Horseweed.
17. Horseweed.


There are lots and lots of mulberry trees all over the cities in AZ. I see them every time I'm there. All over Phoenix and its suburbs, like Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, etc... Seen them in Tucson too.

Do not buy grass seed form the hardware store. Use a mixture that is intended for consumption by pasture animals like horses. Tyler at tortoisesupply.com sells some good ones. Also check out his testudo mix, and his herbal hay. All good stuff.

Thank you so much!! I appreciate this a lot I will be sure to feed my little man some weeds and I will definitely be checking out tortoisesupply for some mixtures hay I am also amazed with how u knew all of the weeds thank you also I have never seen any mulberry trees I live in surprise
 

brian.le02

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Also should I just be feeding the leaves to him and the little balls on the weed? Or do I just pick off a whole stem and shop it up and serve it
 

Tom

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Also should I just be feeding the leaves to him and the little balls on the weed? Or do I just pick off a whole stem and shop it up and serve it
Depends on several factors. For little babies I pick off the leaves, but leave them whole so they can bite pieces off of them. For older larger torts, I snip the larger stems and feed them the entire plant.
 

Tom

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Ok and what about the little balls on some of them are those edible or should I just dispose them?
Of the ones that are edible, the whole plant is edible. I'm guessing that you are referring to the little seed pods on the mallow? If yes, your tortoise can eat those all day long.
 

brian.le02

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Location (City and/or State)
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Of the ones that are edible, the whole plant is edible. I'm guessing that you are referring to the little seed pods on the mallow? If yes, your tortoise can eat those all day long.

Ahh ok can’t be to safe haha thank you very much I appreciate your help!!
 

TylerStewart

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Number 7 we always called "thorn lettuce," it's a favorite around here. I've heard it called "prickly lettuce" or "bitter lettuce" also. We use a lot of it, it's all over my sideyard.
 
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brian.le02

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Surprise Arizona
Number 7 we always called "thorn lettuce," it's a favorite around here. I've heard it called "prickly lettuce" or "bitter lettuce" also. We use a lot of it, it's all over my sideyard.

It is perfectly fine to eat? Also if everything tom said good as well just want another opinion also today was the first day he was on it he usually doesn’t eat his turnip greens but I threw together some mallow and the thorn lettuce and 3 nuggets of zilla and he ate it all when I got home
 

TylerStewart

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It is perfectly fine to eat? Also if everything tom said good as well just want another opinion also today was the first day he was on it he usually doesn’t eat his turnip greens but I threw together some mallow and the thorn lettuce and 3 nuggets of zilla and he ate it all when I got home
For sure, we feed it to everything here.
 
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