Buckwheat, it's not wheat - but maybe a good tortoise food

Yvonne G

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Sounds good, but I've never heard of it used as tortoise food.
 

xMario

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I've always loved buckwheat pancakes. But that is made from the flower made from the seeds.

The actual plants is apparently pretty darn nutritious too. Look at this profile https://www.feedipedia.org/node/25478

Has anyone tried this out for their tortoises??

I have Not tried it on my tortoise... I only know it causes eye itchiness in horses and that's enough to scare me away.
I just googled and it not only causes eye itchiness in horses but it also makes there skin light sensitive and gives them a sore mouth. But I don't find any info online how tortoises handle it. However in a Guinea pig and bunny forum it is also said to not feed it cause of eye itchiness and itching skin. I know this doesn't answer if it is safe or unsafe for tortoises but I wouldn't try it.
 

Kapidolo Farms

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It is naturally from an area where I don't believe tortoises occur. But is now pretty much everywhere in the world. If you read the accounts in the feedpedia 'nutritional aspects' even for animals that show a photo sensitivity it takes making the buckwheat 40% of the diet to reach that threshold, and that is for light skinned pigs or ruminants. I could see the alarmist people at TTT given it a red signal. None the less I'll grow some and see if they will eat it. Especially the outside Manouria with there more or less all black skin.

So, we both read stuff and have different impressions. Has any one actually have experience with it as an occasional browse for their tortoises??
 

William Lee Kohler

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It is naturally from an area where I don't believe tortoises occur. But is now pretty much everywhere in the world. If you read the accounts in the feedpedia 'nutritional aspects' even for animals that show a photo sensitivity it takes making the buckwheat 40% of the diet to reach that threshold, and that is for light skinned pigs or ruminants. I could see the alarmist people at TTT given it a red signal. None the less I'll grow some and see if they will eat it. Especially the outside Manouria with there more or less all black skin.

So, we both read stuff and have different impressions. Has any one actually have experience with it as an occasional browse for their tortoises??

As I read your original post I was thinking try some of it in pancake form.. Also has benefit of being non dusty and easy to eat. Now I'm interested!:eek: I wonder if some of the "problems" mentioned are because of the dust from eating it in dry form?
 
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