Cactus

[goReptiles]

What species of cactus are good for tortoises?
Is it good for all tortoises? I'd love to add it as variation once in a while in my tortoises diet.

 

[PeanutbuttER]

I feed the big cactus pads when I can get them at the store. Around here we have a lot of mexican stores that carry them, but lately I've been going to Winco and seeing cactus pads there as well. They sell them by the pad (can't remember how much) so I always grab the biggest one cause I'm one of those people that needs to get the most for their buck.

I think they're Opuntia maybe? Seems like that's the "normal" cactus pad that kinda looks like a spiky beaver tail... My, that would be quite the ferocious beaver with a spiky tail

 

[Tom]

There are several varieties of "spineless" opuntia. I also occasionally feed organ pipe cactus, mainly because I have it handy.

 

[tortoisenerd]

I feed my Russian cactus pads (like they have at the grocery store) as a very small part of his diet. He'll get half a teaspoon of little chunks every day for a couple weeks, then I won't feed it for a couple months. If it gives them the runs you are probably feeding too much. The only type of fruit I'd feed! Its good for desert type torts...not sure about redfoots, but since they can tolerate fruit even better, maybe? I keep it in the fridge wrapper in paper towels and in a ziplock, replacing the paper towel every other day to keep it dry (once it gets moist it'll go to mush).

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I put a single pad of Opuntia in my European tortoise enclosures about once or twice a week...takes about a day or two (depending on size) to be finished, but they love it. This is in addition to other greens/weeds, of course.

It never ceases to amaze me how much "groceries" they can put away!

 

[teq1]

My parents have cactus growing in our back yard...so I just grab from there for my egyptians

They are just the regular cactus, optunia I think. They're extremely easy to grow if you don't want to keep buying and buying at the store. First find a place where you want to plant it, then just dig a little bit and stick the pad into the ground. It doesn't matter if the pad is lying flat on the ground or sticking up, as long as the base and about an inch above the base is covered with dirt. Just leave it and water it occasionally, and there you go! New pads will start coming out in no time

Letty

 

[Missy]

Tank loves Optunia AKA Prickly Pear(blooms too) and Christmas cactus. He also loves Hens and Chicks and Aloe. All in moderation.

 

[moswen]

My greek and sulcatas pretty much attack their opuntia when I add it to their foods, the type of opuntia I'm not quite certain of (I order it from cory he's a member of the forum) but they're always soft and he's nice enough to cut the spines off for me when I ask!

 

[froghaven5]

Is there an age that tortoise are too young to eat cacti?

 

[tortoisenerd]

Nope! If they are younger you might want to take more care in ensuring the spines are gone, and you may need to chop it up, but its good for all ages as part of a varied diet.

 

[Tom]

Is there an age that tortoise are too young to eat cacti?

I feed tender young pads to my hatchling sulcatas.