Cactus
- Thread starter LeeB60
- Start date
What size and species of tortoise?
Be aware that many won't eat the aloe. Most will eat the opuntia, but it can take time to introduce it for some torts.
Greetings. I regularly feed or Sulcata Opuntia pads & hunks of aloe. I never ever peel the aloe, just cut it up in chunks.
What kind & size of tortoise?
What kind & size of tortoise?
No need to peel the cactus for a 4.5 inch Russian.
Sulcata Sativa
New Member
what type of aloe? can you share a picture? i have aloe plants but there not the fully greens ones. they have some red parts based on sunlight. i have a 10 month old sulcata and she eats the cactus pads but never thought about aloe.
No need to peel, but I would take off the spines. You can knock them off or burn them off.
Have you ever had a problem with the spines? I never have. I'm always asking to see if anyone has, and I haven't found anyone yet. In the wild all tortoises species walk right up and eat the fully spined versions. Even species like Radiata that come from areas with no native cactus species. The fully spined version of Opuntia was introduced to Madagascar by farmers using it to keep the wildlife out of their crop fields. The wild tortoises just walk right up and eat it, spines and all.
Wild Galapagos and Gopherus species eat the regular spiny versions too as part of their natural diet. I used to spend hours removing all those tiny little spines, but I haven't done it at all for about the last 5 years. I just cut pads right off the main cactus stand and drop them directly into tortoise pens. I do this with all species and all ages from new hatchings all the way up to large adults.
No, cuz I always take them off or grind the cactus with them in a food processor. I never wanted the problem. If they have a problem in the wild, I imagine the tortoise just died or eventually can get it out or broken off. I imagine them getting stuck/poked inside the mouth and I just don't take the chance. It's too easy to remove them.
