doc leaves

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ryanp15

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can these be fed to tortoises? sorry i don't know the correct name, they're just the ones that people rub on them when stung.

Are there many poisonous wild plants? I keep worrying and don't know if it's needed :s

help please :) thanks!
 

ZippyButter

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ryanp15 said:
can these be fed to tortoises? sorry i don't know the correct name, they're just the ones that people rub on them when stung.

Are there many poisonous wild plants? I keep worrying and don't know if it's needed :s

help please :) thanks!

You can check the list for poison plants here at www.sdturtle.org ,when the site comes up, click at "caresheet". and look for poison plants. Hope this will help.


Minh
 

Yvonne G

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The only weeds I've heard referred to as "doc" would be sour dock and curly dock. I don't know if they are toxic, but when they grow in my horse pasture the horses don't eat it.

You referred to a plant that was used for burns. Would you be talking about aloe vera? Aloe vera is not toxic but too much of it would make the stool very runny.

Yvonne
 

Itort

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How about some pictures?
 

ryanp15

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Itort said:
Is this the plant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dock_(plant) If so it can be fed in limited quanity because of oxalic acid (this chemical binds calcium).

yes that looks like it. quite thick red stems and big leaves.
ok then, so it won't make him ill?

are there any things you can look at on the plants to tell if they're poisonous? it's just that I've seen quite a few differnt weeds and never know of they're ok :s

I've read something about cactus, what bit can tortoise eat? lol it seems a bit prickly to me!

thanks for your help!
 

Itort

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As I said dock is high in oxalic acid which binds calcium in the digestive system, which makes this nutriant unavailable to the tort. Therefore feed it sparingly. Cactus, particually prickly pear, is one of the best foods for torts. The spines aren't a problem as the torts seem to eat arround them. Seeing as you are in England, correct, be sure it is a New World cactus and without pesticides, I am not knowledgeable about cactus-type plants from the Old World.
 

ryanp15

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Itort said:
As I said dock is high in oxalic acid which binds calcium in the digestive system, which makes this nutriant unavailable to the tort. Therefore feed it sparingly. Cactus, particually prickly pear, is one of the best foods for torts. The spines aren't a problem as the torts seem to eat arround them. Seeing as you are in England, correct, be sure it is a New World cactus and without pesticides, I am not knowledgeable about cactus-type plants from the Old World.

I don't mean to sound stupid but won't the spines poke them in the eye or stick into them? or do they manage with them?

i think I'll give the doc leaves a miss, there's plenty more food :D

thanks :D
 

Itort

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Most torts come from areas with spiney or thorny plants of one sort or another. Torts deal with this well.
 

Rosiee

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I asked this same question on the forum a couple weeks back and the reply i gt was thats it interfers with there calcuim intake and therefore they can eat it but mayb as a rare treat rather then a making it a part of there diet. The same thing goes for cabbage's and broccolli i think?
 

Itort

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Rosiee said:
I asked this same question on the forum a couple weeks back and the reply i gt was thats it interfers with there calcuim intake and therefore they can eat it but mayb as a rare treat rather then a making it a part of there diet. The same thing goes for cabbage's and broccolli i think?
Yes, this is what I mean by it binding calcium. Any plant high in oxalic acid will due this. These plants may have beneficial nutriantes, so they can be fed sparingly.
 
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