Drying greens.

[franeich]

I end up throwing out about half of the spring mix I buy. I was wondering if anyone dries it out and feeds it that way. And if so how do you dry it.

 

[tortoisenerd]

I try to keep it dry in the fridge when I store it, but not crunchy dry. That has less nutrients so isn't ideal. I do however wash greens and use a salad spinner, then pat dry, then put in tupperware with paper towels changed every other day. Can your family help eat the spring mix? It makes great salads. Are you buying the smallest size (5 oz)? Some stores may sell it in bulk (you can just buy a handful and pay per pound), but I usually don't find it as fresh. Figure out when your favorite stores get produce deliveries, and always reach into the back and look to find the best date. Yes, most of us with one tort do end up throwing out some greens. I buy spring mix plus 1-2 others a week. We can usually make it through all the spring mix since my family likes it, but I do toss some greens. Some people would say the solution is to get another tort. Or, grow your own food so there isn't waste.

 

[franeich]

I tried growing my own food. I got the seed mix from sulcatafood.com but it was mostly just grass and my tort wont eat it.

 

[Kristina]

The only greens I dry are weeds, and also flowers. Then in the winter, I sprinkle them over the grocery greens that I feed my tortoises. I use a Ronco food dehydrator, or an oven turned as low as it will go.

Spring mix here is expensive, and I don't feed it any more. I can get the same ingredients that are in spring mix for 1/5 of the price. A 1 LB box of spring mix is 5.99, or I can get 1 LB bundles of greens for $1.69. HUGE difference.

Did you get a chance to read what I wrote about in my article? I talk about just that - how to give your tortoise a balanced diet without wasting a lot of greens and money.

http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Nutritional-Considerations-for-Tortoises-The-Balanced-Diet-Revealed

 

[Laura]

dont buy so much ... or eat it yourself too!
no sure how it would dry.. or if it would get eaten..
like hay.. ?

 

[ticothetort2]

Drying greens depletes a lot of the nutrients from them. I've read somewhere that if you blanch them before drying it will save some nutrients but you will still lose a good bit.

I try to eat healthy with my tort and just share whatever greens I get for the week.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I freeze excess weeds/wild greens in "snack sized" zip-lock baggies and thaw 'em out as needed...my torts get this stuff 1-2X a week, along w/ spring mix/dark green combos and cactus, alternating.

Thawed weeds/greens look a great deal like thawed spinach, but my torts eat it as enthusiastically as fresh stuff.

Tried drying weeds, too, but mine're not as interested as they are in the thawed stuff...possibly, dried weeds/greens might be better suited for tortoises that naturally eat a lot of dried grasses in the wild, like a sulcata or leopard tortoise?

 

[barry.marksman]

I heard somewhere that you can dry the green storage. I took a couple of young poke weed, and put the pot on my gas stove and a couple of days, until they are completely dry. I boiled them in water for a few minutes to a little 'tonight, and re-formed beautifully, color, texture and flavor.It is good task we should do it.

 

[aldousbailey]

The only greens I dry are weeds, and also flowers. When I started the magazine, people here all have large gardens, horses, cows, chickens, pigs and other animals. Most could not feed themselves with what they had.

 

[bettinge]

I think its important to note that Mediterranean tortoises naturally endure seasons where lush greens are not plentiful. Their soil and greens are also naturally more nutrient deficient than our store bought greens. It seems to me our captive torts get more lush greens packed with calories, more often than they do in the wild.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I think its important to note that Mediterranean tortoises naturally endure seasons where lush greens are not plentiful. Their soil and greens are also naturally more nutrient deficient than our store bought greens. It seems to me our captive torts get more lush greens packed with calories, more often than they do in the wild.

Some very valid points...my pets are probably spoiled because when I've offered older/dried-up weeds and greens, they just look at me like "What is THIS?" and usually wait to start eating until I put in fresher stuff.

My wife's bunnies, cavies and our chicens aren't so particular, fortunately, and neither was my sulcata, so nothing ever goes to waste.