Hello i wanted to ask if any of you guys heard of or had experience with the tree Toona Sinensis. I have multiple in my backyard and my family uses the leaves in many of our dishes (I'm Chinese). I know it's edible ( for humans at least) and i'm wondering if any of you guys had experience feeding it to your tortoises. Any sort of feedback is appreciated!
Edible Tree Leaves for Leopard Tortoise?
- Thread starter liwei
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From what I have read it's high in protein which is not good for leopards. Can cause shell deformities and kidney problems. I wouldn't feed.
Thanks!
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https://avrdc.org/chinese-toon-toona-sinensis/
Barb, I see this tree, at least based on this reference has protein of 6.3-9.8% and is listed as extremely high in calcium. It's not in Feedipedia (darn it). I think that's an okay protein level myself.
Barb, I see this tree, at least based on this reference has protein of 6.3-9.8% and is listed as extremely high in calcium. It's not in Feedipedia (darn it). I think that's an okay protein level myself.
That is old info from back in the days when "they" thought pyramiding was caused by diet. Nothing wrong with a little plant protein in a well hydrated leopard tortoises diet. No different than clover, alfalfa, green beans, or peas as part of a varied diet.
But should it still be a very small part of the diet seeing the op has lots of it and the info on the tree itself said it was very high in protein?
No one "knows" the correct answer to this question. Its something we can all talk about, share opinions and share anecdotes, but I don't think there can be any definitive conclusion reached. I'll share a few points of discussion:
- I have no knowledge of, or experience with this tree, but if @Will has given us correct protein percentage numbers, then 6.3-9.8% isn't really all that high. Alfalfa can be as high as 18% and I feed a little of that to my guys once or twice a week.
- There is a guy in AZ who has literally hundreds of sulcatas in several giant pens. He produces more babies than anyone in the whole country by a wide margin now that his closest competitor has left the game. He feeds bails of alfalfa almost exclusively. That is the main thing his tortoises eat. He sets out a bail, removes the strings, and replaces it after its gone in a few days. I don't think anyone here would recommend that practice, but his tortoises are alive and well, and they produce thousands of babies a year for him.
- Everything I've seen indicates that sulcatas will accept, survive and thrive on just about any diet anyone can come up with.
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Hi Barb,
I found little about the nutritional content, other than that one reference. All kinds of claims for it being medicinal, I think I'd be better informed if just one webpage showed it being used a livestock feed. Many things are fed to goats, they are not a good vetting animal, but if it's milk cows, chickens, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, or more I tend to figure tortoises too. I'll look more as it always nice to have more to feed.
I see it also looks like a high number of other trees, so I'm not sure I would be confident to ID it. I can pick out a mulberry no worries, but these are not so distinct.
