A lot of people are interested in which plants may be toxic to tortoises. However, it seems that my tortoises only like to eat plants that are safe, and never try to eat more exotic fair. In captivity, some pet tortoises might not have a good diet, but that has more to do with safe foods in the wrong proportions, rather than plant toxicity. If pet tortoises eat too much fruit, for example, it's only because they encounter more than they would in the wild. And if they can't detect pesticides and herbicides, it's only because they have no evolutionary history with this chemicals. Moreover, tortoises can even detoxify some plants that would be dangerous for mammalian herbivores, such as sheep and horses, to consume. Thus, except for artificial chemicals and unnatural abundances of food, it seems that tortoises have excellent nutritional wisdom, and instinctively know what is good to eat, and what is not.
Given the above understanding of tortoise feeding behavior, I am a bit puzzled as to why people are concerned about tortoises' eating toxic plants. If it's safe to eat, they'll eat it. If not, not. Right? Maybe we should be more concerned with the right amounts of good plants to give them, rather than toxic plants. Has anyone out there ever actually had a tortoise or turtle become ill or die as a result of its eating a toxic plant?
Given the above understanding of tortoise feeding behavior, I am a bit puzzled as to why people are concerned about tortoises' eating toxic plants. If it's safe to eat, they'll eat it. If not, not. Right? Maybe we should be more concerned with the right amounts of good plants to give them, rather than toxic plants. Has anyone out there ever actually had a tortoise or turtle become ill or die as a result of its eating a toxic plant?