Is this a safe clover?

[JanelP]

I cant tell if this is a safe one or not. Thank you.
Also are there any actual clovers that are toxic? I'm looking to get a clover mix to plant in my tortoise pad. Says its for deer and turkeys but wont list the actual species. should I be worried?

 

[Greta16]

I'm not sure about this clover, I know there is a species that looks like clover that isn't a good feed. You should check the Tortoise Table. Google it. It's very handy.

 

[Greta16]

It may be one of these, I'm not positive.

 

[AaronB]

I am fairly sure that is black medic, medicago lupulina, and is in the feed in moderation listing on the tortiose table

https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=52&c=6

 

[pguinpro]

I don't think the tortoise table is tortoise specific...

 

[RosemaryDW]

I think it looks more like hop clover but either way, safe in moderation.

@JanelP, all clovers are safe in moderation. There are a few plants that look like clover (three leaves) but aren’t, the primary one being oxalis.

I doubt there will be any oxalis in your mix. If you don’t want to take any chances and your space is small, you can find straight clovers from Tyler’s Tortoise or Carolina Pet Supply. Tyler’s actually sells a mixed clover but it looks to be out of stock. You could also likely find crimson clover seed at a large nursery.

If you have a large space, @Tom can recommend some pasture mixes.

 

[JanelP]

Thank you guys for the responses. I wanted to make sure this yellow one wasnt an Oxalis. it grows out front so I didnt know if I had to kill it or if I would feed it occasionally. I didnt know ALL clovers here moderation. I thought some they could graze on regularly. Guess I need to do more research before I plan their plant plots.

 

[RosemaryDW]

I wanted to make sure this yellow one wasnt an Oxalis. it grows out front so I didnt know if I had to kill it or if I would feed it occasionally.

Oh I see, just because the flowers are yellow, like oxalis flowers? That is easy to check, once you get the hang of it. Take a look at the flowers on all the clovers you posted above. You see how there are multiple flower heads bunched together? And the flower peals point upward?

Oxalis has a single, wide open flower and the leaves tend to be purplish. Like this:

I didnt know ALL clovers here moderation. I thought some they could graze on regularly. Guess I need to do more research before I plan their plant plots.

Clover is in the pea/bean family and is higher in protein than some plants. Some plant protein is fine, actually necessary for your tortoise. But you probably don’t want it to be the largest part of their diet.

You have leopards, I think? Why not try one of the grazing mixes sold by the companies mentioned above? Two out of three of them include some clovers.

If you already bought a big bag of the clover mix you could add grass seeds but I think it might be easier to try one of the pasture mixes @Tom knows about.

 

[RosemaryDW]

P.S. the occasional nibble of oxalis isn’t going to harm your tortoise; just in case a bit ever escapes your eye.

 

[Tom]

I just wanted to add to what @RosemaryDW said: My oxalis doesn't have purple leaves. They stay green. But all oxalis has the little yellow trumpet shaped flowers. The oxalis flowers that grow here are about 1 inch long. This is very different from any of the other flowers from the clover family like the one in the first post of this thread.

I just received more seeds from @TylerStewart and his lovely wife Sarah at tortoisesupply.com today. Their seed mixes make up a large percentage of my tortoises diets for about 7-8 months of every year and I highly recommend them. I've got 3 new planters going with two of their seed mixes right now and the more I cut and feed it out, the faster it grows back. One 4x8' plot is filling up a 5 gallon bucket with tortoise food twice a week. I'm already on my fourth and fifth cutting for the year with each plot and I only planted it in mid April! See it here:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/spring-planting.165629/

 

[JanelP]

Oh I see, just because the flowers are yellow, like oxalis flowers? That is easy to check, once you get the hang of it. Take a look at the flowers on all the clovers you posted above. You see how there are multiple flower heads bunched together? And the flower peals point upward?

Oxalis has a single, wide open flower and the leaves tend to be purplish. Like this:

View attachment 241304



Clover is in the pea/bean family and is higher in protein than some plants. Some plant protein is fine, actually necessary for your tortoise. But you probably don’t want it to be the largest part of their diet.

You have leopards, I think? Why not try one of the grazing mixes sold by the companies mentioned above? Two out of three of them include some clovers.

If you already bought a big bag of the clover mix you could add grass seeds but I think it might be easier to try one of the pasture mixes @Tom knows about.

Ok great! thanks for the Info then. yeah I was worried about the yellow floweres, nice to know they are the larger flat singles. Yes they are leopards. I do have the blend from tortoise supply, I just know everyone says variety variety variety.... so I figured even mixes should be variety.... I'm probably just WAY paranoid..... one person says one thing, then someone contradicts it. Honestly even on here no one fully agrees. Even the tortoise table is a good place I start, but it contradicts what a lot of people say here on their moderation vs diet.
I just want to do whats best for my babies, and honestly easily, econimicly.

I just wanted to add to what @RosemaryDW said: My oxalis doesn't have purple leaves. They stay green. But all oxalis has the little yellow trumpet shaped flowers. The oxalis flowers that grow here are about 1 inch long. This is very different from any of the other flowers from the clover family like the one in the first post of this thread.

I just received more seeds from @TylerStewart and his lovely wife Sarah at tortoisesupply.com today. Their seed mixes make up a large percentage of my tortoises diets for about 7-8 months of every year and I highly recommend them. I've got 3 new planters going with two of their seed mixes right now and the more I cut and feed it out, the faster it grows back. One 4x8' plot is filling up a 5 gallon bucket with tortoise food twice a week. I'm already on my fourth and fifth cutting for the year with each plot and I only planted it in mid April! See it here:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/spring-planting.165629/

thanks for chiming in, I always respect your opinion and experience.
As I'm waiting for my trays to grow in, is when I'm raiding the fresh weeds outside. ok so let me just tell you when I do and you can give me your opinion on what you think and any ideas on if it's "varied" enough or what I should do?
I pick a hand full of small mallow leaves dime size and smaller, and some flowers, then the tender middle leaves of thistle, same with dandilion leaves, sometimes the flowers if I find a bloom (though they have yet to eat one) 2 quarter size geriunaum leaves cut up smaller, 2 flowres, handful of pansy leaves, 2-4 smaller flowers, 4-5 tender new petuna leaves (no flowers, wont eat them) 4-5 quater size hibicus new growth leaves (chopped up flower, but rarely eats unless accidental, doesnt lick ) Then I trim about a tablespoon of the fresh grass coming up from my seed blend and chop it fine cause again she wont eat it, and even chopped I have seen her literally seen her spit it out. then she gets a teaspoon of 4 different cacti and succulents which she absolutely LOVES.

anywho, I'm just looking to add more seeds TO the seed mix so its not just grass? I'm afraid she's not going to eat it. she seems to like the more broad leaf greens. I figured if I could add clover blend with the grass brouser. I also have 3 differnt dandilion seend I mix into it, regular, flowerless, and chickory. I had picked a 4 bee blend, but it had a sweet clover, which on the tortoise table says no go.

 

[Tom]

That is a lot of variety. It sounds like a lot of flowers. I don't like flowers to make up more than 5-10% of the diet on any given day.

Another thing I like to do is to just use one of the things you've mentioned per day. Then something different the next day and so on… With babies or picky eaters, I find they pick their favorite things out of a mix, and don't eat the rest.

 

[RosemaryDW]

She’ll eat the grass eventually, keep trying! I like what Tom says about trying one thing per day.

I know how hard it is to read all the contradictory information, yes, even here we disagree. That said, I offer sweet clover and so does Tom and a lot of other keepers. If you want to try the four bee blend, I think it would be fine.

 

[JanelP]

That is a lot of variety. It sounds like a lot of flowers. I don't like flowers to make up more than 5-10% of the diet on any given day.

Another thing I like to do is to just use one of the things you've mentioned per day. Then something different the next day and so on… With babies or picky eaters, I find they pick their favorite things out of a mix, and don't eat the rest.

Ok this helps. so I'm understanding as variety as a whole. but as babies give them one option at a time so they learn to like multiple things? I'm assuming they are not going to starve themselves. so if dandilion greens is all they have, eventually thats what they will eat, next day if hibicus leaves is it, thats what they will eat? and then one day only do the fresh trimmed grass? or a few grass days in a row.

She’ll eat the grass eventually, keep trying! I like what Tom says about trying one thing per day.

I know how hard it is to read all the contradictory information, yes, even here we disagree. That said, I offer sweet clover and so does Tom and a lot of other keepers. If you want to try the four bee blend, I think it would be fine.

ok thank you. I really appreciate your time and responses. If you dont mind I might add you to a friend list so I can PM you come questions if I get some.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Ok this helps. so I'm understanding as variety as a whole. but as babies give them one option at a time so they learn to like multiple things? <snip> and then one day only do the fresh trimmed grass? or a few grass days in a row.

No, they won’t starve themselves. I don’t have experience with babies, like Tom does; perhaps he will chime in again. I think he would say to sneak grass regularly. Your tortoise is a grass eater and needs to be exposed to it, even if he doesn’t take to it right away.

ok thank you. I really appreciate your time and responses. If you dont mind I might add you to a friend list so I can PM you come questions if I get some.

No problem. I really like learning about the things tortoises like to eat!

 

[Tom]

Ok this helps. so I'm understanding as variety as a whole. but as babies give them one option at a time so they learn to like multiple things? I'm assuming they are not going to starve themselves. so if dandilion greens is all they have, eventually thats what they will eat, next day if hibicus leaves is it, thats what they will eat? and then one day only do the fresh trimmed grass? or a few grass days in a row.

You've got the idea.

And @RosemaryDW is right about the grass. You can mix in some grass every day if you want, but you don't have to.