Is this good for Sulcata tortoise

[Billna the 2]

What is it anyway?

 

[orv]

What you have there is one of the Optima cactuses. It appears to be of the spinless variety. It makes a fine addition to the Sulcata tortoise's diet. How it is best fed depends upon the age and size of your Sulcata. For yearlings I'd puree and peel it and add it to the rest of the food. As your tort becomes a juvinle, I'd take bite-sized pieces and slice them open, exposing the inner meat and feed along with other appropriate foods. As your tortoise reaches maturity, the pieces can become larger and you probably will no longer need to slice the them. The very limited spines on the Optima don't seem to have any negative effects on the growing tortoise. When this cactus produces fruit, it may be given as a limited treat. Mummm . . . Optima, good.

 

[Tom]

Great tortoise food is what that is!

Like Orv said, its a variety of spineless opuntia. There are many varieties.

I feed whole pads to all ages of all species. I use small pads for smaller tortoises, but I leave them whole and let the babies bite their own chunks off of them. For tiny hatchlings I will sometimes break or cut them in half so the babies have an easier time biting chunks from the softer insides.

 

[Billna the 2]

Great tortoise food is what that is!

Like Orv said, its a variety of spineless opuntia. There are many varieties.

I feed whole pads to all ages of all species. I use small pads for smaller tortoises, but I leave them whole and let the babies bite their own chunks off of them. For tiny hatchlings I will sometimes break or cut them in half so the babies have an easier time biting chunks from the softer insides.

Thank you Tom your always a great help [emoji4]

 

[Billna the 2]

What you have there is one of the Optima cactuses. It appears to be of the spinless variety. It makes a fine addition to the Sulcata tortoise's diet. How it is best fed depends upon the age and size of your Sulcata. For yearlings I'd puree and peel it and add it to the rest of the food. As your tort becomes a juvinle, I'd take bite-sized pieces and slice them open, exposing the inner meat and feed along with other appropriate foods. As your tortoise reaches maturity, the pieces can become larger and you probably will no longer need to slice the them. The very limited spines on the Optima don't seem to have any negative effects on the growing tortoise. When this cactus produces fruit, it may be given as a limited treat. Mummm . . . Optima, good.

Thank you so much Orv[emoji4]

 

[Billna the 2]

Also what do you plant it in?[emoji16] Mulch? Plain dirt?

 

[Tom]

Plain dry dirt. Hopefully something sandy that drains well. Don't water it for a month after planting. They sell cactus planting soil if you'd rather buy it.

 

[Billna the 2]

Plain dry dirt. Hopefully something sandy that drains well. Don't water it for a month after planting. They sell cactus planting soil if you'd rather buy it.

Hehe thanks again Tom[emoji16]

 

[wccmog10]

I wouldn’t think you want to use “normal” fertilizer on a cactus, but is there a way (or type of fertilizer) to promote more growth that is tortoise safe? Tortoises eat a lot, so I want the cactus patch I have to get bigger.

 

[Alaskamike]

I wouldn’t think you want to use “normal” fertilizer on a cactus, but is there a way (or type of fertilizer) to promote more growth that is tortoise safe? Tortoises eat a lot, so I want the cactus patch I have to get bigger.

I fertilize mine with tortoise poo

 

[orv]

I use the group of organic furtilizers from Armstrong Nursuries. I use Vit B12 as a starter for everything.

 

[Tom]

I wouldn’t think you want to use “normal” fertilizer on a cactus, but is there a way (or type of fertilizer) to promote more growth that is tortoise safe? Tortoises eat a lot, so I want the cactus patch I have to get bigger.

I have never fertilized any cactus or succulent. I don't think it is necessary. I have about 40 stands of different opunita and I grow more pads that I can feed to my 27 large adult tortoises and dozens of their babies. I cut about eight 5 gallon buckets of pads every week all summer long and I still end up giving more than 100 pounds to my buddy with the galapagos herd.

 

[wccmog10]

I have never fertilized any cactus or succulent. I don't think it is necessary. I have about 40 stands of different opunita and I grow more pads that I can feed to my 27 large adult tortoises and dozens of their babies. I cut about eight 5 gallon buckets of pads every week all summer long and I still end up giving more than 100 pounds to my buddy with the galapagos herd.

How big is one of your stands? I have so few “stands.” I have two or three little plants. I will need to buff up how many plants I have before I can produce that much. 40 stands is quite a few. Feel free to mail me some of your extra pads and I will get 40 stands started

 

[Tom]

How big is one of your stands? I have so few “stands.” I have two or three little plants. I will need to buff up how many plants I have before I can produce that much. 40 stands is quite a few. Feel free to mail me some of your extra pads and I will get 40 stands started

The size of mine varies a lot, and some of them produce literally 10 time more than others. Some are 12 feet tall and others are four feet tall. The second and third year mature pads, which I think are best for planting, weigh a lot. I'd be happy to ship you some in fall when I massacre them and prune them WAYYYYYYYY down, but the shipping weight will cost a pretty penny.

I'm also in a constant fight with the cochineal bugs. If I stay after it and blast them off my cactus with the hose once or twice a week in summer, their numbers stay way down. But if I let them go for a month or more, I end up having to cut all the new growth off and leave only the mature base pads. I hate those damn bugs!

 

[wccmog10]

Well, I would certainly be interested in looking into mailing a few of the pads. I didn’t realize they would be so heavy and cost a bunch to ship. Let’s talk next spring- if either of us can remember. Maybe a flat rate usps box would do the trick.

 

[Billna the 2]

Well, I would certainly be interested in looking into mailing a few of the pads. I didn’t realize they would be so heavy and cost a bunch to ship. Let’s talk next spring- if either of us can remember. Maybe a flat rate usps box would do the trick.

Ok sure[emoji4][emoji108]