Land cress?

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

This is one of the few plants still green outside. I have found it both near water and not. Google suggests land cress (Barbarea verna), but I am not convinced.

 

[Tim Carlisle]

Looks more like American cress to me.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I

Looks more like American cress to me.

thought they were the same thing! Always have to be careful with plant name translations, hence I always put the latin name in too

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I am unsure, because I didn't know we had Land cress up here. What do you think @Oxalis @RosemaryDW should I offer this to my tortoise?

 

[RosemaryDW]

I got winter cress. They are all in the brassica family so regardless of exact plant it's fine. You can taste if you want, it should be spicy or peppery. Or you can wait for flowers to bloom, they will be yellow or white, with four petals. I'd feed it no issues,

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I got winter cress. They are all in the brassica family so regardless of exact plant it's fine. You can taste if you want, it should be spicy or peppery. Or you can wait for flowers to bloom, they will be yellow or white, with four petals. I'd feed it no issues,

If you are sure it is in the brassica family, I won't wait until next year. My problem is that the ground is covered in frost and this is one of the few plants that is still green and good looking.

 

[RosemaryDW]

I am entirely sure it's a brassica. I'm not sure your tortoise will eat it but my Russian will eat cress and arugula on occasion. She used to eat wild brassicas much more easily but she's particular now that she's living the good life.

Good luck!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I am entirely sure it's a brassica. I'm not sure your tortoise will eat it but my Russian will eat cress and arugula on occasion. She used to eat wild brassicas much more easily but she's particular now that she's living the good life.

Good luck!

I think it will fit Edwards taste really well. He likes anything almost brassica and bitter. Kales are a treat to him and he likes watercress. He has been eating the stems of this "winter cress/land cress" already. Just don't get how he prefers the stems over the leaves!

 

[Oxalis]

I am unsure, because I didn't know we had Land cress up here. What do you think @Oxalis @RosemaryDW should I offer this to my tortoise?

Some sort of Brassica I would say. I would recommend only feeding it in moderation since it apparently contains goitrogens, which inhibit iodine absorption. I'm not sure Steve would eat them since he's usually eating other things like plantain this time of year.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Some sort of Brassica I would say. I would recommend only feeding it in moderation since it apparently contains goitrogens, which inhibit iodine absorption. I'm not sure Steve would eat them since he's usually eating other things like plantain this time of year.

Do you have an recommendation on how often to feed brassicas? Edward likes them, and soon I will have to rely on grocery store greens. Trying to figure out what would be a good balance between variety and feeding too much goitrogenic plants.

 

[Oxalis]

Do you have an recommendation on how often to feed brassicas? Edward likes them, and soon I will have to rely on grocery store greens. Trying to figure out what would be a good balance between variety and feeding too much goitrogenic plants.

I am really not sure. Perhaps once a week is adequate as you can rotate foods throughout the week?

 

[RosemaryDW]

Russians eat many brassicas in their native diet. You could feed up to thirty percent if you wanted, they have lots of fiber and calcium. I try for maybe ten percent. It used to be higher but she's gotten used to feeding herself from our yard. If she doesn't feel like eating them, she won't.

They also eat a ton buttercups in the wild. Yup, those same buttercups the Tortoise Table warn against. Their science can be shaky so I don't encourage using it as a bible.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Russians eat many brassicas in their native diet. You could feed up to thirty percent if you wanted, they have lots of fiber and calcium. I try for maybe ten percent. It used to be higher but she's gotten used to feeding herself from our yard. If she doesn't feel like eating them, she won't.

I am not sure about replicating percentages straight from their wild diet, so many variables. Do the percentages vary through the seasons?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I am not sure about replicating percentages straight from their wild diet, so many variables. Do the percentages vary through the seasons?

According to this paper https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/article-steppe-tortoise-diet-in-the-wild.30230/ - yes. Between 4 and 20 percent.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

According to this paper https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/article-steppe-tortoise-diet-in-the-wild.30230/ - yes. Between 4 and 20 percent.

So at least not 30% year round. I am going to read the paper when I have the time.

 

[RosemaryDW]

I am not sure about replicating percentages straight from their wild diet, so many variables. Do the percentages vary through the seasons?

Yes they do! Sometimes it's the majority diet.

 

[RosemaryDW]

So at least not 30% year round. I am going to read the paper when I have the time.

Oh, no, not year round. It's a very interesting article, I look at it pretty often. Keep an eye out for poppies as well: papaverum. Another food warned against but... they eat it. Poppy and buttercups are the only things my tortoise has ever eaten without hesitation. Like, walked straight up to poppy and took a bite. She's a good eater but I was still surprised at how fast it was.

She never cared for anything in the daisy family though, at all.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Oh, no, not year round. It's a very interesting article, I look at it pretty often. Keep an eye out for poppies as well: papaverum. Another food warned against but... they eat it. Poppy and buttercups are the only things my tortoise has ever eaten without hesitation. Like, walked straight up to poppy and took a bite. She's a good eater but I was still surprised at how fast it was.

She never cared for anything in the daisy family though, at all.

Mine likes butter cup flowers, but I have been a little too cautious with them. He has only had a few.