Money Plant

[Sardinecan]

Would like to check. Are money plants (as in the creeper) toxic to torts? I've got a tort that ate some money plant leaves & now has decreased appetite for the last 1-2 weeks.

 

[Crazy1]

Not sure what money plant you are talking about, the Jade plant is one the other is Lunaria and the Money tree is Pachira. Can you post a pic. I also found that Pothos vines are called money plants. Jade plants are edible, Lunaria is from the Cabbage family and I'm not sure about Pachira. Pothos are not good to eat.
Definitely need pics.

 

[Sardinecan]

I think it's the Pothos, Epipremnum aureum. It's common in my side of the world, South East Asia. Damn, should have thrown it away. The plant is higher up on a ledge, but the creeper vines grew & hung down on the grass.

Any idea what it might cause & if the torts will get better in time? He is still eating some grass. Doesn't want his greens or even hibiscus flowers. He is still pooing & poo looks normal. Although I don't acutally see him eat the grass, he is still pooing, so he must be eating.

Drinks well. I soak him twice a day now, hoping that the extra fluids will help. The only consolation is he hasn't lose weight. However I know that torts get very gradually deteriorate over weeks before dying.

 

[Crazy1]

Ok Sardinecan, I have looked up everything I can find on Pothos, Epipremnum aureum. They are toxic-oxalates.
How much your tort ate (hopefully only a little) and how big is your tort may determine how bad this can be for him.
Everyting I have found said get him/her to the vet and let them know what happened. Take a piece of the plant with you.
Here are some sites that I looked at.
http://www.tortoise.org/general/poisonp.html
http://www.carecentre.org.za/medicinal.htm
http://groups.msn.com/turtleloveranch/poisonousplants.msnw
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/shelled-turtles-tortoise/138952-poison-plants.html

Hopefully it did not eat much but I highly recommend a vet if you can.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Sardinecan]

Thanks for all that research. Really appreciate it. My readings point me in the same direction. With oxalates toxicity, there is really nothing much you can do except symptomatic treatment & supportive therapy.

Oxalates toxicity usually happen over a period of oxalate comsumption & accumulation. I don't know if he had eaten enough to cause enough organ damage. Oxalates can cause kidney damage as the oxalates bind with calcium to form calcium oxalate crystals which are not dissolvable & get deposited in the kidneys causing irreversible kidney damage. I just hope he didn't eat enough to have that effect.

The only thing I can do now is to continue to soak him twice daily to maintain hydration & monitor his weight. Hopefully even if there was any kidney damage, it's minimal & the kidneys are able to compensate. Only time will tell.

 

[Crazy1]

Thanks for all that research. Really appreciate it. My readings point me in the same direction. With oxalates toxicity, there is really nothing much you can do except symptomatic treatment & supportive therapy.

Oxalates toxicity usually happen over a period of oxalate comsumption & accumulation. I don't know if he had eaten enough to cause enough organ damage. Oxalates can cause kidney damage as the oxalates bind with calcium to form calcium oxalate crystals which are not dissolvable & get deposited in the kidneys causing irreversible kidney damage. I just hope he didn't eat enough to have that effect.

The only thing I can do now is to continue to soak him twice daily to maintain hydration & monitor his weight. Hopefully even if there was any kidney damage, it's minimal & the kidneys are able to compensate. Only time will tell.

Good Research, and Good Luck, to you and your shelled one. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers. Keep us posted.

 

[Sardinecan]

It has been a week sinced I last updated. He is eating some grass, although I never see him do, but he is pooing, so he must be eating something. Poo is in smaller quantities compared to the other torts. I still soak him twice daily & he drinks. He'll occassionally eat some hibiscus flower. He has not lost weight despite a reduced appetite. I wonder how long they'll last if they've got any renal injury. Will keep posted.

 

[Crazy1]

Thanks for the update. I have been wondering how he is doing. I guess only time will tell at this point and the fact he is willing to eat anything and drink has to be good, Right? I think at thisi point it would depends on the amount of damage to the kidneys. Hopefully not much and he will heal and get better quickly.

 

[Sardinecan]

Today I've had the opportunity to monitor him at home. He ate almost the whole hibiscus flower. Don't really know if he ate any grass. I'll have to watch the amount of poo he passes to have a rough idea how much he is consuming. He still doesn't eat the vegies that I leave out for them.

 

[purpod]

Hiya Sardinecan ~

Well, your tort is certainly a beauty ~ with the care you're giving, and the blessings we all wish for you, I would certainly hope that he continues to improve ~

All the best to you & your tortie,
Purpod

 

[Sardinecan]

Hiya Sardinecan ~

Well, your tort is certainly a beauty ~ with the care you're giving, and the blessings we all wish for you, I would certainly hope that he continues to improve ~

All the best to you & your tortie,
Purpod

Hi Purpod,

Thanks for the compliment & well wishes. Today I saw him eating some vegies as well. That is a good sign. However I won't be completely happy until I see him eating like he used to before. Hopefully his appetite would pick up soon. Cheers.

Simon

 

[purpod]

Glad to hear of the improvement, Simon! Hopefully, all will continue to get better ~ it sounds as tho things will be okay; thanx for posting the good news..
Purpod

 

[Crazy1]

That’s great news Simon. Guarded but Happy is a good thing. I know that plant is history around your tort enclosure.

 

[Sardinecan]

That’s great news Simon. Guarded but Happy is a good thing. I know that plant is history around your tort enclosure.

Oh yes, I've thrown out that plant. It acutally belongs to my sis. She doesn't take care of it anyway. That was how the creepers grew until they were on the ground.