Mushrooms for tortoises?

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Box turtles, being omnivores, will eat not only plants, but also mushrooms, invertebrates, and even carrion. It's often said, though, that tortoises are much more herbivorous, and feed almost exclusively on leafy greens, with some grass or invertebrates thrown into the mix to one degree or another, depending on the species.

Redfoots are known to eat mushrooms, but they are more omnivorous than most tortoises. However, I recently read a paper (Rozylowicz and Dobre 2009, attached) which states that Hermann's tortoises eat a lot of mushrooms, too (p. 9). This would make sense, given that Hermanns occupy more wooded habitat than many other tortoises. Have any of you found that your Hermanns like to eat mushrooms? And what about other Testudo species? Would they benefit from mushrooms, too?

 

[cherylim]

I've tried Emrys on mushrooms, but he's not interested at all.

That said, I've heard he's more likely to like the brown kind than the white. I only buy food from the grocery store when it's got a major discount, and I've not caught the brown ones with a discount yet. Will try them one day.

 

[JoesMum]

Joe has never been interested in them

 

[Tom]

I'm sure they all eat mushrooms if they happen upon them out there in the wild. I feed them to my leopards and sulcatas once in a while. They love them.

 

[N2TORTS]

MY RF's LOVEEEEEE Them!

 

[jkingler]

I've been considering feeding some to mine. Are there any particular mushrooms that they seem to really enjoy?

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I've been considering feeding some to mine. Are there any particular mushrooms that they seem to really enjoy?

I'm not particularly good at identifying mushrooms; you have to be either a turtle or a mycologist to know which ones are safe to eat. Having said that, my box turtles and redfoot tortoise did used to devour light-brown, garden-variety mushrooms (whatever they were) whenever they came across them. I'm just not sure whether my Russians would be interested in such items or not. Probably not, considering they come from drier environs. It is similarly dry here, which is why they haven't stumbled upon any mushrooms yet. Still, I wonder what they'd do if presented with one.

 

[Jacqui]

Yes, my Hermanns enjoy them. I have feed them to the Greeks, the Russians, Leopards, Stars, along of course with the Hingebacks, box turtles, redfoots, Yellowfoots, spots, and Asian box.

 

[Kristina]

My Box turtles, Redfoots, Manouria, and Hingebacks eat them daily. I haven't fed them to any of my grassland tortoises.

I strongly urge against feeding any "wild" mushrooms; as already stated, they are extremely hard to identify (although I morel hunt, very successfully, every spring.) Box turtles are known to be able to eat "poisonous" varieties. It actually lends their bodies some toxic properties. This led to Native Americans believing that Box turtles themselves were poisonous to eat. However, there is too much risk in actually poisoning and killing your torts or turts. Stick to the grocery store mushrooms Portabellas are the favorite of my herd.

 

[Madkins007]

In general, my guys seem to prefer brown to white, large chunks to whole or sliced.

Wild mushrooms are high in vitamin D2- one of the few plant sources of ANY form of vitamin D. This is not the case with farm-raised mushrooms, however, since they get little if any UV light when growing as far as I can tell.

They are filling and nutritious without having hardly any sugars or fats. They offer a lot of fiber and vitamins, as well as just plain tasting good. http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2482/2

Most wild tortoises eat a lot of other fungi besides just mushrooms, and many of the other fungi are also edible and some are even supposed to be quite tasty. Personally, I allow my tortoises access to any fungi they find in their outdoor pens, but only feed store-bought to them indoors.

 

[jkingler]

Personally, I allow my tortoises access to any fungi they find in their outdoor pens, but only feed store-bought to them indoors.
Sounds about right to me. Not that I anticipate much in the way of wild mushrooms in my San Diego backyard.

I look forward to my tortoises giving me many such excuses to eat well. I think stuffed portabellas are going to be on my menu soon, and they will get first dibs on bits of the uncooked bellas.

 

[Dagashi]

do you think stars eat mushrooms too? I just bought some and wondered if it's safe to give them any.

 

[DanaLachney]

My redfoot LOVES mushrooms

 

[Zergy]

My redfoots like mushrooms. Sliced or diced. I give baby belle... the gray kinds not the white ones since I read about other tortoises having that preference.

 

[Dagashi]

I introduced mushrooms yesterday... and they gingerly ignored it. lol. Well I guess that answers my questions!

At least it was mushrooms I was eating and give them a bit rather than specially buying some for them.

they are SUCH picky eaters! @_@

 

[GBtortoises]

None of my Hermann's of any of the subspecies will eat mushrooms very eagerly. In fact they'll usually consume everything else around the mushrooms before eating a mushroom. It's very unlikely that many wild Hermann's populations inhabit forests, especially given their dietary preferances. They inhabit sparsely growing meadows and brush lines along the meadows.
None of my other Marginateds, Ibera or Russians show any interest in mushrooms at all. The only tortoises I have ever had that show a slight interest in mushrooms is Redfoots & Burmese Browns.

With the exception of vitamin D, which isn't a significant amount, mushrooms don't offer much. In fact their calcium to phosphorous ratio is terrible.

As part of a good quality, varied diet mushrooms aren't harmful, but they don't provide any notable dietary value either. I'd prefer to substitute another, more nutrional vegetable in their place.

 

[jasmine_1234321]

Yeah tried my baby Herman on mushroom after reading this. He wasn't having any of it. :')

 

[Dagashi]

I rubbed some mazuri on the mushrooms which perhaps gave them more "flavour". My star torts enjoyed it after that and started to take eat more un-rubbed mushrooms.

They are pretty much mazuri addicts and if I want to get them to eat anything new, and they don't show any interest in, I'll make a wrap out of it. they'll have to bite through it to get to the mazuri. then I'll jsut hide the mazuri! huhuhu.

 

[DanaLachney]

Maybe I should buy some mazuri?

 

[Dagashi]

depends!

some people have said that their torts totally ignore mazuri. We feed them mazuri cause:
1. we're both new to tort husbandry and so far everyone has commented that it does provide the vast majority of nutrients needed. So that takes a load off our shoulders whether our torts get the necessary nutrients.
2. we're both lazy bums to obtain a variety fresh greens everyday for our torts. We usually eat out ourselves. so having a tort really forces us to go to the market at least once a week to buy greens (most of the times its specifically for the torts). Sometimes it's a bit difficult as we only get home at 8-9 pm. so we use mazuri as filler foods in between fresh vegs.
3. They really are addicted to the stuff! Even if they're sleeping and dug themselves way down into the substrate.. if we place mazuri in their food dish.. and fan it towards them.. they'll wake up.. walk over and have a chowdown! So it's like a treat/toy for us to entice them and play with them. We'll take a couple of pieces out and scatter them around and watch the torts hunt for them. they are like little bloodhounds! that just adds a little excitement to our lives and a little bit of exercise and curiousity on theirs.