Not very good identifying weeds. Is this one safe for tortoises?

SanctuaryHills

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Namely for baby Aldabra tortoises. Plant ID says it's a Wedelia (Sphagneticola trilobata). I'm in South Florida.
 

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SanctuaryHills

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Crap. Just found this :
"Wedelia trilobata commonly known as Wedelia, Creeping Ox-eye or Yellow-dots is a native of South America and has been widely planted as an ornamental groundcover in more tropical parts of the US. According to Floridata and several other credible websites, plants in the Genus Wedelia are toxic to animals. In fact, Farm animals have aborted fetuses after grazing on Wedelia.

Do not, I repeat, do not under any circumstances feed it to your tortoises!!!"

 

SanctuaryHills

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I was so happy because I found a huge patch of these nearby. The motherload! Thought they might be dandelions. So glad I looked it up before feeding them to my torts
 

ZEROPILOT

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I was so happy because I found a huge patch of these nearby. The motherload! Thought they might be dandelions. So glad I looked it up before feeding them to my torts
I learned something new. Thanks.
It's one of three or four flowering weeds that pop up in my yard.
 

RosemaryDW

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The information presented is specific to how mammals react to this plant; not reptiles. We have very little scientific information on how tortoises process food in general but we do know they can and do eat foods of all kinds that mammals can't or shouldn't.

It's always fine to avoid foods you aren't comfortable with but I wouldn't make an assessment based purely on a mammal study.

I search here first on a plant to see what our more experienced owners do or don't do with it; they are the ones with hands on expertise. I don't see much info in this forum on this plant being fed so I'd likely skip it on that basis.

I usually also check into the plant's family and background. This particular plant is in the sunflower family which isn't typically problematic. But no need to risk it with your babies. :)
 

SanctuaryHills

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The information presented is specific to how mammals react to this plant; not reptiles. We have very little scientific information on how tortoises process food in general but we do know they can and do eat foods of all kinds that mammals can't or shouldn't.

It's always fine to avoid foods you aren't comfortable with but I wouldn't make an assessment based purely on a mammal study.

I search here first on a plant to see what our more experienced owners do or don't do with it; they are the ones with hands on expertise. I don't see much info in this forum on this plant being fed so I'd likely skip it on that basis.

I usually also check into the plant's family and background. This particular plant is in the sunflower family which isn't typically problematic. But no need to risk it with your babies. :)
Do not, I repeat, do not under any circumstances feed it to your tortoises!!!"

That was a quote from the link I shared, not something I added in myself. ?
 

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