Opuntia question

[Bducks16]

When feeding opuntia to leopards or sulcatas do you guys burn off the glochids? I've been growing opuntia for awhile now and use a torch to burn off the glochids before cutting off a cladode to feed to the tortoises. I'm asking this question because the cactus has pretty much taken over the area it has been growing. I would like to dig up most of the opuntia and relocate it in the tortoise enclosure but not if those glochids will hurt the tortoise. They don't feel good in my fingers. I wasn't sure if it would bother the tortoise. Thank you

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I buy mine with the spines already scraped off, but I know that many of our keepers feed with them intact.
I also grow the spineless variety, but there is currently not enough to harvest.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think it depends upon how long the glochids are. If you're talking about a variety of spineless (which is a lie) opuntia, there's no need to burn them off. But if you're talking about the glochids that stick out a good inch or two, I would protect the bottom of the plant so the tortoise can't accidentally poke his eye.

 

[Bducks16]

They are real short fuzzy hairs

 

[Bducks16]

Thanks both of you. Sounds like it will be fine for them. I will take your advice Yvonne and make sure down low is kept clean of spikes.

 

[Tom]

I used to always run the cut pads under water and rub the glocchids off with heavy rubber gloves.

For the last couple of years I've literally been hacking off pads and let them drop from the main cactus plant right on to the ground in the enclosures. Then I used my foot to flick the cut pads over onto the bed of grass hay. Some of my "spineless" opuntia has those tiny little small spines as well as the glocchids and this has caused ZERO problems for my russians, sulcatas of many sizes or leopards.

If you plant pads in your enclosures they will most likely be eaten to the ground. I surround mine with slumpstone blocks to protect them. This also makes a nice basin for their weekly waterings in summer.