Pumpkin seeds or no seeds?

[Missy]

Ok it's pumpkin time here in the mid-west. I have read many conflicting ways to feed pumpkin. Some say feed all including the seeds, some say no seeds. I read somewhere not to feed pie pumpkin. So what do you think??? Is a plain old carving kind ok? That is what I have fed in the past and now I find myself second guessing with all the conflicting info. I have never fed the seeds but would if it's ok.

 

[Len B]

I think it would depend on the size of the tortoise in comparison to the size of the seeds, the seeds will just pass through undigested.

 

[John1982]

Baked pumpkin seeds for you!! Give the tort everything else.

 

[Missy]

I was told that the seeds can be a dewormer. Anyone else no anything about that.

 

[DeanS]

Definitely feed the seeds...some for your tort and some for you. Seriously, they're great roughage and will clean him out good!

 

[Madkins007]

This is not a big deal. If you feed the seeds, they will pass through.

A lot of people think that the seeds act as a natural de-wormer, although there is little clinical proof of this. Since torts do not normally break the seed shell, you need to crack, chop, or break them first.

 

[sammi]

Can you feed the stringy stuff that the seeds are all tangled in? Or do they eat the sides/walls of the pumpkin?

 

[terracolson]

My russian only eats the stringy stuff..

 

[Jacqui]

For my smaller/younger tortoises, I blend the entire pumpkin. Older ones get the solid chunks. The bigger ones have no problem eating even the skin. The stringy stuff is fed and eaten, too.

 

[chadk]

I put seeds, stringy center, walls, and skin in the Vita Mixer and blend them up so the seeds are all finely chopped. Pour the mush into a bowl, maybe add some mazuri, and let them chow down. And just for fun and as a treat, they get to attack a whole pumpkin about once a week while supplies last

 

[sammi]

For a small Russian, how much Pumpkin should he get and how often?

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, pumpkins seeds do act as a de-wormer, however, you have to grind them up and feed them. Otherwise, they just pass right through.

 

[goReptiles]

Buying a small pumpkin this weekend! Can't wait to offer it to the torties.

Is it ok for Russians?

 

[j156ghs]

I was told that the seeds can be a dewormer. Anyone else no anything about that.

Yes, I use a powder that has finely ground pumpkin seeds as the main ingredient for the purpose of ridding amphibians and reptiles of worms and parasites and as a mild laxative. It seems to work well, judging from the droppings I've seen, and I use it on new arrivals that are in quaratine, especially if they were wild caught, though I try to avoid buying such creatures. The product is called "Worm Guard," by Nature Zone and includes Black Walnut, Cloves, Black Cumin and Thyme among a few other ingredients.

 

[Missy]

Thanks for all the great advise Anyone use pie pumpkins? I can get those for free.