Sulcata weeds

[randomdemon]

Ok so my baby sulcata arrived yesterday and I have to admit being victim to the general misinformation available on raising these tortoises.

So I have been out and bought all the RIGHT stuff but now I feel like I'm back to square one kinda as I was so confident on his care and the research I had done, I thought I'd spoken to the right people etc as it's been in planning for over a year.

Anyway, essentially, I'm now doubting everything I thought I knew and I know this info must be available somewhere on here but I can't seem to find it. In my garden I have a dedicated 'wild' area which I've left gras and weeds to grow for this tortoise, occasionally mowing it but otherwise it's all natural. There are dandelions galore which I know are fine and also plantain but I just want to check some other things I now can't seem to find any clarification on before I let him have any time outside.

Dock
Raspberry leaves
Nettle
Ivy
hydrangea
Red/blackcurrant leaves
Gooseberry leaves
Ash tree leaves/shoots

Thank you in advance

Kelly and Jupiter

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Hello and welcome to the forum! I am sure our sulcata experts can help you through the information available out there.

Dock: Contains high levels of oxalic acid, which used to be frowned up on. Nowdays the belief is that they are fine as a part of a varied diet if you keep your tortoise well hydrated.

Raspberry leaves: New leaf growth and flowers are fine fed sparingly. Older leaves contain tannins and other astrigent substances that some tortoises might not like the taste of.

Nettle: Safe in moderation. Some say the older leaves store irritating substances, but I don't think research has shown it to be dangerous for tortoises.

Ivy: English Ivy contains saponins and falcarinol, which is capable of causing allergic skin reactions. Boston Ivy is high in oxalates (check dock) and can cause dermatitis.

Hydrangea: high in oxalates and can cause dermatitis that is toxic and can cause gastrointestinal upset and bloody diarrhoea.

Red/blackcurrant leaves: The fresh young leaves of most Ribes species are said to contain small amounts of hydrogen cyanide and have the potential to cause serious problems if eaten in quantity. There aren't any cases of tortoises being poisoned eating the leaves though.

Gooseberry leaves: Also part of the Ribes species.

Ash tree leaves/shoots: Some sources say that the leaves and fruit of the Ash are toxic to cattle and other ruminants, and others deem it safe. There really isn't any hard evidence on their effect on tortoises.

You can check the tortoise table database for plants for your tortoise. They usually err on the side of caution and label many plants as do not feed if they have been found dangerous to other animals. : https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/

If you can't find a plant on there, I would use their list of harmful properties for tortoises and check if the plant contains any.:

Harmful Properties

Harmful Properties

www.thetortoisetable.org.uk

If you haven't read them yet, here is our article for new peple on the forum:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

And a care sheet for sulcatas: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181504/

If any questions arise, please feel feel to ask here or make a new thread!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Kelly, and Welcome!

All those listed should be fed in moderation or not at all. Maybe think about planting instead grape vines, mulberry tree, Rose of Sharon, any vegetable plant, especially squashes, Honeysuckle, viola and pansy, plantain, portulaca, chickweed, purselane

 

[ryan57]

Baby sulcata? and you're talking about exotic weeds...

Look, chop up (really fine or use a food processor) only the tips of green lettuce, raddichio, and add soaked Mazuri small tortoise LS. That will give you a year or more to entertain this semi-useless weed conversation.

Build an outdoor enclosure with grass for next year when it's nice and s/he will be eating grass and weeds outside.

 

[randomdemon]

Hello and welcome to the forum! I am sure our sulcata experts can help you through the information available out there.

Dock: Contains high levels of oxalic acid, which used to be frowned up on. Nowdays the belief is that they are fine as a part of a varied diet if you keep your tortoise well hydrated.

Raspberry leaves: New leaf growth and flowers are fine fed sparingly. Older leaves contain tannins and other astrigent substances that some tortoises might not like the taste of.

Nettle: Safe in moderation. Some say the older leaves store irritating substances, but I don't think research has shown it to be dangerous for tortoises.

Ivy: English Ivy contains saponins and falcarinol, which is capable of causing allergic skin reactions. Boston Ivy is high in oxalates (check dock) and can cause dermatitis.

Hydrangea: high in oxalates and can cause dermatitis that is toxic and can cause gastrointestinal upset and bloody diarrhoea.

Red/blackcurrant leaves: The fresh young leaves of most Ribes species are said to contain small amounts of hydrogen cyanide and have the potential to cause serious problems if eaten in quantity. There aren't any cases of tortoises being poisoned eating the leaves though.

Gooseberry leaves: Also part of the Ribes species.

Ash tree leaves/shoots: Some sources say that the leaves and fruit of the Ash are toxic to cattle and other ruminants, and others deem it safe. There really isn't any hard evidence on their effect on tortoises.

You can check the tortoise table database for plants for your tortoise. They usually err on the side of caution and label many plants as do not feed if they have been found dangerous to other animals. : https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/

If you can't find a plant on there, I would use their list of harmful properties for tortoises and check if the plant contains any.:

Harmful Properties

Harmful Properties

www.thetortoisetable.org.uk

If you haven't read them yet, here is our article for new peple on the forum:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

And a care sheet for sulcatas: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-a-sulcata-leopard-or-star-tortoise.181504/

If any questions arise, please feel feel to ask here or make a new thread!

Thank you so much this is perfect. I have read the care sheet and info for new people which is really what led to me having to completely rethink everything I thought I already knew about what he needs.

Hi Kelly, and Welcome!

All those listed should be fed in moderation or not at all. Maybe think about planting instead grape vines, mulberry tree, Rose of Sharon, any vegetable plant, especially squashes, Honeysuckle, viola and pansy, plantain, portulaca, chickweed, purselane

This is great, thank you. I do have a bunch of more suitable stuff growing already but these were just things I couldn't find or could only find conflicting info on that are already growing wild, thanks!

 

[randomdemon]

Baby sulcata? and you're talking about exotic weeds...

Look, chop up (really fine or use a food processor) only the tips of green lettuce, raddichio, and add soaked Mazuri small tortoise LS. That will give you a year or more to entertain this semi-useless weed conversation.

Build an outdoor enclosure with grass for next year when it's nice and s/he will be eating grass and weeds outside.

Exotic weeds? How exactly are these exotic? Is this supposed to be sarcasm or am I missing something here? I just want to know which of the wild growing plants in my garden I can feed my tortoise.

He has an outdoor enclose already for when he's bigger, what's the issue? Most people seem to be advising a varied diet from a young age, therefore, your advice is mostly inconsistent to what seems to be the general agreed consensus on here, the attitude is entirely unnecessary and unhelpful and will drive more people away than it will help.

 

[ryan57]

Exotic weeds? How exactly are these exotic? Is this supposed to be sarcasm or am I missing something here? I just want to know which of the wild growing plants in my garden I can feed my tortoise.

He has an outdoor enclose already for when he's bigger, what's the issue? Most people seem to be advising a varied diet from a young age, therefore, your advice is mostly inconsistent to what seems to be the general agreed consensus on here, the attitude is entirely unnecessary and unhelpful and will drive more people away than it will help.

Please continue to enjoy WAAaAY overthinking this.