Sweet potato leave suggested for star tortoises ??

Joined
Jul 8, 2021
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124
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Chennai
Hello friends, anyone knows if sweet potato leaves can be given to star tortoises for young ones??if yes, can it be added to their daily meal or only once in a while ? Kindly respond this help will help the tortoises to have one variety added to their plate.. thank you, pics attached for referrence.
Note: only the leaves not the roots!!
 

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Maro2Bear

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Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
  • Common Name: Sweet Potato
  • Latin Name: Ipomoea batatas
  • Family Name: Convolvulaceae
The Sweet Potato is not actually a potato at all, but is instead closely related to the Morning Glory that people grow in their gardens.

The tuber of the plant (which is commonly cooked and eaten as a vegetable) is high in starches and is therefore unsuitable as a food for tortoises.

The leaves of the plant are not toxic as such (and will therefore do no harm if nibbled accidentally), but the calcium to phosphorous ratio is very bad for tortoises (depending on growing conditions it can be up to three times the amount of phosphorous to calcium), so we do not recommend feeding the leaves either.

In the USA, the orange-fleshed Sweet Potato is often erroneously called Yam, although it bears no relation to the true Yam (Dioscorea). The flowers of the Sweet Potato tend to be white with a purple centre, although some varieties of Sweet Potato are grown in the garden for their ornamental value and have purple leaves and pink or purple flowers.
 
Joined
Jul 8, 2021
Messages
124
Location (City and/or State)
Chennai
  • Common Name: Sweet Potato
  • Latin Name: Ipomoea batatas
  • Family Name: Convolvulaceae
The Sweet Potato is not actually a potato at all, but is instead closely related to the Morning Glory that people grow in their gardens.

The tuber of the plant (which is commonly cooked and eaten as a vegetable) is high in starches and is therefore unsuitable as a food for tortoises.

The leaves of the plant are not toxic as such (and will therefore do no harm if nibbled accidentally), but the calcium to phosphorous ratio is very bad for tortoises (depending on growing conditions it can be up to three times the amount of phosphorous to calcium), so we do not recommend feeding the leaves either.

In the USA, the orange-fleshed Sweet Potato is often erroneously called Yam, although it bears no relation to the true Yam (Dioscorea). The flowers of the Sweet Potato tend to be white with a purple centre, although some varieties of Sweet Potato are grown in the garden for their ornamental value and have purple leaves and pink or purple flowers.
Hey Maro, thank you clean explanation, can you please list out few leafy plants that i can grow at home to feed stars... easy to grow plants.. as im stars only eat romaine lettuce and bok choy very and daily food. I dont have much and many food listed in online available in my country nor in online supply.
 
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