Sycamore tree

[Megatron's Mom]

My neighbor has a huge sycamore tree in her yard. The leaves started dropping and of course some are in Optimus Prime's yard. So far I collect them as much as possible. Sadly I'm not out there when they drop, are the dried up leaves a risk to him?

 

[RosemaryDW]

I've never bothered about mine; my Russian has never shown any interest. They are clogging her summer burrow right now and I'm not going to touch them. She'll knock them down when she's ready to use it again.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

I've never bothered about mine; my Russian has never shown any interest. They are clogging her summer burrow right now and I'm not going to touch them. She'll knock them down when she's ready to use it again.

Thank you

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I think @Tom has told his sulcatas to eat dried leaves. My Russian has sampled some.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

I think @Tom has told his sulcatas to eat dried leaves. My Russian has sampled some.

So far it's just been a few leaves dropping in there and I picked them out. It's so hard to figure out what is safe off of google.

 

[Tom]

I think @Tom has told his sulcatas to eat dried leaves. My Russian has sampled some.

I don't know sycamores. I could be standing right next to one and wouldn't even know it.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

I don't know sycamores. I could be standing right next to one and wouldn't even know it.

Yeah, my point was that tortoises might eat dried leaves. Yours have eaten some dried leaves right?

 

[Tom]

Yeah, my point was that tortoises might eat dried leaves. Yours have eaten some dried leaves right?

Not that I know of. I couldn't tell you because I don't know how to ID a sycamore tree. To the best of my knowledge, I don't have any of those around me. But if someone who knows sycamore trees came to my ranch, pointed and said, "Hey, that's a sycamore tree..." I would not argue.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Not that I know of. I couldn't tell you because I don't know how to ID a sycamore tree. To the best of my knowledge, I don't have any of those around me. But if someone who knows sycamore trees came to my ranch, pointed and said, "Hey, that's a sycamore tree..." I would not argue.

Sorry, I meant any dried leaves

 

[Tom]

Sorry, I meant any dried leaves

Are you thinking mulberry leaves? I feed mulberry leaves to my tortoises a couple of times per week for about 6-7 months of every year. I don't feed them any leaves that I have not ID'd and I don't know how to ID sycamore leaves, so no, none of my tortoises have ever been fed or eaten any sycamore leaves that I know of.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Are you thinking mulberry leaves? I feed mulberry leaves to my tortoises a couple of times per week for about 6-7 months of every year. I don't feed them any leaves that I have not ID'd and I don't know how to ID sycamore leaves, so no, none of my tortoises have ever been fed or eaten any sycamore leaves that I know of.

To me they look close to an oak tree. I actually thought it was an oak, but my husband is from here and told me it was a sycamore tree.
I'll just keep picking the leaves up out of his yard. I'd rather not worry about it.

 

[Tom]

To me they look close to an oak tree. I actually thought it was an oak, but my husband is from here and told me it was a sycamore tree.
I'll just keep picking the leaves up out of his yard. I'd rather not worry about it.

@RosemaryDW or @Yvonne G are pretty knowledgable about plants. So is Will @Kapidolo Farms

Perhaps one of them can tell us if sycamore tree leaves are toxic.

You should post pics of the tree and its leaves to verify the ID too.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Pictures of the sycamore tree and leaf

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

@Oxalis might also be able to help.

 

[Oxalis]

Pictures of the sycamore tree and leaf

Definitely got yourself a sycamore there (Platanus spp.).

I tend to go by The Tortoise Table when I first start researching possible tortoise food. In this case, it sounds pretty sketchy because of the plant's ability to absorb pollutants, so I definitely wouldn't feed it. Even if you don't live in the city, you don't always know what pollutants are around. I also tend to stop my tortoise from eating dried leaves in the fall because there's still a sufficient amount of fresh greens available instead for him.

The link below is their entry on sycamore:

Browse and Search the Tortoise Table Plant Database

Browse and Search the Tortoise Table Plant Database

www.thetortoisetable.org.uk

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Definitely got yourself a sycamore there (Platanus spp.).

I tend to go by The Tortoise Table when I first start researching possible tortoise food. In this case, it sounds pretty sketchy because of the plant's ability to absorb pollutants, so I definitely wouldn't feed it. Even if you don't live in the city, you don't always know what pollutants are around. I also tend to stop my tortoise from eating dried leaves in the fall because there's still a sufficient amount of fresh greens available instead for him.

The link below is their entry on sycamore:

Browse and Search the Tortoise Table Plant Database

Browse and Search the Tortoise Table Plant Database

www.thetortoisetable.org.uk

I'll definitely keep picking up those leaves.

 

[turtlesteve]

My comment / assessment: This is a case where the tortoise table entry is not very useful.

Based on what I can find:

Sycamore leaves aren’t toxic, at least not in any severe sense. Tortoise table doesn’t back up the suggestion they absorb environmental toxins (worse than any other tree).

They contain significant oxalates and tannins, and fairly high protein levels. All of this would make them a poor choice as tortoise food.

I will say that all manner of tree leaves end up in my leopard tortoise pen, and to some extent I have to rely on the tortoises not eating them, because I’m not present 24/7 to remove leaves blown in by the wind. It seems that they ignore them, even green oak and pecan leaves.

The only wild trees in my area for which I know the leaves are edible for tortoises are mulberry and hackberry / sugarberry.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

My comment / assessment: This is a case where the tortoise table entry is not very useful.

Based on what I can find:

Sycamore leaves aren’t toxic, at least not in any severe sense. Tortoise table doesn’t back up the suggestion they absorb environmental toxins (worse than any other tree).

They contain significant oxalates and tannins, and fairly high protein levels. All of this would make them a poor choice as tortoise food.

I will say that all manner of tree leaves end up in my leopard tortoise pen, and to some extent I have to rely on the tortoises not eating them, because I’m not present 24/7 to remove leaves blown in by the wind. It seems that they ignore them, even green oak and pecan leaves.

The only wild trees in my area for which I know the leaves are edible for tortoises are mulberry and hackberry / sugarberry.

I was thinking the same thing. Many plants and trees absorb toxins that's how they clean the air.

 

[Oxalis]

I was thinking the same thing. Many plants and trees absorb toxins that's how they clean the air.

True. I'm guessing some tree species are better at processing out those toxins than others? This could be fun to research...