To broccoli or not to broccoli

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
50 different answers I've had so I'm turning to my new favourite place. 1 year old Horsefield. Would you give him broccoli or not and what sorts of weeds ect can you give him fro. Your garden? Clover. I know dandelion leaves, but there's so many different types. Should I plant pansies this spring to feed him them.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
50 different answers I've had so I'm turning to my new favourite place. 1 year old Horsefield. Would you give him broccoli or not and what sorts of weeds ect can you give him fro. Your garden? Clover. I know dandelion leaves, but there's so many different types. Should I plant pansies this spring to feed him them.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
A little broccoli once in a while is fine. I would not use it as a main staple.

Yes to all the other foods you asked about, and here are more:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
A little broccoli once in a while is fine. I would not use it as a main staple.

Yes to all the other foods you asked about, and here are more:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food
A little broccoli once in a while is fine. I would not use it as a main staple.

Yes to all the other foods you asked about, and here are more:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food
Thank you so much Tom!! You have given me the answer to every question I've been asking for months!
Thank you again!!
Colin
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
You are welcome. We are all here to talk tortoises, and this forum is full of good people who want to help.
Really good people! In the space of a week I've completely changed my set up, from substrate to lighting. The whole viv. So much good advice. My only concern is I keep getting told to keep my uva strip light and uva light on for 12 hours. Some say 3-6 hours strip light and 10 hours uva basking light. I'm not sure what to do
 

Tortoise Nana

Member
Joined
May 11, 2022
Messages
32
Location (City and/or State)
Las Vegas, Nv
A little broccoli once in a while is fine. I would not use it as a main staple.

Yes to all the other foods you asked about, and here are more:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food
What a wonderful list. Thank you.
 

TammyJ

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2016
Messages
7,119
Location (City and/or State)
Jamaica
Can you post some pictures of the tortoise and the enclosure?
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
He's hiding in his hide 😊
 

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cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
Really good people! In the space of a week I've completely changed my set up, from substrate to lighting. The whole viv. So much good advice. My only concern is I keep getting told to keep my UVB strip light and UVA light on for 12 hours. Some say 3-6 hours strip light and 10 hours uva basking light. I'm not sure what to do
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Quote: "Really good people! In the space of a week I've completely changed my set up, from substrate to lighting. The whole viv. So much good advice. My only concern is I keep getting told to keep my UVB strip light and UVA light on for 12 hours. Some say 3-6 hours strip light and 10 hours uva basking light. I'm not sure what to do."

The idea behind lighting is to try to simulate what happens outside. For a tropical animal, that means around 12 hours of heat and basking light each day, with 4-6 hours of mid day UV. They only "need" 15 minutes of strong UV once in a while to make the necessary D3, but the mid day UV in the tropics is strong.

For a temperate species this means changing the light cycle to match the seasons outside. More light duration and intensity in summer, and less in winter. I do this in preparation for brumation too. Since I live in a temperate climate, I typically just adjust my timers to match what is happening outside. Again, 2-3 hours of strong UV is more than adequate to get the job done.

10 hours of basking light is not enough unless you are bringing a tortoise out of brumation, or preparing to send one into brumation. If a person doesn't brumate their tortoises, then the light should be on 12+ hours every day year round.

Likewise, there is nowhere in the world where you would get strong levels of UVB for 12 hours a day. That is unnatural and unnecessary. There is zero UV in morning sun and zero in the evening too. With a meter you can watch the UV levels start from zero, start to build in the late morning, peak mid day, and drop back to nothing again by late afternoon and evening. There is no point ever in running UVB bulbs longer than 5-6 hours, and this is why I emphasize, thanks to the teachings of @Markw84 , that we need strong LED lighting of the correct spectrum to run all day in our indoor enclosures to simulate a bright sunny day, in addition the the heat lamp for basking. We should not be relying on the UV tube as a light source. My indoor enclosures are so bright that I cannot tell if the UV tube is on or off unless I bend down and look up into the fixture, or stick my hand directly under the tube to see if it is lit.

The above paragraphs explain the theory of why I make my recommendations. In practice, it works with all the species I keep. I've been implementing these theories for years, and it works better than other methods that I have used.
 

cpl1307

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2023
Messages
260
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
Quote: "Really good people! In the space of a week I've completely changed my set up, from substrate to lighting. The whole viv. So much good advice. My only concern is I keep getting told to keep my UVB strip light and UVA light on for 12 hours. Some say 3-6 hours strip light and 10 hours uva basking light. I'm not sure what to do."

The idea behind lighting is to try to simulate what happens outside. For a tropical animal, that means around 12 hours of heat and basking light each day, with 4-6 hours of mid day UV. They only "need" 15 minutes of strong UV once in a while to make the necessary D3, but the mid day UV in the tropics is strong.

For a temperate species this means changing the light cycle to match the seasons outside. More light duration and intensity in summer, and less in winter. I do this in preparation for brumation too. Since I live in a temperate climate, I typically just adjust my timers to match what is happening outside. Again, 2-3 hours of strong UV is more than adequate to get the job done.

10 hours of basking light is not enough unless you are bringing a tortoise out of brumation, or preparing to send one into brumation. If a person doesn't brumate their tortoises, then the light should be on 12+ hours every day year round.

Likewise, there is nowhere in the world where you would get strong levels of UVB for 12 hours a day. That is unnatural and unnecessary. There is zero UV in morning sun and zero in the evening too. With a meter you can watch the UV levels start from zero, start to build in the late morning, peak mid day, and drop back to nothing again by late afternoon and evening. There is no point ever in running UVB bulbs longer than 5-6 hours, and this is why I emphasize, thanks to the teachings of @Markw84 , that we need strong LED lighting of the correct spectrum to run all day in our indoor enclosures to simulate a bright sunny day, in addition the the heat lamp for basking. We should not be relying on the UV tube as a light source. My indoor enclosures are so bright that I cannot tell if the UV tube is on or off unless I bend down and look up into the fixture, or stick my hand directly under the tube to see if it is lit.

The above paragraphs explain the theory of why I make my recommendations. In practice, it works with all the species I keep. I've been implementing these theories for years, and it works better than other methods that I have used.
Makes total sense! I Basically I am just mimicking the natural environment, in every way really! My Uva floodlight bulb, by far gives off more light than the strip light does. I've had my strip uv light on everyday for over 10 hours since November. I'm going to order a new one now and take your advice. Surely its got to of weakened. Its coming up to 6 months now that I've been using it.
Again Tom, Thank you!! You need to write a book! I'd buy it!! 😉
 

Guts

Active Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Messages
112
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
A little broccoli once in a while is fine. I would not use it as a main staple.

Yes to all the other foods you asked about, and here are more:
Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds:
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard

Other good stuff:
"Testudo Seed Mix" from http://www.tortoisesupply.com/SeedMixes
Pasture mixes or other seeds from http://www.groworganic.com/seeds.html
Homegrown alfalfa
Mazuri Tortoise Chow
ZooMed Grassland Tortoise Food
Wild onion/garlic greens are safe for torts? I didn’t know that, only that the bulbs were a no go for a lot of species aside nft irl humans.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Wild onion/garlic greens are safe for torts? I didn’t know that, only that the bulbs were a no go for a lot of species aside nft irl humans.
Best to positively ID and get a correct Latin name. There are many different plants referred to as wild onion or wild garlic. I have a few near me and I occasionally feed out a little of either mixed in with other greens, but I'm not sure that what you have over there is the same plant species.
 

Guts

Active Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Messages
112
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
Best to positively ID and get a correct Latin name. There are many different plants referred to as wild onion or wild garlic. I have a few near me and I occasionally feed out a little of either mixed in with other greens, but I'm not sure that what you have over there is the same plant species.
Allium vineale is the species here
 

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