UK Diet for Spur Thighs

idcowden

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2020
Messages
31
Location (City and/or State)
Walton-on-Thames
HI all,

Just wanted to check whether I'm giving enough variety to our Spur Thigh Tortoises.

Currently they get wild weeds exclusively. They have had a purchased salad once when we needed my inlaws to look after them for a few days.
I am in the UK, so these are British weeds...

Daily:-

Dandelion
Mallow / Tree Mallow
Dead nettle
Violet

Occasionally:
Doves-foot or Round leafed Crane's bill
Valerian
Blowball (asteraceae)
Storks Bill
Nettles
Garden Hollyhock
Calvary Clover
Lamiaceae
Lambs Ear

Mallow , Dandelion, Dead Nettle (at the moment) and Valerian are the easiest ones to find.
They do eat a lot of dandelion though.

Thanks
 

JoesMum

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
21,610
Location (City and/or State)
Kent, South East England
Yes they’re fine. As the seasons change the weeds that are available will change too.

Here's a list of suitable greens. Look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database if you're not sure what they look like.

http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/

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
 

idcowden

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2020
Messages
31
Location (City and/or State)
Walton-on-Thames
At the moment I have just been wandering around the verges and the green / woodland near the house and using PlantNet to identifiy plants then Tortoise Table to check whether they are suitable for Tortoises.

My list is pretty much what seems to grow around here. I haven't tried Sow Thistle yet
 

JoesMum

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
21,610
Location (City and/or State)
Kent, South East England
At the moment I have just been wandering around the verges and the green / woodland near the house and using PlantNet to identifiy plants then Tortoise Table to check whether they are suitable for Tortoises.

My list is pretty much what seems to grow around here. I haven't tried Sow Thistle yet
Sow thistle is very popular with tortoises ?

The Seek app by iNaturalist is really useful for plant ID too. Point your phone camera at the plant and let it work it out for you ?
 
Top