Rsek
Member
I know there a several varieties of various 'safe' plants and flowers i.e hibiscus, aloe, echeveria etc, and was wondering, is one better than the other? Are they all 'safe'?
T.I.A [emoji16]
T.I.A [emoji16]
https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk...actwords&searchtxt=daisy&x=0&y=0#.WzT9jopKiUkThanks, there's not great grocery stores near me, I am growing tortoise friendly seeds for him but they are no where close to mature enough to start feeding. I'm also struggling a bit to collect wild weeds as the parks seem to have been weeded and I am uncertain about the use of pesticides too. I am hoping they will be productive by the end of August.
Before he came to me, he was eating badly with a diet of iceberg, cucumber, tomatoes for fresh food, but predominantly t-rex pellets. I took him on as a rescue, where he had been living with an elderly woman but she didn't want to be bothered with him anymore, so her son arranged for me to take him. He has some pyramiding, but it is not too dramatic, and doesn't effect his mobility at all, I am not surprised knowing what he 'should' have been eating, that his shell isn't great, but I have been taking care of it now (I can't change the years of bad growth but I can make the best of a bad situation)
He was being kept on guinea pig type sawdust, and was quite dehydrated when he came to me. His urates were like chalk, but we have a daily soak when he comes back from a couple of hours outside (I put his run on a patch with white clover, daisies, hawk's beard and danelion, as well as grass, which he loves to graze on) and this has gone through the'toothpaste'stage of things to hardly any if at all.
He seems to love aloe and echeveria, presumably because he was fond of cucumber previously.
He has never been hibernated, despite his species, and as I have only been his custodian a short while, I'm planning to overwinter him entirely indoors in his table this year at least. He likes rose and hibiscus petals, but I only have dried at the moment which seem to make him thirsty, which makes sense, so I am going to invest in a naturally grown hibiscus and little rose plant because they don't flower til they are a couple of years old. He seems to be enjoying having better, more natural/appropriate food and variety, it is nice to give him a choice of variable things.
I appreciate your guidance, I just want to do right by this little guy. He is 12, so I am hoping that the best diet I can provide will equate to a long, happy relationship [emoji217][emoji4]
Oh that's rough. In the US even chain stores sell a pretty great variety of greens and we have specialty stores all over. We also have store delivery to your doorstep. Is that available there at all?Of course there are stores, they just don't sell those kind of things local to me. I'm restricted by distance at the moment as I can't walk ([emoji708]) and don't currently have a car I can use to go further afield. The problem I have with the little independent stores is the vast majority don't have good wheelchair access (even though they are supposed to, the reality is they don't. I have applied for a car to be adapted for me to drive, but at the moment, local stores are my limit.
They sell salad of course, but for example, I can get radishes, but only with the tops preremoved, I can get kale, and mixed leaves, but not things like bok choy etc. My local store doesn't stock 'whole' veggies (except cauliflower which is still leafy when sold)
There are stores that deliver but not the one I use usually, and you have to spend a minimum amount. I will have a look on Asda website (the equivalent to Walmart) as I know they also have a 'world foods' section and I might have more luck getting bok choy and the other things that aren't available much elsewhere. If they do, I'll probably switch to using them too as I don't think I could easily keep £50 worth of greens fresh enough, but if I topped it of with my own groceries and did it once every couple of weeks it might be manageable. Good idea -thank you!Oh that's rough. In the US even chain stores sell a pretty great variety of greens and we have specialty stores all over. We also have store delivery to your doorstep. Is that available there at all?
I'm growing my own seeds from SW, but they aren't ready yet unfortunately [emoji31]Hi there
I am based in Kent, not so far from you in London
You are correct that we don't have the same range of greens in our grocery stores to the US, but having raised a tort in the UK for over 40 years there is plenty to get.
The best option is to start with identifyimg the plants and weeds that grow around you. Post photos in the TFO plant ID forum if you need help.
If you know what they're called then look them up on The Tortoise Table Plant Database for suitability to feed
https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk
This is a marvellous on line search facility that helps you identify what you can or can't feed and tells you why.
You can also look up the greens that you can buy in the supermarkets and shops on The Tortoise Table.
In winter, few of us manage without supplementing with a good quality pelleted food. I used Komodo softened with eater. Mazuri is mkw available through Shelled Warriors Shop http://www.shelledwarriorsshop.co.uk/mazuri-leaf-eater-500g-7673-p.asp
Just pick the weeds as they grow from the housing association land. They're best fresh and you only need a few leaves.I'm growing my own seeds from SW, but they aren't ready yet unfortunately [emoji31]
In the warm weather we are having most have shot up but they aren't well established.
There's loads of stinging nettles down by the river near me but all of the parks tend to use weed killer and/or destroy and Dandy's, hawk's beard etc before it gets the chance to grow. My housing association is responsible for the garden where I am, so going to ask them to save the weeds, or leave me a pile of the cuttings so I can pick out what can be used as there is LOTS around here in terms of clover and hawk's beard especially, but it is almost impossible to pick up from my [emoji708] when it's mixed up with the lawns [emoji19]I know they don't use weed killer so here's hoping..
What is the best supplement in your opinion, it would be good to get some just in case I struggle with my crop once winter hits
I'm on it, thanks for the tips, I've been a bit concerned about how to overwinter without greens[emoji44] what is living lettuce, I've seen it before but have no idea what specifically the plant is [emoji23]Just pick the weeds as they grow from the housing association land. They're best fresh and you only need a few leaves.
Don't forget to check the bushes. Rose leaves for exmple are good to feed. Your neighbours may well be happy for you to do a little weeding for them. Mine just rolled their eyes and grinned when I asked if I could harvest their weeds on a regular basis
Like I said, I supplemented with Komodo. The American members of this forum swera by Mazuri, they can't get Komodo, but I never tried it.
Look up the greens you can but from the shops on the Toroise Table; you will be surprised by the range. A tray of "living lettuce" will supply fresh greens you can grow on your windowsill. Bith Sainsbury's and Waitrose do them for £1 (we don't have Asda and Tesco here)
A spider plant is good too. Grow one on the windowsill and you will have a constant supply of baby plants growing on runners from the main plant
I'm on it, thanks for the tips, I've been a bit concerned about how to overwinter without greens[emoji44] what is living lettuce, I've seen it before but have no idea what specifically the plant is [emoji23]
They are looking great, mine are no where near as full, perhaps I'll just add some more and hope, I was worried if I overcrowded they wouldn't grow!Hi from Suffolk!
There is a good salad bag called crispy salad. It contains frisse, radicchio and labs lettuce it’s £1 and in pretty much every supermarket.
In the supermarket you can also get romaine, Bok choy.
I also use Komodo food, I was using pre Alpin but I’ve switched over to Komodo.
I am growing seeds from SW too, mine are doing good, they take a while to start but once going they keep coming back.
View attachment 243373
That’s my weeds from SW
Also they don't sell bok choy anywhere near me[emoji19] I'll try and find seeds instead [emoji23]Hi from Suffolk!
There is a good salad bag called crispy salad. It contains frisse, radicchio and labs lettuce it’s £1 and in pretty much every supermarket.
In the supermarket you can also get romaine, Bok choy.
I also use Komodo food, I was using pre Alpin but I’ve switched over to Komodo.
I am growing seeds from SW too, mine are doing good, they take a while to start but once going they keep coming back.
View attachment 243373
That’s my weeds from SW
Also they don't sell bok choy anywhere near me[emoji19] I'll try and find seeds instead [emoji23]