What's the difference??

[NaturalK84]

If my options for grazing are sometimes limited, what's the difference if I
1) pick it for him.
What's the difference if i
2) buy collard greens instead of growing them??

Thanks in advance! !

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Kay:

When a tortoise a tortoise grazes on his own, he tends to choose the leaves and plants that are ok for him to eat. When we pick the weeds/grasses/plants, if we accidentally include something toxic or not edible, he might eat it and get sick. So, it behooves you to know your weeds and grasses, and always wash them well.

When we say its best for a tortoise to be outside grazing on his own, its not best because he's choosing his own meal, its best because that's where tortoises belong. They get real sun and a sense of freedom.

 

[Urtle]

Hi Kay:

When a tortoise a tortoise grazes on his own, he tends to choose the leaves and plants that are ok for him to eat. When we pick the weeds/grasses/plants, if we accidentally include something toxic or not edible, he might eat it and get sick. So, it behooves you to know your weeds and grasses, and always wash them well.

When we say its best for a tortoise to be outside grazing on his own, its not best because he's choosing his own meal, its best because that's where tortoises belong. They get real sun and a sense of freedom.

Very interesting.. Cool that they know what's good and bad for them

 

[Tom]

If my options for grazing are sometimes limited, what's the difference if I
1) pick it for him.
What's the difference if i
2) buy collard greens instead of growing them??

Thanks in advance! !

1. I've seen studies indicating that they pick and choose different foods at different times of the year. They seem to know what they need nutritionally at different times of the year. When we feed them we take away their choice. To what Yvonne said, I would add that they get exercise outside too. Exercise is necessary because it helps move things along the GI tract, similar to a horse. But don't worry too much about all this. Just try to feed a good variety with an occasional vitamin or calcium supplement. This is also why I choose to use Mazuri tortoise chow. It is nutritionally balanced and helps to balance out any nutritional deficiencies that might be creeping in otherwise.

2. In years past I have bought or scrounged all my tortoise food. Just recently I have started growing a lot of my own from seed and I really like it. I think the benefit is that I KNOW with 100% certainty exactly what pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals (absolutely none, btw) have been used and I know who and what has been touching my produce. Remember some of the recent produce recalls due to E.coli. None of that when you grow it yourself. Other than that, there is just something rewarding about "growing your own". Nothing wrong with grocery store stuff. I used it for decades and still do, I just feel better about it when I feed them something I grew myself.