Weeds (Illustrated Guide) & Winter Feeding Help

[Garthur]

Originally Posted by XoxOriptideOxoX

4 the dandelions you can feed him evyerthing, is that the 1 you are asking about? or are you asking abotu dead nettle lol

What about all the other weeds?

IS there a guide to what parts you feed them or is it best to just feed the flower/leafs part and ignore the stem unless you know the stem is ok?

I just bought Chicory, Milk Thistle, Nipplewort, white lettuce and red clover from shelled warriors site (aswell as dandelions but I know I can feed everything now ) so is it best to feed just the to part or is it all ok?

Also got a quick growing mix of crimson clover, sainfon, thistle and primrose. So any help Dont want to fed the wrong parts.

[sue56]

What can I say thank you all for the fantastic help. With the food side of things. One thing what about cucumber ?

I have a lot of reading to do. Of course I will have photos soon.

Now about the names. havent got any yet ?

Thanks

Sue

[daysleeper1985]

I feed mine cucumber about once a week for hydration. Mine hate baths so although cucumber has no nutritional value at all, it's a good trick for providing liquids...not too much mind!

[laelfern]

S/he was fed on pellets, but had read not good for him/her. Knew dandelions were, but wanted a more varied diet. This is a great help- thanks!

Originally Posted by Drummerkid

Diet Of Medditerean Tortoise

Theres always a lot of confusion about a tortoise diet with most people taking the advise of most pet shops, dealers or 'care books' and feeding their tortoise fruit and veg. So I've compiled this to try and help new members to understand the proper diet their tortoise needs to have a healthy and long life.

The Diet should consist of wild flowers and weeds only

Here are a few examples...

Nipplewort
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly sow thistle
Wild Cabbage
Ribwort Plantain
Tree Mallow
Common Mallow
Atlas Poppy
Plantain
Tufted Vetch
Musk Mallow
Lady's Bedstraw
Clover
Welsh Poppy
Hedge Bedstraw
Sainfoin
Evening Primrose
Dandelion
Chicory
Hawkbit
Yarrow
Vetch
White clover
Crimson Clover
Trefoil
Milk thistle
Sainfoin
Bindweed
Yarrow
Mallows
Shepherd's Purse
Bittercress
Red Clover
Stonecrops
Honeysuckle (flowers)
Hedge mustard

Some of these weeds can be bought as seeds from... http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Shelled-Warriors

The occasional bit of lettuce or cucumber is OK but fruits and vegetables should not be a major part of the diet.

ANY WEEDS PICKED MUST BE THOROUGHLY WASHED TO REMOVE ANY CHEMICALS THEY MIGHT CONTAIN.

SUPPLEMENTS

Supplementing the food is imperative for a healthy tortoise. You will need two types of supplements: Calcium Powder and a Vitamin Powder (Nutrobal is most commonly used)

Calcium Powder and Nutrobal can be found here.. eBay UK Shop - Shelled Warriors: tortoise, tortoises, limestone flour

For Hatchlings, Babies and Juveniles
Weeds should be dusted with limestone flour and nutrobal daily.

For Adults
Weeds should be dusted with limestone flour daily and nutrobal 3-4 times a week.

AMOUNT OF FOOD

You should be aiming for your tortoise to gain 2-4g a month so as a general rule your tort should be given enough food to cover its shell in a 'leafy jacket'. however you may find that this is too much or not enough! so you must decrease or increase the amount of weeds given to get that 2-4g weight gain a month.

WHAT TO AVOID *IF IN DOUBT LEAVE IT OUT*

Avoid Toxic Plants - Avoid daffodil, ragwort, spurge, columbine, hellebore, etc.

Avoid High Protein Plants

Avoid Plants with high oxalic Levels

Avoid high sugar foods

Avoid high phosphorus foods

Avoid pellet food - Pellets are very bad for a tortoise health because of their high protein levels leading to rapid growth and therefore pyramiding (a lumpy shell) not to mention the effect they have inside the body!

Before Feeding your tortoise think to yourself "would this be found in the wild" if the answer is 'NO' then avoid it.

Compiled By Jason Rodgers (drummerki1993)

Referances: Linda E King and Andy C Highfield

[-Austin]

I know of a couple ours eats, will have to check if weeds though and identify them.

will post once done.

[LordSoth]

Can I please ask are common British daisies acceptable food for a hermanns?

Bellis perennis



Cheers

Soth

[Mrs Mental]

No to the Daisy - sorry bout that!

[Slinkies mum]

This one in Peaches pics looks familiar but the one a I see is white...Is it just the camera that hasn't caught the colour right???




The flowers on it are really big trumpets and it grows entangled around other bushes.

[cmazza]

I believe that the flowers also come in white, they are trumpet shape.

http://www.gardenseeker.com/weeds/im...6634XSmall.jpg

[Slinkies mum]

Cheers cmazza, those are the ones growing near where I live.