Dangerous blooms

[eric joranson]

Titan had developed a healthy appetite for flowers this spring; but I have to keep a close eye on him; as there are several varieties that are harmful to tortoises. First one with purple blooms is creeping charlie; which tries its hardest to take over my lawn; the second one is buckeye tree bloom; again is harmful to tortoises. I did not know I would be studying botany to keep my little one safe. I am going to have to ask on some I cannot locate in plant guides.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Right now I've got "Easter Lilies" growing in my yard from bulbs someone planted back in the 1970s. Every year I dig them up, but I miss a few that return. The flowers look to be the same basic shape as the ones in your photos.

 

[Alicia Hoogstra]

Creeping Charlie is my ENEMY!!!!

 

[TammyJ]

Are buttercups toxic to tortoises?

 

[Greta16]

Are buttercups toxic to tortoises?

I've read that they are but will let the flora experts chime in.

 

[JoesMum]

Are buttercups toxic to tortoises?

Interesting one.

Buttercups have toxins. Whether or not they're toxic to tortoises is another matter.

Many Testudo owners, including me, report their torts enjoying them for decades before their human owners knew anything about alleged toxicity.

Joe would march around the garden biting the flowers off. Trying to eradicate creeping buttercup without agent orange is near impossible and I never tried.

So where do I stand?

I will say Joe and others eat them and apparently came to no harm over several decades.

I won't recommend people go and pick them.

Joe had the range of our entire garden and buttercups a small part of a varied weed diet he self-selected from the weed patches we call our lawn and flower beds. It was his choice and formed a small proportion of a varied diet

 

[TammyJ]

OK, thank you! So I won't bother go picking them for my tortoises...they have plenty of pumpkin flowers and hibiscus flowers to deal with right in my yard.

 

[Greta16]

Interesting one.

Buttercups have toxins. Whether or not they're toxic to tortoises is another matter.

Many Testudo owners, including me, report their torts enjoying them for decades before their human owners knew anything about alleged toxicity.

Joe would march around the garden biting the flowers off. Trying to eradicate creeping buttercup without agent orange is near impossible and I never tried.

So where do I stand?

I will say Joe and others eat them and apparently came to no harm over several decades.

I won't recommend people go and pick them.

Joe had the range of our entire garden and buttercups a small part of a varied weed diet he self-selected from the weed patches we call our lawn and flower beds. It was his choice and formed a small proportion of a varied diet

That's interesting, I wonder if their bodies are able to flush out mild toxins if they're eating a varied diet in the wild?

 

[JoesMum]

That's interesting, I wonder if their bodies are able to flush out mild toxins if they're eating a varied diet in the wild?

It's not uncommon in the animal world for some things to have greater toxicity when eaten by one species than another.

Torts, or maybe specifically Testudo Torts, may have evolved to be immune to the substance that is toxic to other animals. I'm not a scientist and have no plans to test it. Maybe one of younger members will be that scientist

 

[Greta16]

It's not uncommon in the animal world for some things to have greater toxicity when eaten by one species than another.

Torts, or maybe specifically Testudo Torts, may have evolved to be immune to the substance that is toxic to other animals. I'm not a scientist and have no plans to test it. Maybe one of younger members will be that scientist

I really wanted my husband to make an enclosure for Hermie in my garden, but I've been researching some of my plants and a number of them are poisonous! I'm so damn disappointed! Who knows if she'd eat them but (obviously) I don't want to take the risk. So temporary kiddie pool it will probably be until she gets bigger.

 

[Greta16]

View attachment 205399 View attachment 205400 Titan had developed a healthy appetite for flowers this spring; but I have to keep a close eye on him; as there are several varieties that are harmful to tortoises. First one with purple blooms is creeping charlie; which tries its hardest to take over my lawn; the second one is buckeye tree bloom; again is harmful to tortoises. I did not know I would be studying botany to keep my little one safe. I am going to have to ask on some I cannot locate in plant guides.

Sorry to hi-jack your thread..

 

[eric joranson]

Sorry to hi-jack your thread..

Hijacking...does that make you a tortoise terrorist? No problem!

 

[Greta16]

Hijacking...does that make you a tortoise terrorist? No problem!

Lol

 

[Alicia Hoogstra]

My Lilly (leopard) is enjoying her new pansies I bought her yesterday! She sits on the stem to knock it down, and then eats the blooms! Lolol

 

[eric joranson]

My Lilly (leopard) is enjoying her new pansies I bought her yesterday! She sits on the stem to knock it down, and then eats the blooms! Lolol

Be very weary of flowers just purchased; they often have insecticides; and fertilizers that are absorbed by the flowers....plant them and used new blooms as they appear.

 

[Greta16]

I've read through the list of safe plants but there were some that weren't on the list that I was wondering about..Hopefully someone can help me out. Are these safe: bee balm, veronica, phlox, spiderwort, irises, day lillies, thyme?

 

[JoesMum]

I've read through the list of safe plants but there were some that weren't on the list that I was wondering about..Hopefully someone can help me out. Are these safe: bee balm, veronica, phlox, spiderwort, irises, day lillies, thyme?

The Tortoise Table Plant Database is your friend. Look them up there
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

Phlox, Day Lily, Spiderwort (Tradescantia) - feed in moderation
Veronica - feed sparingly
Iris - Do not feed
Thyme, Bee Balm (Bergamot) - Safe to feed

It took me about a minute to look that lot up, including getting the Latin name for Spiderwort from Google

 

[eric joranson]

The Tortoise Table Plant Database is your friend. Look them up there
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

Phlox, Day Lily, Spiderwort (Tradescantia) - feed in moderation
Veronica - feed sparingly
Iris - Do not feed
Thyme, Bee Balm (Bergamot) - Safe to feed

It took me about a minute to look that lot up, including getting the Latin name for Spiderwort from Google

when you have no common name or latin name; it might take a little longer; but it can be done.

 

[Greta16]

when you have no common name or latin name; it might take a little longer; but it can be done.

I do , I've got my field guide here, thanks.

 

[Greta16]

The Tortoise Table Plant Database is your friend. Look them up there
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/

Phlox, Day Lily, Spiderwort (Tradescantia) - feed in moderation
Veronica - feed sparingly
Iris - Do not feed
Thyme, Bee Balm (Bergamot) - Safe to feed

It took me about a minute to look that lot up, including getting the Latin name for Spiderwort from Google

Thank you so much! I'm gonna check out this table and save it to my phone...thanks for looking those up for me. I was hoping there was something positive I could do with the damn spiderwort since I can't get rid of it! Lol