GA Weed Identification

[JrodKinsey]

Hi!

I'm new to the forum so I hope I have this in the right place.

Can someone ID this plant for me and let me know if it is safe for tortoises to eat? I live in GA and we are currently having all sorts of weeds pop up on the property. I have a burmese star and I like to give her a variety of healthy foods. We also do not spray pesticides or fertilize the property.

Thank you!

 

[Pearly]

It is a wild violet! Edible and beautiful to have around

 

[JrodKinsey]

Thank you for the fast response! Is the entire plant edible?

*edit* i also did a quick search of native violets and believe I found the exact one? Viola appalachiensis

 

[Pearly]

Thank you for the fast response! Is the entire plant edible?

*edit* i also did a quick search of native violets and believe I found the exact one? Viola appalachiensis

You can let your tortie graze on whatever she wants, leaves or flowers. Is it fragrant? Wild violets in Europe used to be very fragrant. I loved them! The ones that grow around here (Texas) don't really smell, though they look almost the same

 

[JrodKinsey]

I haven't noticed a smell from them, but it could just be my stuffy nose. Pollen and myself do not mix. I have noticed them all over the place in my yard recently. That and dandelions.

 

[Markw84]

Welcome to the forum, @JrodKinsey

Would love to see some pictures of your Burmese Star. How old and big is she? How long have you had her? Platynota are my favorite species.

 

[JrodKinsey]

Welcome to the forum, @JrodKinsey

Would love to see some pictures of your Burmese Star. How old and big is she? How long have you had her? Platynota are my favorite species.

Thank you!

She (or he) is only a couple months old. Extremely adventurous for still being so young. Hasn't been too picky either on what she eats.

The only picture I have currently is of her having her daily soak.

 

[Markw84]

Thank you!

She (or he) is only a couple months old. Extremely adventurous for still being so young. Hasn't been too picky either on what she eats.

The only picture I have currently is of her having her daily soak.

Beautiful! Gotta love those platynota.

I'm sure you've done your research, but I will add my 2 cents worth... These tortoises just thrive in the enclosed type chambers @Tom recommends and posts instructions for. Yours looks like it is doing great.

 

[JrodKinsey]

Thank you for the info! I

Beautiful! Gotta love those platynota.

I'm sure you've done your research, but I will add my 2 cents worth... These tortoises just thrive in the enclosed type chambers @Tom recommends and posts instructions for. Yours looks like it is doing great.

Thank you for the info!

I have actaully read a few of his posts on here in regards to the closed chamber enclosures. Extremly informative! It definitely would of been easier for me to hold the humidity during the winter here with one. I will honestly probably be building one in the near future.

She currently lives in a waterland tortoise tub with a perlite bottom, peatmoss/organic top soil mix for the mid and cypress mulch on top. I also have a weed mixture growing inside the tub for her to randomly graze on as well as helping the humidity stay up. So far, this has been working pretty well. I will say, I wish I would of used a closed chamber during the winter. It doesn't matter what you do, the air is just dry. Our summers here though are usually pretty humid. We usually sit at a minimum of around 60%, and can easily get to over 90%, so it is easier to hold a higher humidity in the spring/summer here.

 

[Markw84]

Thank you for the info! I


Thank you for the info!

I have actaully read a few of his posts on here in regards to the closed chamber enclosures. Extremly informative! It definitely would of been easier for me to hold the humidity during the winter here with one. I will honestly probably be building one in the near future.

She currently lives in a waterland tortoise tub with a perlite bottom, peatmoss/organic top soil mix for the mid and cypress mulch on top. I also have a weed mixture growing inside the tub for her to randomly graze on as well as helping the humidity stay up. So far, this has been working pretty well. I will say, I wish I would of used a closed chamber during the winter. It doesn't matter what you do, the air is just dry. Our summers here though are usually pretty humid. We usually sit at a minimum of around 60%, and can easily get to over 90%, so it is easier to hold a higher humidity in the spring/summer here.

I would avoid anything with perlite! They will eat it and it can impact them! I did notice minor pyramiding starting in your picture, but that could also be genetic as some seem to get a bit bumpy no matter what you do. But the enclosed chamber is the way to go. Here's my build if you haven't seen it yet.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/posts/1295801/

 

[JrodKinsey]

The perlite is actually at the very buttom. Probably 6 inches down. It has a good few layers of peat, top soil and cypree on top of it. She is not exposed to it at all. It is just there to separate the water from the soil.

 

[Tom]

She currently lives in a waterland tortoise tub with a perlite bottom...

DANGER WILL ROBINSON, DANGER!!!!!!

Perlite is deadly to tortoises if ingested. Especially babies. You need to get her out of there ASAP!

I understand you said its on the bottom, but some will find its way up. Tortoise babies seem to like to eat it and it will break up and line their intestinal tract. I had a bunch of Sudan sulcata babies die because the breeder used perlite as an incubation media and then left the babies on it for a little too long. A very expensive necropsy revealed the COD as a grayish sandy sludge lining their intestinal tract. Broken down perlite. It was lining their entire GI tract and they only had access to it for a few days after they hatched.