She ate toxic plants?!

L

Linda137

Guest
Hi! I'm desperate for help please! I have a sonoran desert tortoise of about 6 years old, she's been eating this plants outside for a few months and she's been doing fine she loves them, an older woman recommend I give them to her like she did to her tortoises, but recently my tortoise keeps having diarrhea and I'm scared thinking it's because of one, or both of this plants since she is eating more of them. I don't want anything to happen to her, and if they are toxic she really can't tell by the smell? Because she absolutely loves them. I will appreciate some help and thank you!

img_1596738704859.jpgScreenshot_20200806_155156.jpg
 

Pistachio's Pamperer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2019
Messages
409
Location (City and/or State)
Tri-cities, Tennessee
Grrr.. I hate that stupid plant. It's all over the place here(NM). I have no idea what it is or if it's tort safe. I have made it my mission to completely destroy it in my yard. Its very hard to kill and grows numerous shoots and covers the ground at an alarming rate.

Hopefully someone is knowledgeable and will identify,

-Meg
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I don't know what it is either, but you should not let your tortoise have access to any plant that you have not identified and confirmed safe. Despite what some people say, they do not always know better and many tortoise die annually from eating toxic plants from foreign countries.
 
L

Linda137

Guest
Grrr.. I hate that stupid plant. It's all over the place here(NM). I have no idea what it is or if it's tort safe. I have made it my mission to completely destroy it in my yard. Its very hard to kill and grows numerous shoots and covers the ground at an alarming rate.

Hopefully someone is knowledgeable and will identify,

-Meg
Hahaha I hate it too... I will do my best to get rid of it.
 
L

Linda137

Guest
I have continued doing some research and I'm sure the plant on the second picture is toxic, I couldn't identify the first one though, if anyone knows the name of the plant or anything about it I would really appreciate it! Still I'm taking the advice given to me and make sure my tort doesn't eat anything I'm not sure it's 100% safe.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,384
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I don't know what the first picture is, but the second one is spurge, a common plant found in the desert tortoises' natural environment, and something they always eat. I'm guessing the other one is also common for them to eat.

Don't worry about the tortoise eating these plants. Just be sure they also eat other healthy foods.
 
L

Linda137

Guest
I don't know what the first picture is, but the second one is spurge, a common plant found in the desert tortoises' natural environment, and something they always eat. I'm guessing the other one is also common for them to eat.

Don't worry about the tortoise eating these plants. Just be sure they also eat other healthy foods.
Thank you so much! So you say I shouldn't worry with neither? Or just with the spurge?
 
L

Linda137

Guest
Thank you so much! So you say I shouldn't worry with neither? Or just with the spurge?
I looked up spurge on the tortoise table and it says it's highly poisonous. How are you sure they always eat it?
 
L

Linda137

Guest
Now I'm seriously scared, will my tortoise die? She ate a bunch of them... What should I do?
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20200806_225751_com.stevelib.thetortoisetable.jpg
    Screenshot_20200806_225751_com.stevelib.thetortoisetable.jpg
    218.5 KB · Views: 27

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
I see you said she's been eating these for a few months and she hasn't died, so I think you don't need to panic.

I don't know anything about spurge, but since she's having diarrhea, I would make sure she doesn't eat more. In a week or so, if the diarrhea stops, you'll know the weeds were to blame.

Also, the Tortoise Table is a great reference, but they are very conservative. We have a member who regularly feeds her tortoise "do not feed" items on there with no problem at all. I'm not saying for you to do that...she is spectacular at ID'ing weeds and greens. TT's conservatism is just another item in your favor.
 

belindajon

New Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2019
Messages
23
Location (City and/or State)
Orange County, CA
I have a 5 year old Sulcata who munched on a little of the matted sand weed which is part of the spurge family and he was fine. Fast forward a few days, my husband was weeding and my tort ate a big pile of it. He started drooling, glazed eyes, blowing bubbles and had excessive mucus from his nose and mouth. I quickly put him in a bath to soak because that seems to be the answer to almost everything. He immediately seemed better but I continued to panic.
It took a few days and downloading Picture This for me to realize it was the weed that caused the reaction. It’s all over my yard (along with morning glory) so we are constantly pulling those weeds for Freddie’s safety. Can’t say enough good things about Picture This though, great app.
 

Attachments

  • 35B32588-3A1D-42EF-BB4D-B04AD0EBD98C.jpeg
    35B32588-3A1D-42EF-BB4D-B04AD0EBD98C.jpeg
    382.2 KB · Views: 38

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
I looked up spurge on the tortoise table and it says it's highly poisonous. How are you sure they always eat it?
Believe me, @Yvonne is well experienced in the Gopherus species, and she would not have commented unless she knew she was 110% right. I'm only replying because I know she is outside feeding and picking up poop.
 

Mystic_Queen (Llaria)

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2020
Messages
1,186
Location (City and/or State)
England,
Yvonne is amazing when it comes to plants I must say. And I agree. She wouldn’t have commented if she wasn’t 110% sure that she was right. If you want plant identification. Yvonne is your lady for sure :)
 
L

Linda137

Guest
I see you said she's been eating these for a few months and she hasn't died, so I think you don't need to panic.

I don't know anything about spurge, but since she's having diarrhea, I would make sure she doesn't eat more. In a week or so, if the diarrhea stops, you'll know the weeds were to blame.

Also, the Tortoise Table is a great reference, but they are very conservative. We have a member who regularly feeds her tortoise "do not feed" items on there with no problem at all. I'm not saying for you to do that...she is spectacular at ID'ing weeds and greens. TT's conservatism is just another item in your favor.
Hey! i think you are right, I have fed my tortoise purslane her entire life and I've read many places they are very good for her, but the tortoise table says its toxic. So now I'm not sure who is right hahaha. (I don't know if the right translation is purslane I'm a spanish speaker in spanish they are called verdolagas)
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,384
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
You've got to remember that the tortoise table is based in the UK where they don't have desert tortoises.

It's the same thing with alocasia and colocasia. Both shown as toxic, however, the Manouria tortoises that are native to where these plants come from, eat these plants daily.
 
L

Linda137

Guest
You've got to remember that the tortoise table is based in the UK where they don't have desert tortoises.

It's the same thing with alocasia and colocasia. Both shown as toxic, however, the Manouria tortoises that are native to where these plants come from, eat these plants daily.
You are right, thank you.
 
Top