Recent content by RosemaryDW

It’s horseweed. It’s grows to hideous proportions and is invasive so pull it when you can! Your tortoise might take a bite or two before deciding it’s yucky, it won’t hurt him.

In California we don’t need to pot Jimson weed (another name for datura); it appears when we aren’t looking! It does have a sort of beauty but it was pointed out to me as dangerous when I was very young and I never see it without a bit of a red flag going off.

Stinging nettles are fine to feed. My Russian won’t eat them so far but that’s okay. You can eat them like any other greens; the prickles lose their sting after a minute in boiling water. You can add them to a pizza or make soup. They taste like spring time. :) Not to interfere with Will’s...

I’m guessing you’ve never had a Russian lol. I was looking at what has grown back since last year—with so little rain—and thinking how little of it will make it through the first month.

Best time of year. Enjoy!

Yvonne is correct. The last photo could be filaree, hard to say. The one above that with the heart shapes is definitely sheperd’s purse. It’s in the brassica family/safe in moderation.

I am expecting to bring my tortoise out of hibernation in the next ten days or so. My Russian is destuctive! Last year she climbed over/thru most of the plants we‘d put wire fencing around so my husband is walling off some fragile plants this galvanized metal edging. I don’t think it’s tall...

He’s a reptile. If he sees the sun going down, so will he. Especially as he grew up taking those cues in his native home.

Welcome! Russians are tough but they don’t get active until things warm up. If his weight is relatively stable let him be. My Russian went down October 29, earlier than I’d like but it is what is. I’d like to bring her out of the fridge at four months. Cold isn’t an issue here but if the...

Are you sure that’s what it is? If it stings (a lot) it’s probably stinging nettle; safe in moderation. They look very similar but only one stings. https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=351&c=6#.YCmJ-S077mo My Russian doesn’t care for it but humans can eat it...

My Russian won’t eat it and she’s not picky. Not even a taste.

All the mustards are safe in moderation.

You will be able to cut leaves off any turnip that roots itself, as suggested, and it will grow more pretty quickly. But not enough to keep your redfoot in style. :) Turnips and radishes are ridiculously easy to grow from seed. As in practically overnight. They are both cool weather plants so...

Agreed. As much variety as you can provide, everything in moderation. I do study plants that aren’t familiar to me but there are relatively few that I absolutely would not feed or encourage, as least not for something in the testudo genus of tortoises.

I’m going with a mustard of some kind, which easily reseeds, it’s a safe food. I don’t think it’s an opium/Oriental poppy, their leaves can run more gray than green and as Yvonne already mentioned, the leaf pattern is different. Poppies also reseed easily so if you’re worried just wait a...