Boston Ivy, Virginia Creeper, Honey Suckle, Horseradish ?

[Len B]

Does anybody feed the leaves of any of these plants to a tortoise as part of a varied diet ? I used to grow and feed horseradish leaves, the plants took over a section of the yard so I dug them up and pretty much forgot about them. This spring 2 small plants showed up after all this time. I believe everything happens for a reason, so I'm going to grow horseradish again, right where these plants are located and try to confine them a little better. The boston ivy can go wild and spread out fast, but is much easier to control The honey suckle has grown in several different areas in the yard, and on trees I am getting metal trellises and tomato cages for them to grow on.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Mine don't seem to care for honeysuckle, but they finally ate some this year. They do enjoy horseradish leaves.

I'm not sure Boston ivy is safe to feed. It's toxic to humans, although birds & small mammels eat the berries.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Virginia creeper is a no no.

 

[Len B]

I don't know where you are getting your information, but you are not getting correct information. The leaves of parthenocissus tricuspidata, (Boston Ivy) and parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper) are safe to eat. They both are related to to grapes. There is another one, parthenocissus vitacea, that looks like the the true Virginia Creeper, the difference is the way it climbs. Where did you hear that Boston Ivy is toxic to humans? and why is Virginia Creeper a no no.

 

[Jacqui]

I would assume they got that from one of the many lists out there who with about the exception of the grape vine, list all vines as not being safe. I know when I first started with tortoises that was something I was taught. Now with more folks keeping tortoises and experiencing them eating a wider variety of plants, we are learning many of the "no no" plants can indeed be fed. One of the great reasons to have an online site where we can so quickly be sharing such things.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

I'll look into it further. Thanks

 

[lismar79]

If virginia creeper is safe, I am in luck and didn't know it! Tortoise table said no so I have been ignoring it. Thanks!

 

[Yvonne G]

Years ago when I belonged to the tortoise club here in my town one of the members had virginia creeper on her backyard fence. She said her desert tortoises just loved it. So I took home some starts and planted it in my Manouria pen along the fence. When the tortoises discovered my starts, they ate them all up. I never heard it was not supposed to be fed until years later. I guess no one told the tortoises about it.