Cactus fruit questions

[Skip K]

Until my opuntia becomes self sustaining...ive been searching for pads locally. One grocery said it was a hit or miss proposition another ( a international market) had “cactus fruit”...so I bought some. From what I’ve seen online...the cactus fruit has color ( mostly red ). The ones I got are green. I’m assuming they are not ripe. Can they be fed green? Should I let them ripen? Will they change color like I’ve seen online? Do they need refrigeration or will they ripen on their own left at room temperature?
Thanks in advance!

 

[MEEJogja]

Do they look like this? These are prickly pears and can be red or green when ripe. Not sure whether recommended for torts or not, so I'll let another member guide you on that.

 

[Skip K]

Do they look like this? These are prickly pears and can be red or green when ripe. Not sure whether recommended for torts or not, so I'll let another member guide you on that.

The top photo is EXACTLY what they look like.

 

[MEEJogja]

Great, These are fruit from opuntia cactus and they come in either green, red or yellow varieties. They start off very firm and soften as they ripen. If you don't know what colour they should be when ripe, going by firmness is a good bet

 

[Len B]

They are safe to feed. If you are feeding them to hatchlings quarter them long ways and remove the seeds if you feal the seeds are to large for the tortoises to eat safely. Usually when that green the seeds will still be small. The main reason for quartering them is the skin can be kinda tough and babies have a hard time cutting though it. This way they can access the soft tissue inside.

 

[Skip K]

They are safe to feed. If you are feeding them to hatchlings quarter them long ways and remove the seeds if you feal the seeds are to large for the tortoises to eat safely. Usually when that green the seeds will still be small. The main reason for quartering them is the skin can be kinda tough and babies have a hard time cutting though it. This way they can access the soft tissue inside.

They will be going to.. 1 year old Sulcatas to nearly adult redfoots and leopards. Do they have more sugar than the pads?

 

[Tom]

If you are feeding them to hatchlings quarter them long ways...

HA! That's exactly what I do! Did I learn that from you? Or did you learn that from me? Or did the two of us both just figure out the same thing independently?

 

[Tom]

Until my opuntia becomes self sustaining...ive been searching for pads locally. One grocery said it was a hit or miss proposition another ( a international market) had “cactus fruit”...so I bought some. From what I’ve seen online...the cactus fruit has color ( mostly red ). The ones I got are green. I’m assuming they are not ripe. Can they be fed green? Should I let them ripen? Will they change color like I’ve seen online? Do they need refrigeration or will they ripen on their own left at room temperature?
Thanks in advance!

I have 12 different varieties of spineless opuntia on my ranch. I get all sorts of different colored and shaped cactus fruits, including some that are yellow, green or orangish when ripe. All are good tortoise food when used as a small part of a varied diet.

 

[Len B]

HA! That's exactly what I do! Did I learn that from you? Or did you learn that from me? Or did the two of us both just figure out the same thing independently?

I started doing it before I joined TFO. That doesn't mean you didn't come up with it on you own. I also quarter carrots because of the chocking threat.

 

[Tom]

I started doing it before I joined TFO. That doesn't mean you didn't come up with it on you own. I also quarter carrots because of the chocking threat.

I'll bet I picked that up from looking at your pictures years ago. I've gotten so many tidbits like that over the years from other forum members.

 

[Len B]

They will be going to.. 1 year old Sulcatas to nearly adult redfoots and leopards. Do they have more sugar than the pads?

I always thought so but don't know for sure. Like @Tom I grow many different opuntia and feed the fruit all year from before the bloom develops, right after blooming to very ripe.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Just as well
The red fruit stains your fingers, your clothes and your countertops.

 

[Obbie]

I’m in AZ for the winter. I’ve been looking for the prickly pear cactus pads without the pricklies, am I correct in thinking there is such a pad ?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I’m in AZ for the winter. I’ve been looking for the prickly pear cactus pads without the pricklies, am I correct in thinking there is such a pad ?

The consensus was NO.
Just some with fewer and smaller glochids
But a while back, a member whom I cant recall assured us that they'd found some truly "spineless" ones.
I'm still not sold.
I still haven't seen any myself. And my gigantic cactus TREE was once a single pad sold to me as spineless.
It is now a 500+ pound pin cushion.
Far from spineless

 

[Len B]

I’m in AZ for the winter. I’ve been looking for the prickly pear cactus pads without the pricklies, am I correct in thinking there is such a pad ?

Here is a pic of one that I grow not far from Washington DC. No tongs or gloves needed to handle this type because of the lack of spines. We were supposed to get accumulating snow today so I cut some off yesterday to feed today. It didn't happen though. I also grow some other spineless that I got from Arizona so look around while you are there and you could get lucky.

 

[Skip K]

Here is a pic of one that I grow not far from Washington DC. No tongs or gloves needed to handle this type because of the lack of spines. We were supposed to get accumulating snow today so I cut some off yesterday to feed today. It didn't happen though. I also grow some other spineless that I got from Arizona so look around while you are there and you could get lucky.View attachment 317636

I have some “supposedly” cold weather opuntia currently growing indoors ( I am in the same location as you). I’m going to plant the already established cactus... outdoors in the spring. Do you do anything special to help the cactus over-winter here?

 

[Len B]

I have some “supposedly” cold weather opuntia currently growing indoors ( I am in the same location as you). I’m going to plant the already established cactus... outdoors in the spring. Do you do anything special to help the cactus over-winter here?

No I don't. If you are near Colonial Beach contact me this coming spring and I will give you some of the different types I grow.

 

[Skip K]

No I don't. If you are near Colonial Beach contact me this coming spring and I will give you some of the different types I grow.

Thanks...I’m in Springfield...about 15 miles south of DC. I have two varieties now. One is not supposedly cold weather...which I’ll leave in a pot and put outside when it’s warm enough. The Cacanapa is supposedly the cold hardy variety. They are growing but don’t look nearly as robust as the ones in the photos

 

[Len B]

Thanks...I’m in Springfield...about 15 miles south of DC. I have two varieties now. One is not supposedly cold weather...which I’ll leave in a pot and put outside when it’s warm enough. The Cacanapa is supposedly the cold hardy variety. They are growing but don’t look nearly as robust as the ones in the photos

It's not just the cold that kills them it's the cold along with the moist soil that does them in here. What I grow wet soil doesn't bother them over winter. Years ago I used to shop at the Springfield Mall but haven't been there in over probably 30 years.

 

[Skip K]

It's not just the cold that kills them it's the cold along with the moist soil that does them in here. What I grow wet soil doesn't bother them over winter. Years ago I used to shop at the Springfield Mall but haven't been there in over probably 30 years.

Thanks for the info...I’m a stones throw from the mall