I just received my order of cactus pad and I was wondering what is the best way to prepare it. I guess my biggest concern is the little thorns that are still on it. Do I peel it first or just rinse and give it to them? I can only imagine that it would be painful to bite into one of those things. Also, I'm keeping them in a plastic bag with the rest of their greens in the crisper in the fridge. Is that ok?
Cactus pad
- Thread starter Cherbear
- Start date
- Status
Cherbear said:
I cut the thorns off with a knife and then i rinse it under the faucet and make sure i got them all, then i cut the pad to little pieces cause my tortoise is still a hatchling.
As for keeping them in a plastic bag and in the fridge, i do not know cause i have the actual plant in the backyard.
I just keep them in the fridge and they seem to be fine. If you do keep it in a container... make sure to poke holes in it so it can breath. I didn't the first time and it all grew mold... yuck.
if they are small spines, you can torch them lightly with a blow torch. this will not affect the quality of the pad when you feed (I torch as I feed). Also, I cut pads and just keep them on the ground by the plant I harvested them from. Don't keep mine in the fridge at all.
small new pads lack internal fiber structure - older pads have fibrous tissues RV sometimes has trouble (minor) with. I just cut across older pads, severing the internal structure.
teri
small new pads lack internal fiber structure - older pads have fibrous tissues RV sometimes has trouble (minor) with. I just cut across older pads, severing the internal structure.
teri
Cherbear, we feed large amounts of cactus. We do scrape the thorns of for young tortoises. I think it is one of the best foods for tortoises.
I use heavy rubber gloves from the hardware store and just give the pads a good rub down under running water. All the little irritating glochids either wash away or stick in the gloves. Like Teri said above, fire works really well too. The little spines singe really easily. Desert tortoises in the wild just walk right up to the regular spiny opuntia cactus and just start munching away. I don't understand how they do that.
My understanding is the litle thorns have no effect on the tortoise that eats them. I am just on the safe side and scrape them off.
I hold them over the burner on my stove with tongs and singe the spikes off. Super easy and works great.
I order my Nopalea opuntia cactus from www.rivenrock.com http://www.rivenrock.com/ediblecactus.htm
There are no spines/thorns on Nopalea.
I keep the pads in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They'll keep for a month unwashed. I wash them in cold water and scrub them with a vegetable brush. Then I cut the pads up into chunks.
There are no spines/thorns on Nopalea.
I keep the pads in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They'll keep for a month unwashed. I wash them in cold water and scrub them with a vegetable brush. Then I cut the pads up into chunks.
It may be too wet where you are. Maybe you can try it in a window that get lots and lots of sun! I am trying to grow one right now.
- Status
