Cactus pads?

[hazel57]

Hi there
I have a question about cactus pads.. are they okay for my box turtles to eat and about how often would they be okay?

Thanks!
And here are my boxies.
This is Duke and i got him(or her) about a year ago (these pictures are kinda old) he is a three-toed box turtle. i bought him from a breeder here and he was in very poor condition, his shell was not forming correctly and his shell was very soft. But after several visits to the expensive vet he is doing a hundred times better




and this is Delilha i rescued her from a lady whom had a daycare business and she was constantly frightened by the small children that would pick her up and such, so needless to say she is quite skittish but she has improved a bit since ive had her.

 

[LLLReptile]

Just make sure to remove the spines before offering them to your turtles, but cactus pads are fine as occasional treats. Maybe a handful of times a month would be an appropriate frequency of feeding, some turtles/tortoises get a little spoiled on them.

Your box turtles look gorgeous! Lots of character in those little guys.

 

[HLogic]

Cactus pads are a wonderful addition to an otherwise well-rounded diet. Once or twice a week as an added treat would probably be fine. Too much cactus may cause runny stools and it also is relatively high in oxalates if grown in calcium rich soils.

 

[turtlemann2]

very nice very nice : ) id say variety is key, the more varied the diet the better! turtles in the wild will munch here and there and everywhere and if it is moves and they can catch it, its surly gone : ) so i would say a good amount every few days mixed with other greens and such wouldnt be a problem, just leave it in the fridge and slice of a bit every time you ready their food, now this isnt just any old cactus is it? ive only heard of prickly pear cactus pads being fed. , is that what you are feeding?

as long as you arent feeding just cactus pads day in and day out, youll be fine

 

[hazel57]

Thank you so much for your help!
and yes they are prickly pear cactus pads, they have them for fairly inexpensive at Winco and i wanted to try em out.
and thank you for the compliments, they are pretty adorable and always on the move

 

[turtlemann2]

ahh winco you must be from (washington idaho nevada california oregon and or utah) i think its time they changed their name to wincou : )


dont forget to update your profile so we can all give you better advice in the future as ar as locational advice goes : )