Cactus preparation and storage

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Falcon70

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Hey everyone,

I ordered cactus pads from coastal silkworms for the first time yesterday. I have fed them cactus pads before, but they were wild and had spines and did not need to preserve them. These are supposedly spineless with a spike here or there. I was wondering if I should freeze them for preservation or stick them in the fridge. Also if there are spikes, can the tortoise eat the pad with them or should I cut them out.

Thanks
 

wellington

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I would cut the spikes off. Also, just leave them lay out in a warm dry place. Putting in the freezer makes them turn into mush. Also, they don't last as long in the frig. They last a long time on a warm dry place.
 

mainey34

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Remove the spines. Only cut what you would be feeding for that day. And I just leave on the counter. Usually lasts a week and a half to two weeks. If you don't feed it before that...
 

ckidd_1999

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Where can u get cactus pads??? R they healthy for torts or just a treat!
 

Yvonne G

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If you don't allow them to freeze or get wet, they will last almost forever. Eventually they will start to shrivel, but that takes months. You can just store them in the garage on a shelf.
 

Falcon70

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Good to know that they will last a very long time, that's always the best kind of food to buy:).
Over the summer, I went to the beach and there was a whole bunch of wild (feral might be the better word) cactus pads and my torts loved them, so not having to cut as many spines off will be great and less painful:D
 

Yellow Turtle

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I put my pads in the garage and they dry out pretty fast. They even start to grow small pads. I still give them to my torts after they dry out and they still love them the same.
 

Falcon70

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Yellow Turtle said:
I put my pads in the garage and they dry out pretty fast. They even start to grow small pads. I still give them to my torts after they dry out and they still love them the same.

Interesting, if I planted one of the pads, would it grow into a full plant eventually?
 

Cowboy_Ken

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Falcon70 said:
Interesting, if I planted one of the pads, would it grow into a full plant eventually?


You bury the end that it was removed from the mother plant, halfway up the pad. The soil needs to be very well draining. Roots form from where the spines are. Small pads develop on the top edge. Bright, sunny location, allow to dry between watering. I have one with spines growing in a pot in my farm truck. I've watered it may 6 times in 4 years. Shriveled but still growing.
 

Cowboy_Ken

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Cowboy_Ken said:
You bury the end that it was removed from the mother plant, halfway up the pad. The soil needs to be very well draining. Roots form from where the spines are. Small pads develop on the top edge. Bright, sunny location, allow to dry between watering. I have one with spines growing in a pot in my farm truck. I've watered it may 6 times in 4 years. Shriveled but still growing.

When I say growing in my farm truck that's what I mean. It's in a pot, in the cab. I have it there so the cats can't get to it. Sometimes, when I come home from town, I look at it and dump my water bottle in it.
 

Falcon70

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Cowboy_Ken said:
When I say growing in my farm truck that's what I mean. It's in a pot, in the cab. I have it there so the cats can't get to it. Sometimes, when I come home from town, I look at it and dump my water bottle in it.

Very cool! I ordered a pound, which is about 5 pads, so I plan on using up 4 of them for food and then planting the other so I can eventually use the buds as food or even plant them in their outdoor enclosure when it gets warmer.
 

Tortus

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I let my cactus pads sit around too long and they began to show signs of shriveling and bending. They were still firm but not as perky as when I first got them.

So I stuck a few of the best ones in soil in an aquarium with compact florescent light. It's just organic Miracle Grow soil I got from Walmart with a drainage layer of coconut fiber and sand underneath.

Just yesterday I noticed one of them getting new growth on the top. It looks like bright green something sprouting form the top edge. And this is after they sat around in a paper bag for over 3 weeks! I was shocked that they'd still grow. I'll plant them outside this spring and see how big they get.
 

Yellow Turtle

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Cowboy_Ken said:
Falcon70 said:
Interesting, if I planted one of the pads, would it grow into a full plant eventually?


You bury the end that it was removed from the mother plant, halfway up the pad. The soil needs to be very well draining. Roots form from where the spines are. Small pads develop on the top edge. Bright, sunny location, allow to dry between watering. I have one with spines growing in a pot in my farm truck. I've watered it may 6 times in 4 years. Shriveled but still growing.

You do like Ken said, it will grow very easy, as long you don't water them too much. Once or twice per week is enough, need full sun, and fast drain soil.
 
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