cactus

[DayDreamer]

are all flat padded big cactus safe for tortoises?
(ill add a picture when i go out later today)
the people next door have a huge cactus and said they wouldnt mind if i take a few cuttings from it. its spineless, and the pads are big and flat. i have not seen it flower since moving here.

is there a tell tale sign of what cacti are good or bad

 

[Yvonne G]

You're probably seeing an opuntia. It's ok to feed.

 

[DayDreamer]

i think so too i took some pictures when i went to the store and took a closer look at it they have little spines around the ends im almost 100% sure it is a some sort of opuntia but i want to be 150% sure before i give him any lol

 

[Star-of-India]

That's certainly an opuntia. Not all opuntia have flat pads, but that is typical of the genus. The chollas are opuntias of Southern California don't have flat pads, but I doubt any tortoise would eat them.

 

[DayDreamer]

alright thanks guys! glad to hear it is what i thought im going to take a few pads.

how do you get a pad to start rooting? and how much of it should i feed a RT? and how often?

 

[JohnMatthew]

alright thanks guys! glad to hear it is what i thought im going to take a few pads.

how do you get a pad to start rooting? and how much of it should i feed a RT? and how often?

Let the pad(s) sit out until the cut/break is scabbed over then you just bury the cut/broken part of the pad about 1/3 down in some well draining soil and forget about them. I planted 15-20 pads around my yard this year and most of them are showing new growth already. I don't water or anything, just planted them in various levels of sun(morning, evening, full) and let the rain do my watering. I even pulled one that had curled and was looking bad but the thing had sprouted lots of roots so I stuck it back in the ground. I'm learning as I go but these opuntia seem to do best when left alone.