Can Sulcatas eat horse apples?

[Zoeclare]

Since we are all talking about “fruit” & apples.....no one has posted pix of the Osage Apple aka Hedge Apple. No way i would provide these to our Sully.

We have many growing along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, just saw some last week. They really do have a white gooey latex sap when broken off or broken into.

Wiki - Maclura pomifera, commonly known as the Osage orange, hedge, or hedge apple tree is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, typically growing to 8 to 15 metres (30–50 ft) tall. The distinctive fruit, from a multiple fruit family, is roughly spherical, bumpy, 8 to 15 centimetres (3–6 in) in diameter, and turns bright yellow-green in the fall. The fruits secrete a sticky white latexwhen cut or damaged. Despite the name "Osage orange", it is only distantly related to the orange. It is a member of the mulberry family, Moraceae. Due to its latex secretions and woody pulp, the fruit is typically not eaten by humans and rarely by foraging animals, giving it distinction as an anachronistic "ghost of evolution".

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Why are they called horse apples? Do horses eat them? They don't look very appetising!

 

[Kevin.C]

Why are they called horse apples? Do horses eat them? They don't look very appetising!

Donkeys and horse eat them occasionally cows. I have seen much else. They usually just sit on the ground and after all the fruit falls.

 

[Maro2Bear]

From what I have read about these trees here in Maryland, prob all over, they were planted as thick hedge rows since they grew densely, strong spindly wood.

I see Wiki has this paragraph on this benefit/use:

American settlers used the Osage orange (i.e. "hedge apple") as a hedge to exclude free-range livestock from vegetable gardens and corn fields. Under severe pruning, the hedge apple sprouted abundant adventitous shoots from its base; as these shoots grew, they became interwoven and formed a dense, thorny barrier hedge. The thorny Osage orange tree was widely naturalized throughout the United States until this usage was superseded by the invention of barbwire in 1874. By providing a barrier that was "horse-high, bull-strong, and pig-tight", Osage orange hedges provided the "crucial stop-gap measure for westward expansion until the introduction of barbed wire a few decades later".​

 

[Kevin.C]

From what I have read about these trees here in Maryland, prob all over, they were planted as thick hedge rows since they grew densely, strong spindly wood.

I see Wiki has this paragraph on this benefit/use:

American settlers used the Osage orange (i.e. "hedge apple") as a hedge to exclude free-range livestock from vegetable gardens and corn fields. Under severe pruning, the hedge apple sprouted abundant adventitous shoots from its base; as these shoots grew, they became interwoven and formed a dense, thorny barrier hedge. The thorny Osage orange tree was widely naturalized throughout the United States until this usage was superseded by the invention of barbwire in 1874. By providing a barrier that was "horse-high, bull-strong, and pig-tight", Osage orange hedges provided the "crucial stop-gap measure for westward expansion until the introduction of barbed wire a few decades later".​

I've been thinking about trying to make a living fence with these around my current enclosure knowing my current one won't contain a full grown sulcuta.

 

[Sue Ann]

Since we are all talking about “fruit” & apples.....no one has posted pix of the Osage Apple aka Hedge Apple. No way i would provide these to our Sully.

We have many growing along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, just saw some last week. They really do have a white gooey latex sap when broken off or broken into.

Wiki - Maclura pomifera, commonly known as the Osage orange, hedge, or hedge apple tree is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, typically growing to 8 to 15 metres (30–50 ft) tall. The distinctive fruit, from a multiple fruit family, is roughly spherical, bumpy, 8 to 15 centimetres (3–6 in) in diameter, and turns bright yellow-green in the fall. The fruits secrete a sticky white latexwhen cut or damaged. Despite the name "Osage orange", it is only distantly related to the orange. It is a member of the mulberry family, Moraceae. Due to its latex secretions and woody pulp, the fruit is typically not eaten by humans and rarely by foraging animals, giving it distinction as an anachronistic "ghost of evolution".

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When I was a kid we called these monkey apples and picked them walking to school to toss at each other and watch them “bleed”.
I’m 71 lol ?

 

[Venetia]

Holy catfish! I just told you about me feeding Dudley apples, I fed my Bob grapes, strawberries, watermelon, pumpkin, grape leafs, pineapple, cob corn, and once he got a 100 lb pumpkin, he ate most of it. All stuff a Sulcata should not eat..."But he also gets a healthy varied diet", I used to say. So I fed Bob a lot of stuff he shouldn't eat, and would not come across in the wild. But I also fed him a great diet. Because I thought Bob and I were different. Didn't have to follow a care sheet. And ya know what...Bob died at 17 years old.

 

[zovick]

I appreciate your input I am not too concerned about him getting ahold of leaves. The tree is old and is leaning where the lower branches have rooted into the ground and the on branches with leaves are probably 6 feet above the ground. I assume at this point he won't circle back to the fruit but this tree doesn't seem to be producing much if it does then out that he has a change of heart and I need to clean them up.

From what you are saying, the tree sounds as though it is on its last legs. Hence, you could probably just cut the tree down and not worry about what part of it the tortoise may eat. Or is it the only shade available in the enclosure?

 

[Venetia]

Thank you Tom & maggie3fan, for driving home the “NO FRUIT FOR SULCATAS” as of today my 19 year old 100lb inherited/rescued handicapped boy I have had now going on 3 years will have no more fruit in his diet. He’s not going to like it, any chance of him having withdrawals by going cold turkey ?

 

[Kevin.C]

From what you are saying, the tree sounds as though it is on its last legs. Hence, you could probably just cut the tree down and not worry about what part of it the tortoise may eat. Or is it the only shade available in the enclosure?

The tree is the main source of shade and it's not really on its last legs because wherever it's branches touches it reroots. After everything I have heard in this discussion I will just be vigilant about what my tortises takes interest in that grows wild in the area.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Thank you Tom & maggie3fan, for driving home the “NO FRUIT FOR SULCATAS” as of today my 19 year old 100lb inherited/rescued handicapped boy I have had now going on 3 years will have no more fruit in his diet. He’s not going to like it, any chance of him having withdrawals by going cold turkey ?

lol no he'll just be kind of obnoxious begging for food.