Delay before feeding squash/cucumber leaves from store?

[Ak3035]

Hello,
Since our Sulcata hatchling, Tiny, was found outside wandering, I am trying to start a garden after the fact.

Home Depot sells plants already started like squash and cucumber. If I plant those, should I wait before feeding the leaves to Tiny? Or is it any safer because they are intended as food for humans anyways?

I also looked at hibiscus plants at Home Depot, all the tags I read said not for human/animal consumption. Is that true for all nursery purchased plants? Or should I look at local nurseries?

ETA: We found him last Thursday. We have been feeding him romaine, turnip greens, mustard greens, with oat grass from the yard sprinkled on top each day. I’ve also fed him a few dandelion leaves and purslane leaves 2-3x since and some small spineless cactus pad pieces. He has a huge appetite.

 

[TammyJ]

@Tom .

 

[Tom]

Hello,
Since our Sulcata hatchling, Tiny, was found outside wandering, I am trying to start a garden after the fact.

Home Depot sells plants already started like squash and cucumber. If I plant those, should I wait before feeding the leaves to Tiny? Or is it any safer because they are intended as food for humans anyways?

I also looked at hibiscus plants at Home Depot, all the tags I read said not for human/animal consumption. Is that true for all nursery purchased plants? Or should I look at local nurseries?

ETA: We found him last Thursday. We have been feeding him romaine, turnip greens, mustard greens, with oat grass from the yard sprinkled on top each day. I’ve also fed him a few dandelion leaves and purslane leaves 2-3x since and some small spineless cactus pad pieces. He has a huge appetite.

Food intended for human consumption should be safe, but... Who knows anymore what they might have sprayed on the leaves. I usually start my own from seeds.

All decorative plants, like the hibiscus, are grown with systemic pesticides that last in the plants tissues for up to a year.

 

[Ak3035]

Food intended for human consumption should be safe, but... Who knows anymore what they might have sprayed on the leaves. I usually start my own from seeds.

All decorative plants, like the hibiscus, are grown with systemic pesticides that last in the plants tissues for up to a year.

Thank you Tom!

I had a different question, I have seen on one of your longer posts about “one hour of sunshine per inch of tortoise” but did you that mean per day or per week?
I’d like to utilize our natural UV but I want to make sure I don’t overdo it.

 

[Tom]

Thank you Tom!

I had a different question, I have seen on one of your longer posts about “one hour of sunshine per inch of tortoise” but did you that mean per day or per week?
I’d like to utilize our natural UV but I want to make sure I don’t overdo it.

That rule is just a general guideline that I made up. Every day is fine. One or twice a week is enough. Skipping weeks during the occasional cold winter spells that you and I get that last a week or two is no problem either.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Welcome! Squash and cucumber vines don't survive past one season (one year)! So you aren't ever going to feed them at that rate! If it's safe for humans it's safe for your tortoise. Same goes for cactus you buy at the market.

Otherwise I agree with Tom about waiting a year for anything from a space you don't absolutely know to be pesticide free.