Elvis and the Olive Tree

Elvis Fan

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I have just completed my new enclosure for Elvis, a 15 year-old Desert Tortoise. Grasses, Hibiscus, Geranium, Marigold and Panzies through-out. I would like to add a fruitless dwarf olive shrub/tree because I think it would do well and it's pretty, but cannot find anywhere would this be okay or harmful. There are no fruit to fall, and the leaves will not shed much. I believe I read that olive trees are high in oxalates but I'm not sure how my tortoise would get to it. Anyone have an opinion?
 

Maggie3fan

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I have just completed my new enclosure for Elvis, a 15 year-old Desert Tortoise. Grasses, Hibiscus, Geranium, Marigold and Panzies through-out. I would like to add a fruitless dwarf olive shrub/tree because I think it would do well and it's pretty, but cannot find anywhere would this be okay or harmful. There are no fruit to fall, and the leaves will not shed much. I believe I read that olive trees are high in oxalates but I'm not sure how my tortoise would get to it. Anyone have an opinion?
I do (I have opinions on everything. Instead of olive trees, how about Rose of Sharon? Leaves and beautiful blooms are edible and much loved by tortoises They provide great shade and food too!
100_5082.JPG
I also have purple, white w/red, white, and one tree that blooms red, white and blue
 

jaizei

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The leaves from olive trees are edible.
 

Elvis Fan

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Feb 15, 2021
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21
Location (City and/or State)
Whittier
I do (I have opinions on everything. Instead of olive trees, how about Rose of Sharon? Leaves and beautiful blooms are edible and much loved by tortoises They provide great shade and food too!
View attachment 318374
I also have purple, white w/red, white, and one tree that blooms red, white and blue
Thankyou J! But I may be running out of room! LOL!
 

Herman_WA

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Nov 13, 2020
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May we see a picture of your tort? In my opinion, Elvis sounds like one of the best names for a tortoise! I always like to see everyone's tort!? (Sorry to get off topic)
 

Maggie3fan

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You're not dumb... I didn't know either until I read another of the OP's posts. ?
Well, to kinda stick up for myself...a confession..in all my years of tort keeping I have never hibernated an animal. When I was first medically retired I hung out with Y a lot. I went to turtle and tortoise club meetings with her. Almost everybody would bring something, have a meeting, then be social. What impressed me at first was the number of people who talked about animals dying in hibernation. So many, these are personal animals, Joe would say "so 2 of my Russians didn't make it", Susie, "I lost 1 CDT to UTI after he woke up". Or "they didn't wake at all". So I have those memories in my mind as I slowly start to get involved in tort keeping, I don't hibernate and have never. I am afraid. That's not to say I am ignorant of the whole process, but in my situation it's not a necessary thing to do, so my knowledge is minimal and scary
 

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