Food Items Growing In The Yard

MichaelL

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What a nice variety! Do you know what the name of the plant in the third pic is, as well as the one in the picture after the clover?
 

jeneliza

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I thought creeping Charlie was toxic to tortoises,? but I could be very wrong, but it is a type of ivy, which is
 
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MikeT307

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#2 may be a cedar elm. I'm less confident on that one but it resembles that type of tree.
 

jeneliza

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#2 may be a cedar elm. I'm less confident on that one but it resembles that type of tree.
It is a tree, I don't know the name but I have those here, and it's part of the tree next to it, it's the new growth, super invasive, though,
 

Len B

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#2 may be a cedar elm. I'm less confident on that one but it resembles that type of tree.
Firs,t Happy Birthday. Number 2 is a mulberry and 18 is an elm, but never heard it called a cedar elm. the one it is growing with is Rise of Sharon.
Number 12, is creeping Charlie, or ground ivy, it's is toxic, for sure don't let him eat this one,
My adult hermanns eat it, I know because none is growing in their pen, and it is growing everywhere else in the yard. Also my adult sulcata Walker eats it as he grazes. he will be 24 years old this summer and has lived in his yard since 2006. He has grown well over those years without health problems. He is up to 135 pounds as of a couple months ago. Here he is at 6pm today grazing and you can see some in the pics.Picture 013.jpgPicture 015.jpg
 

jeneliza

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Firs,t Happy Birthday. Number 2 is a mulberry and 18 is an elm, but never heard it called a cedar elm. the one it is growing with is Rise of Sharon.

My adult hermanns eat it, I know because none is growing in their pen, and it is growing everywhere else in the yard. Also my adult sulcata Walker eats it as he grazes. he will be 24 years old this summer and has lived in his yard since 2006. He has grown well over those years without health problems. He is up to 135 pounds as of a couple months ago. Here he is at 6pm today grazing and you can see some in the pics.View attachment 290178View attachment 290179
I am glad he does well on it, and it doesn't hurt him, but it is list as toxic to tortoises, but maybe it's not to this breed
 

Len B

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I am glad he does well on it, and it doesn't hurt him, but it is list as toxic to tortoises, but maybe it's not to this breed
I'm not suggesting that people should pick a bunch of it and offer to any tortoise on a regular bases, but if a heathy well fed tortoise should consume some don't panic. Even in the wild a hatchling has to figure out what they should and should not eat. I have some plants in Walkers yard that he shouldn't eat and he doesn't. When I had 4 other adult sulcatas with him none of them touched them either.
 

jeneliza

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First off , Sorry if I offend you by staying a possible danger , and your right it's not a plant that will kill your tortoises in most cases, or small amounts, however given in large or long term use , can possibly do liver and kidney damage, because it contains lerpenoids and volatile oils know as pulegone, which do irritate to the liver and kidneys and cause gastro and intestinal tract irritation ,and may cause permanent damage in long term use, this may not affect all tortoises,( like grapes in dogs, if they eat a few most will not be harmed by it but given in large amounts in the long term will do kindey damage, ) given the age and over healthy of the tortoises does of course change the outcome, a less heathy tortoises or very young would naturally have a hard time with this plant, this is why this plant is listed as toxic, not because it is an immediate, poison,( for most,) but the long term damage, and and irritation it can possibly cause,
 

Dizisdalife

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Thanks for posting these, Len. It's nice to see what is growing today in other parts of the country.
 

Markw84

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First off , Sorry if I offend you by staying a possible danger , and your right it's not a plant that will kill your tortoises in most cases, or small amounts, however given in large or long term use , can possibly do liver and kidney damage, because it contains lerpenoids and volatile oils know as pulegone, which do irritate to the liver and kidneys and cause gastro and intestinal tract irritation ,and may cause permanent damage in long term use, this may not affect all tortoises,( like grapes in dogs, if they eat a few most will not be harmed by it but given in large amounts in the long term will do kindey damage, ) given the age and over healthy of the tortoises does of course change the outcome, a less heathy tortoises or very young would naturally have a hard time with this plant, this is why this plant is listed as toxic, not because it is an immediate, poison,( for most,) but the long term damage, and and irritation it can possibly cause,

The problem with information about toxicity of plants is that most of it is derived from experience with mammals. You are not correct in stating it WILL do damage to tortoises. Even if you look at the tortoise table, which most use, the caveat there is that this has found to have the issues mentioned "in Mammals". IF you research further, you will find it has these effects are only seen in horses and cattle. Even the poison control system of California lists creeping charlie as non-toxic - and they are pretty conservative.

What little research that has been done on tortoise toxicity shows that they have very different digestive systems and are not affected by many, in fact, most of the toxic, defensive mechanisms in plants. The best example is the raphides that exist in many plants to discourage grazing/browsing by mammals. It does cause irritation of the mouth and throat of most mammals, but has absolutely no effect on tortoises and birds. The spines of cactus are a great deterrant to most browsers, but again, will stop no tortoise!

I am not saying to ignore warnings due to known issues with mammals. When in doubt, err on the side of caution. We are finding, however, those warning very often simply do not apply to tortoises.
 

jeneliza

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Well we must remember, the word toxic simply means, harmful but may not mean posioning, and for me I will avoid this plant, the possible risk is enough to avoid for me, but like I said this is just out of caution it may not be a risk,but for me it's safety first, and my tortoises is indoor, so it not hard to just not feed it, not that she doesn't enjoy warm days outdoors, but she's not permanently housed outside, so I just pull it out of her pen, and she's never had this so I feel in my case it's just better to not let her munch on it, plus, I also would pull it out as I do because it's very very invasive, and will kill most plants, including peppermint lemon balm, and will compete with tomato Vines, and cucumber plants, so it absolutely hate it, because it does so much damage to my other plants and my garden,
 
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MikeT307

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First, Happy Birthday. Number 18 is a mulberry and 2 is an elm, but never heard it called a cedar elm. the one it is growing with is Rise of Sharon.
Thanks for the birthday wishes. For some reason I thought you were in Texas. My mistake. In Texas, they call a variety of elm that grows there cedar elm. Never seen them on the east coast though.
 
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