Golden greek food? "All food"

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llllshaunllll

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I have a golden greek, but i need to know what more foods he can eat.
Can they eat peas ect... What garden plants? veg? fruit?

Please all help!

Thanks Shaun.
 

TestudoGeek

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llllshaunllll said:
Can they eat peas? and coliflower and broc?

Cheers. ;)

As I recall, peas are to high in protein, so are out of the question.
Broccoli can be fed sparingly, because is has to much oxalic acid, which blocks the absorption of other nutrients.

cauliflower I'm not sure, but I don't recall seeing it in any recommended diet.

You should also do some reading regarding feeding over at www.russiantortoise.net. The care & diet for these torts are also the same as greeks and that site is mandatory for any tort keeper, imho.
 

Crazy1

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Here is a couple of sites that deal with good T. Greek diets
http://www.tlady.clara.net/TortGuide/Diet.htm#plantlist
http://www.pettortoise.co.uk/tortoise_diet.php

Please heed the warning below:
Foods to avoid (or to use in very very *tiny* amounts) because they interfere with the uptake of calcium: spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, beans, peas, cauliflower, collard greens, beet greens, turnip greens, mustard greens. Fruit also should be avoided because the tortoise's digestive system can't process it as it is high in sugar and often will cause watery diarrhea.

Hope this helps.
 

TestudoGeek

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Crazy1 said:
Please heed the warning below:
Foods to avoid (or to use in very very *tiny* amounts) because they interfere with the uptake of calcium: spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, beans, peas, cauliflower, collard greens, beet greens, turnip greens, mustard greens. Fruit also should be avoided because the tortoise's digestive system can't process it as it is high in sugar and often will cause watery diarrhea.

Hope this helps.

Turnip greens are actually very nutritive & high on calcium.

See this post reply by Joe at http://russiantortoisepictures.com/forum/index.php/topic,124.msg599.html#msg599

as well as his nutritional analysis at http://www.russiantortoise.org/nutritional_analysis_of_kale.htm

quote: "I feel its very erroneous to eliminate a green just because it belongs to a particular family or because it contains a particular nutrient. One must look at the whole picture and base decisions on current research and nutritional databases. That is exactly what I have done on this site.

The other factor to consider is variety. Feeding a wide variety minimizes and negative effects while at the same time allowing our animals to reap the positive benefits."
 

Crazy1

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TestudoGeek Wrote:
[quote:] "I feel its very erroneous to eliminate a green just because it belongs to a particular family or because it contains a particular nutrient. One must look at the whole picture and base decisions on current research and nutritional databases. That is exactly what I have done on this site.

The other factor to consider is variety. Feeding a wide variety minimizes and negative effects while at the same time allowing our animals to reap the positive benefits."
[/quote]

I stand corrected. :shy:
TestudoGeek you are completely right feeding a wide variety of foods often minimizes negative effects and reaps the positives and no one should eliminate a green just because it belongs to a particular family.

As I have stated before, I am not an expert. These are my personal opinions or information which I have gathered and usually state as such.

Therefore for my Greeks I feed the listed "foods to avoid" in small amounts and infrequently as there are so many more foods that are so much better for them.
Hatchlings for example, I would not feed the listed "foods to avoid" as their requirements are so much more critical (time-wise) than adults.

I try and follow A.C. Highfields guides for herbivores and the Tortoise and Turtle Feeding Manual. as well as the WCT.
Here is a highlight of Anti-nutrient factors in common Tortoise diets as listed in "the tortoise and turtle feeding manual". Which I am sure you are aware of.

Oxalic acid
It occurs naturally in many plants. Oxalic acid binds with calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium and potassium. This forms salts known as oxalates. This can cause renal calculi or stones. Low levels of oxalic acid intake are not harmful. But high levels should be discouraged as they may and often do cause kidney stones. Plants that contain high levels of oxalic acid include: Beans, bell peppers, rhubarb spinach, strawberries, beets buckwheat, beet greens, lambsquarter, cranberries, summer squash, sweet potatoes, soy beans, tofu, Swiss chard, celery, eggplant/aubergine, nasturtium, corn, star fruit, garden sorrel, mango, banana, pumpkin, purslane cauliflower, cabbage and mustard greens.

Phytic Acid
Found in most cereal grains, legumes, nuts tubers and organic soils. The primary anti-nutrient property of phytic acid is that it binds with minerals and proteins and inhibits their uptake and utilization, much like oxalic acid.
Foods highest in phytic acid include Peas, beans, Swiss chard, rhubarb, brown rice, okra, parsley, beet greens,
collard greens, soy beans, pumpkin seeds and corn.

Glucosinolates/Goitrogens
These compounds are found at high levels within the cabbage family. They decrease the absorption of iodine, limiting the formation of iodine-containing precursors of thyroxine. Thus enlargement of the thyroid, or goiter may result. So it is recommended to limit the following vegetables which contain high levels of goitrogenic compounds: Bok-choi, Brussels sprouts, kale, radish, broccoli, cabbage, rutabaga, black mustard, cauliflower, horseradish, kohlrabi, rutabaga, soy beans, turnip greens and watercress.

Purines
These are of special concern to reptile keepers because of their very close connection with uric acid. This places additional demands upon the renal system. Kidney diseases are one of the most common cause of death among captive herbivorous reptiles. Foods extremely high include: all beans, peas, pulses and legumes, asparagus, avocados, mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower, tofu, meat products.

Note: High purine foods can be safely consumed by most carnivorous aquatic species, and by many semi-terrestrial or terrestrial humid habitat species. Most damaging are to semi-arid habitat species, animals with pre-existing renal problems and those suffering from dehydration.

Tannins
Low levels of tannins are generally beneficial-only when consumed at high concentrations can they be considered an anti-nutrient, or dangerous. Plants that contain levels of tannins that would give rise to such concerns if consumed in quantity include:Black and red beans, kiwi fruit, pomegranate, walnuts, alfalfa, chicory, oak and acacia leaves, bananas, carrots and carrot tops rhubarb, spinach

It is recommended that items that include several different anti-nutrient factors be excluded from regular use.

"A principal point:
The success of a diet can be determined only by studying mismanagement (excesses and deficiencies) for years before displaying symptoms. Long term damage does, however occur in adults. Dietary failures typically manifest in juveniles within 12-24 months: in adults it may take 5-10 years before the effects are seen".

I may have been mistaken when I assumed (shame on me) that some of our members may not take the time to collect nutritional data such as Calories, Protein, carbs. fiber, Cal., Phos, Vit. A & C and Water % etc. and figure the amount of grams, mg, & IU that each food may contain and therefore the amount their specific tort needs.

It is so much easier and more understandable to state one should feed a herbivore;
(90+%) grasses, weeds and mixed green leaf vegetable base such as dandelion, mulberry leaves, hibiscus leaves and flowers, opuntia catus pads, clover, plantain, grape leaves etc.
(Less than 10%) Fruits*and Vegetables such as mango zucchini, kale, pear, tomato, cucumber, etc.
* Fruit should be used sparingly, because over consumption can lead to high levels of sugar in the gut (intestine) and result in colic.

For those who want to or do collect nutritional data here is the address for Nutrient Analysis of Replacement Turtle and Tortoise Foods by Darrell M. Senneke
http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/nutrientanalysis.htm
 
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