Since the weather has been so nice lately, I have been taking my tortoise outside to graze. He walks around and eats whatever he wants. There is no way I can possibly identify everything in my yard. Wouldn't he be able to tell which is poisonous and which is ok.? His favorite is clover and dandelion.
Grazing
- Thread starter jessicaf
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Linhdan Nguyen
Well-Known Member
Typically, no. Though i think wild caught tortoises know poisonous from safe better than captive bred. My Russian, Max grazes when i take him to my moms backyard and he strictly eats hawksbeard, dandelion, chickweed (his favorite) & grass. Hes came across other weeds but has no interest in them. It looks like he sniffs it and walks away.
Though this doesnt mean we should let them roam around & completely trust they know to stay away from poisonous plants. Better safe than sorry. Have you tried taking pictures and posting them in a thread for us to help identify? Or use thetortoisetable.org.uk to identify some yourself?
Though this doesnt mean we should let them roam around & completely trust they know to stay away from poisonous plants. Better safe than sorry. Have you tried taking pictures and posting them in a thread for us to help identify? Or use thetortoisetable.org.uk to identify some yourself?
Linhdan Nguyen
Well-Known Member
Thats good. How big is he?
But until you identify the poisonous plants, make sure you watch him when hes roaming around. Yvonne also has a thread with common weeds (edible and non-edible). Just go to tortoise food & diet section & then plant ID. Her thread should be at the top.
But until you identify the poisonous plants, make sure you watch him when hes roaming around. Yvonne also has a thread with common weeds (edible and non-edible). Just go to tortoise food & diet section & then plant ID. Her thread should be at the top.
I would be careful. My Russian male once went to eat rhubarb leaves - totally toxic! So I do not believe they always know what to avoid. I imagine they may learn to avoid by experience - bad taste or reaction, then avoid in future - if they survive the experience.
out for "walks" when the weather permits. I stand by him like a bodyguard so as to remain on the safe side.
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I always let my tortoise wander around... but I have no idea what's in my yard. I keep an eye on her whenever she's out... once she got a rock stuck in her mouth until I pulled it out! (Don't know why she wanted to eat that anyway). As long as you don't have many toxic things in your yard and just grass, you should be good to go!
