Henbit Deadnettle-Is it OK to Feed?

Tortoise MasterMan

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I have his weed growing all all over my yard, and after checking the Tortoise Table database, it was listed as Feed Sparingly because it was toxic to horses and some other animals. Does anyone have any experience feeding this to their tortoises? It also states that many other sites list it as safe.
 

2turtletom

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If you could, please post a photo just to make sure you've got the right plant, there are some look alikes, etc. One if purple dead nettle, Lamium purpuruem, which is a feed, and the other is Lamium amplexicaule, which is what I'm guessing you are looking at on the Tortoise Table. The two plants are very similar and often confused.

What tortoise species are you feeding?
 

Tortoise MasterMan

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Russian Tortoise. I've checked with a plant identifier apps, as well as many picture and descriptions. I'm sure it's henbit.
 

2turtletom

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Russian Tortoise. I've checked with a plant identifier apps, as well as many picture and descriptions. I'm sure it's henbit.
What characters are you using to distinguish the two Lamiums? I've worked 20 years as a professional botanist and want to provide you, for free, 100% worry free advice that is based on human based knowledge (apps are notoriously poor for plant identifcation) and 10,000 plus hours of the study of the vascular flora of North America. All I need to see is a photo. I won't make a tortoise food recommendation based on you think you have a plant- especially when you're only using a common name, and I wouldn't advise any other members to do the same. Please post a photo and then I can help you, and I want to help you and your tortoise.
 

2turtletom

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This is the henbit I haveView attachment 293666
Ok- I agree with your identification, good job! And now that we know for sure that what you have is Lamium amplexicaule, a tortoise table "feed sparingly", I'll use this plant as an example as to how the tortoise table must be extremely conservative when providing recommendations. Your plant is in the genus Lamium, and other species in the genus Lamium they recommend feeding, like Lamium purpureum, which is sometimes called purple henbit. As a botanist, I can't think of ANY reason why amplexicaule would have certain secondary compounds present that would be harmful to tortoises that other closely related members of the genus wouldn't. So, if it were me, and I were trying to take advantage of this, I'd offer a little bit as a part of a mixed diet.

And now that we know 100% with certainty, others can chime in and see if they've fed this to their tortoises. Granted, the caveat being that some people will look at your photo and mis-identify it as Lamium purpureum themselves. All of this is to say this plant genus is a really difficult one to ask people for their own recommendations, because many don't recognize the difference between amplexicaule and purpurem. But hopefully some other members do and might be able to give feedback- just realize that they may be saying yes, I feed that, when they're really feeding Lamium purpureum.

Finally, this plant is widespread across Europe, is probably encountered by many Testudo species in the wild, but isn't likely encountered very often by Testudo horsfieldi in their native range. So, bottom line, as a part of a varied diet, I would consider it something to try out.
 

Srmcclure

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I have given my Leo a little bit of that before and he seemed to like it, then I heard conflicting info and haven't since then, but it grows EVERYWHERE around where I am in Oklahoma.
Ok- I agree with your identification, good job! And now that we know for sure that what you have is Lamium amplexicaule, a tortoise table "feed sparingly", I'll use this plant as an example as to how the tortoise table must be extremely conservative when providing recommendations. Your plant is in the genus Lamium, and other species in the genus Lamium they recommend feeding, like Lamium purpureum, which is sometimes called purple henbit. As a botanist, I can't think of ANY reason why amplexicaule would have certain secondary compounds present that would be harmful to tortoises that other closely related members of the genus wouldn't. So, if it were me, and I were trying to take advantage of this, I'd offer a little bit as a part of a mixed diet.

And now that we know 100% with certainty, others can chime in and see if they've fed this to their tortoises. Granted, the caveat being that some people will look at your photo and mis-identify it as Lamium purpureum themselves. All of this is to say this plant genus is a really difficult one to ask people for their own recommendations, because many don't recognize the difference between amplexicaule and purpurem. But hopefully some other members do and might be able to give feedback- just realize that they may be saying yes, I feed that, when they're really feeding Lamium purpureum.

Finally, this plant is widespread across Europe, is probably encountered by many Testudo species in the wild, but isn't likely encountered very often by Testudo horsfieldi in their native range. So, bottom line, as a part of a varied diet, I would consider it something to try out.
What would be your recommendation on evening primrose? They have those soft pink delicate looking flowers and grow wild here as well.
 

Calaveras

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I live in California and have a young Hermanns tortoise.
I fed Henbit with purple flowers to my tortoise this morning.
I have fed it about once per week this spring.
Not a favorite, but will eat readily after wild Geranium, plantain, and thistles are eaten.
 
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Calaveras

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here is a picture taken a few weeks ago. There is some Henbit included. May not be enough to make an ID without flower, but I believe it is Lambium amplexicaule.44EFB0CE-1A3C-4EE9-BB32-031A6BB6B313.jpeg
 
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