We are very strict about telling new owners to avoid feeding absolutely anything they don't know is safe. Is that overkill?
I know tortoises absolutely suffer as the result of poor diets (like all iceburg or tomatoes!) but how many weed or yard plant poisoning cases have we seen? I know there is one thread on a sulcata getting a bad reaction from eating a load of tulip bulbs but are there others? Has there been a case of death by oxalis, for example?
The safe weeds list we provide new owners is a great place to get them started but it is limited. We direct new owners to the Tortoise Table but in my opinion, its logic often doesn't make sense and it's overly conservative. I don't rely on it.
After reading our advice, many owners are terrified to feed the wrong weed but are the dangers well documented? Maybe for sulcatas but what about other types? Would it really be so bad for owners to let their tortoises take a nibble of something unknown while they get used to identifying what's around them? Would that be better or worse than having them stick with a bag of spring mix for extended periods of time?
I know tortoises absolutely suffer as the result of poor diets (like all iceburg or tomatoes!) but how many weed or yard plant poisoning cases have we seen? I know there is one thread on a sulcata getting a bad reaction from eating a load of tulip bulbs but are there others? Has there been a case of death by oxalis, for example?
The safe weeds list we provide new owners is a great place to get them started but it is limited. We direct new owners to the Tortoise Table but in my opinion, its logic often doesn't make sense and it's overly conservative. I don't rely on it.
After reading our advice, many owners are terrified to feed the wrong weed but are the dangers well documented? Maybe for sulcatas but what about other types? Would it really be so bad for owners to let their tortoises take a nibble of something unknown while they get used to identifying what's around them? Would that be better or worse than having them stick with a bag of spring mix for extended periods of time?