My red foot ate an azalea flower!

[evil_tortoise]

Hi all! I got my tort out today whilst I was gardening, I watch her like a hawk but I was distracted for 1 minute and she ate a tiny bit of an azalea flower. I grabbed her away when I saw and got what I could out of her mouth. It was a very small bit but I’m worried! Everywhere I’ve looked online says they’re toxic!

 

[TammyJ]

I see that soaking the tortoise is what is recommended. Warmish water and close supervision.

 

[mark1]

there been quite a few studies and papers written on toxic plants and turtles and tortoise ...... i've read it is believed they can taste "toxic" ........ i've read of leopard tortoises , hermans , geometric, russian and box turtles eating toxic plants as part of their normal diet ...... i've read the fact they compete with herbivorous mammals has led to the ability to eat plants toxic to mammals ............ i've read papers claimed young tortoises develop their diet by tasting small bits of unfamiliar plants ...........

 

[TammyJ]

What's the tortoise doing right now?

 

[evil_tortoise]

She’s just in her bed at the moment she seems like herself though, I gave her a really long soak earlier and I’m going to give her another soon. I also fed her cucumber which she’s nibbled at but she ate a lot today in the back garden so I’m not too worried about that. She’s looks fine to me at the moment.

 

[Tom]

Hi all! I got my tort out today whilst I was gardening, I watch her like a hawk but I was distracted for 1 minute and she ate a tiny bit of an azalea flower. I grabbed her away when I saw and got what I could out of her mouth. It was a very small bit but I’m worried! Everywhere I’ve looked online says they’re toxic!

Hello and welcome to the forum. You are new here, but this is one of the things we harp on here all the time. What happened to you is common, but I hope your tortoise recovers and is fine. There are lessons to be learned here for tortoise keepers.

1. Never let a tortoise roam loose. Not in the house and not in the yard or garden. "I was distracted for just one minute..." Not only have I heard that a million times, but back before I learned this lesson the hard way, I said it myself. More than once... So many people have lost beloved tortoises this way, and every single one of them had the best of intentions and did not mean to lose, kill, or injure their tortoise. Now you know.

2. Don't have toxic plants on your property if you own tortoises. Plant, care for, and tend to plants that are safe and edible instead. I bought a ranch and the previous owner had planted oleander all over the place. I ripped each and every last one of them out by the roots and threw them all in the garbage. Toxic weeds that spring up get pulled out, root and all, and chucked. Over time, this encourages the non-toxic and edible plants to take over.

 

[evil_tortoise]

Hi I know I feel terrible about it! Normally there’s 4 pairs of eyes on her but it was just me. I live with my parents so I don’t think they’d approve of me tearing up there plants. I’m in the middle of building her an outdoor enclosure, I had one for her previously but she just get trying to escape from it plus she’s a bit big for it now, that’s why shes free roaming at the moment. Luckily she seems completely fine, she’s alert and active and shes eaten more. I’m keeping a close eye on her though.