Opuntia....How do they eat it?

[Scooter]

As I was cutting all the thorns off the Opuntia pad I have for my tortoise I was thinking what do they do in the wild? Do they eat around the thorns?

 

[Kristina]

With their mouths

LOL, just kidding. No, actually they eat thorns and all. They probably try for the younger pads that don't have as big and nasty of thorns on them.

 

[Neal]

From my personal experience, I had a medium size Opuntia cactus that I thought I blocked off, but came home one day to find it completely gone and 3 big leopard tortoises on the wrong side of my so called barrier. It had a lot of thorns on it, didn't affect them at all.

 

[RichardS]

Every time I get one of those annoying invisible spines in my hand ... I wonder what it would feel like in my tongue. Tough little buggers.

 

[Scooter]

Does anyone know if they can break down the thorns or do they just pass through them?

 

[webskipper]

I would not worry about the spines. The Opuntia is found in Greece. Therefore you are feeding a somewhat familiar food. Actually it is served as a people treat (Prickly Pear Fig).

Cut it up in 1/4" strips or mini chunks. Not all Opuntia is readily eaten, so you'll have to cut off a little lobe and try feeding it. If they like it then good. Here in AZ homeowners are always trimming their Opuntia trees back. So free food, right?

 

[Itort]

The spines pass on thru like any other cellilose. All my torts (forest and grassland) devour it with no problem and this wild opuntia. This plant has become established worldwide. Oh, also try it with your iggy too.

 

[Scooter]

Thanks Larry, I have not tried giving it to him but I will.

Thor will eat it but I have to hold it for him because he can not seem to tear it apart on his own yet no matter how small I chop it up. Of course Scoot doesn't touch it unless its covered in banana. I am not concerned about the thorns was just curious about it. Thanks everyone!

 

[dmmj]

Very carefully, just like porcupine mating, very carefully.

 

[Tom]

I've watched wild CDT eat all sorts of cactus, spines and all. I always singe and or wash off all the little spinelets on any "Spineless" Opuntia before I feed it out. I can't fathom how they do it.

 

[TortieLuver]

you are right! They eat just like that in the wild. They have a very tough tongue that allows them to not hurt themselves while eating the cactus. I do buy the optunia cactus that is thornless...although it still has small hair-like thorns.

 

[moswen]

Very carefully, just like porcupine mating, very carefully.

HAHAHA!!! i'm telling you, every time i come across your posts i laugh... we should set up a wake up call, like what pamela anderson does, (minus the sexual inuindos part) and you should call me every morning with something funny to say, and this way i will always get out of the right side of bed...!!