Spotted spurge

[acrantophis]

About 4 years ago my sulcata ate a few bunches of spotted spurge while outside grazing. She wouldn't come out of her hide, or eat, for 2 or 3 days. She is fine now. Actually she is pretty awesome, but I digress...where was I? I researched it and found that it was toxic.
The problem is its a very common weed here in so.cal. I routinely pull it up, and so its not as much of a "spurge" anymore, but i cant get all of it. So, is she too big to worry about the occasionally leaf or 2, or should I keep battling this weed?

 

[Yvonne G]

Spurge is high in oxalates, however, some desert tortoises really love it.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

My Russians eat spotted spurge, and they're fine. If desert tortoises and Russians can handle it, you would think other tortoises can, too. But then, that plant (Euphorbia maculata) is native to North America, so it makes sense that desert tortoises would feed on it. As for Russians, they come from Central Asia, so maybe they feed on other plants in that genus, like leafy spurge (E. esula) for example.

If sulcatas do not have any similar plants in their native Sahel, then maybe they can't handle spurges. But I rather doubt it, since they can handle cacti, which are another oxalate-rich plant native to the Americas. Could there have been another reason why your sulcata stayed hidden for 3 days?

 

[acrantophis]

My Russians eat spotted spurge, and they're fine. If desert tortoises and Russians can handle it, you would think other tortoises can, too. But then, that plant (Euphorbia maculata) is native to North America, so it makes sense that desert tortoises would feed on it. As for Russians, they come from Central Asia, so maybe they feed on other plants in that genus, like leafy spurge (E. esula) for example.

If sulcatas do not have any similar plants in their native Sahel, then maybe they can't handle spurges. But I rather doubt it, since they can handle cacti, which are another oxalate-rich plant native to the Americas. Could there have been another reason why your sulcata stayed hidden for 3 days?

Huh. It seemed so obvious at the time. I found it in a list of toxic plants for tortoises. It is so strange for a sulcata not to come out or eat for even a day. Perhaps I should let her eat a bit and see how she does. I have gone so far as to pull bit of it out of her mouth! Thanks for the replies everybody ;-)

 

[ascott]

some desert tortoises really love it.

I know four CDTs that live here that enjoy munching it.....we actually have a few different types--and it is still growing near the end of summer....when everything else has essentially been mowed down and/or died off....