Weed identification

[Sin87]

Hi!
I'll be shortly getting a hatchling eastern hermann tortoise.
I'm also new on this forum so if this is posted in a wrong topic, please feel free to move this post.
I am trying to collect some weeds to feed the tort. There are various weeds growing around my place but my knowledge on weeds is very limited. Can you guys please identify these and let me know which of these are safe for the tort to consume? I have labelled the pictures
Thank you !

 

[Barber25]

Have any of you here had experience with PlantSnap? It is an app where you take a picture of a leaf or flower, and it immediately identifies it..I've been using it the last few days--works pretty good. I'm new here so apologies if it's already been discussed.

 

[Sin87]

Thank you, that's a brilliant suggestion! I'll check that out too

 

[Maro2Bear]

Ok - for all things planty... Like “E“ you will want to check out the Tortoise Table guide. E is a common fern.

✅- FERN - https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/plant-database/viewplants/?plant=116&c=2#.XsGxcC9q2hA

A - an Ivy
C & D - look like a type of azalea.

B - not sure.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Ps - you get extra bonus points for clearly labeling your specimens.

 

[Sin87]

Thank you ! where can I buy edible weeds seeds? there are so many weeds which are edible and it is really overwhelming.

 

[Barber25]

I dont know...I just bought some seeds on Etsy, I would look there. I'm looking forward to letting my Box Turtle roam my ten acres and I will observe what, if any plants she eats....and then try to identify those plants. Probably more plant eating with tortoises, I assume.

 

[RosemaryDW]

It *is* hard to figure out all the foods! Take a look at Carolina Pet Supply and Tyler’s Tortoise; both sell “Testudo” seed mixes that are great food for a Russian. They might be labeled “broadleaf” mix, which is what your Russian needs.

 

[Sin87]

Actually, mine is a hermann. Is the diet similar to russian?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Take a look here in this great guide written by a Master Keeper

✅ - https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/sticky-hermanns-tortoise-care-sheet-updated.101410/

Specifically, here is the Food section

Food


Low protein, high fiber and calcium rich are crucial points to keeping Hermann’s tortoises stable and healthy. In nature, much of their day is comprised of grazing or browsing for edible vegetation. Unfortunately, many uninformed keepers turn to supermarket produce which is generally lacking in acceptable fiber levels and is too high in sugar. A diet rich in protein will eventually cause renal failure and offering too much fruit will bring on diarrhea or even an outbreak of internal parasites. Pesticide-free weeds grown in the yard such as dandelion, clover, plantain, catsear, thistle and vetch make for excellent food items. Mulberry leaves are also recommended. Here, we make sure our tortoises get Mazuri tortoise diet (original blend and LS blend) several times a week. This commercial diet aids in keeping a healthy weight on the animals, enables hatchlings to grow steadily and rapidly replenishes nutrients lost in females who have recently deposited eggs. For years we have raised many species of tortoise by using this diet in combination with appropriate weeds and the outcome is more than satisfactory. We also mix the Mazuri diet with organic dried herbs which can be purchased online at www.mountainroseherbs.com. This method comes in handy during the winter months when weeds are really inaccessible. On my site www.hermannihaven.com, a video I have put together shows how to make this mix. Sometimes, supermarket produce may be your only option. Whenever possible, purchase only organic greens and stay away from all lettuces. Collard greens, mustard greens, radicchio, endive and turnip greens will suffice in moderation. Various “tortoise seed mixes” are now available from distributors and while these can make for an excellent variety of safely grown edibles, be extremely careful with them. Reports of tortoises becoming poisoned from these mixes are now beginning to surface. This may be attributed to the accidental presence of seeds from poisonous plants being mixed into the mix. Doing your homework in order to gain the knowledge of how to properly identify poisonous plants goes a long way. Google is at everyone’s fingertips now so start researching, it could save your tortoise’s life.


For calcium intake, I choose to not force it on the tortoises. The all too familiar practice of dusting each meal with calcium powder can cause long term problems down the road. Instead, a constant supply of cuttle-bone is kept in every enclosure with tortoises of all ages. The animals will nibble the bone as they feel the need. Adults, particularly females, will use the cuttle bone more often than males or neonates. Only occasionally will we dust the food items with powder. In the case of growing youngsters and gravid females we may do this twice weekly. Phosphorus free calcium powder and cuttle-bone can be purchased at most pet stores or in bulk online.