Ruszian Tortoise

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Is this okay for a Russian tortoise?I think this one is... I forget, d-----------a?,
IMG_20200416_161938_hdr.jpgIMG_20200416_161705.jpg
and what about this?
IMG_20200416_161959_hdr.jpg
 

TechnoCheese

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I believe the little round ones are miners lettuce, safe to feed.

The last one, I don’t remember it’s name, but I believe it’s a relative of parsley and safe to feed. I could be wrong, though.
 

Ruszian Tortoise

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I believe the little round ones are miners lettuce, safe to feed.

The last one, I don’t remember it’s name, but I believe it’s a relative of parsley and safe to feed. I could be wrong, though.
Thank you! For #1. I just remembered the name: you don't think it's dicondra?
2. Hmm yeah it had little yellow flowers I think. Is that a bad sign?
Sorry. Thank you so much!:)
 

TechnoCheese

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Thank you! For #1. I just remembered the name: you don't think it's dicondra?
2. Hmm yeah it had little yellow flowers I think. Is that a bad sign?
Sorry. Thank you so much!:)
Whoops, yeah I think I mixed up miner’s lettuce and kidney weeds (dicondra). Still safe, though

Could the second one be creeping buttercup? I researched further, and some people say it’s mildly toxic, while some people say it’s good to feed. In that case, a nibble or two wouldn’t hurt, as long as it’s only used in moderation.
 

RosemaryDW

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Welcome!

I don’t know if it’s buttercup (need more photos!) but Russians are fine to eat those; it’s a common food in their natural habitat. If I was lucky enough to have it growing locally I’d let my Russian have at it (she decimated the ones I planted last year within days).

I know it’s one of the plants that get listed as a “do not feed” in some places but again, it’s a common natural food and we also have plenty of owners on the East Coast and in the UK who have fed it for many years with no issues.

Only you know what’s best for your tortoise. No reason to feed if you are a new owner and nervous; there are plenty of other foods that no one disagrees on.
 

Ruszian Tortoise

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Welcome!

I don’t know if it’s buttercup (need more photos!) but Russians are fine to eat those; it’s a common food in their natural habitat. If I was lucky enough to have it growing locally I’d let my Russian have at it (she decimated the ones I planted last year within days).

I know it’s one of the plants that get listed as a “do not feed” in some places but again, it’s a common natural food and we also have plenty of owners on the East Coast and in the UK who have fed it for many years with no issues.

Only you know what’s best for your tortoise. No reason to feed if you are a new owner and nervous; there are plenty of other foods that no one disagrees on.
Hmm.. Ok! I have some new pictures!
IMG_20200417_111957_hdr.jpgIMG_20200417_112010_hdr.jpgIMG_20200417_112021_hdr.jpg
the white looking flowers are actually yellow. (Update: no, that is from field madder. Don't know why the yellow flowers aren't appearing.)
I don't know, she just seems really tired of kale and field madder and creeping nellie. She likes dandelions but I can't give her too much, same with clover. And her pellets are hard to clean up.
Thank you!
 
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Ruszian Tortoise

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Whoops, yeah I think I mixed up miner’s lettuce and kidney weeds (dicondra). Still safe, though

Could the second one be creeping buttercup? I researched further, and some people say it’s mildly toxic, while some people say it’s good to feed. In that case, a nibble or two wouldn’t hurt, as long as it’s only used in moderation.
I don't know. I think it might be. If you look above, there are tiny spiky spheres in the picture, and I think I saw that on creeping buttercup pictures
Thank you for the great advice
 

TechnoCheese

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Yeah, I’m not sure it’s creeping buttercup anymore. I wish I remembered that one’s name, because I’m certain I have a lot of it in my yard, and I’m almost sure that it’s fine to feed. I could still be wrong, though.
 

Ruszian Tortoise

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Ok, here they are: (darn you blurry camera)
It a appears (here) that the "spiky spheres" are the flowers (first one, blurry, but still)
IMG_20200417_144232_hdr.jpg

I don't know. If it's still unidentifiable, I will try one more with my good camera (which is hard to aim. It is a long story.)
IMG_20200417_144128_hdr.jpgIMG_20200417_144036_hdr.jpgIMG_20200417_144005_hdr.jpg
 

RosemaryDW

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Sorry, you’re right, they aren’t great pictures.

There are all kinds of buttercups, some hairy and some not. I’m still leaning buttercup but I need a good picture of the plant growing in the ground and a good picture of the flower (looking down, not too close).
 

RosemaryDW

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It’s probably too soon for you to read something like this but you mentioned you don’t want to overfeed dandelion so I’ll throw it out there. This is part of a research paper that’s pinned to our Russian subforum; it’s helped me understand their diet much better than I did as a new owner: https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/article-steppe-tortoise-diet-in-the-wild.30230/. You don’t have to look up all the Latin words; I’ll break down the biggest parts:

Russians have a diet that is 65% buttercup during the mating season. After mating season the diet is about 60% poppies and a dandelion relative combined. They eat a TON of dandelion. Of course you don’t want to feed all dandelion, all the time, just remember your tortoise would be eating a bunch of it certain times of year.

I will also point out that year round, our Russians eat largely two foods we get told are ”bad”: buttercups and oriental poppy. :eek:

They eat a good chunk of brassicas as well; kale is in the brassica family and a good food. But there tons of brassicas and you can rotate them for variety: bok choy; arugula; collards; radish and turnip leaves; mustard greens, mizuna and many more. Looks to me like you could actually feed less kale and more dandelion relatives! I like to keep my tortoise’s diet at no more than twenty percent brassicas. Dandelion is a chicory and there are other grocery store chicories you can buy that would be good to rotate: escarole, frisee, endive, radicchio. Basically anything at the far end of the lettuce section that tastes bitter and costs more than “regular” lettuce. :)

You don’t have to feed all of these all at once or at the same time. Right now it’s great that you’re getting her as many weeds as you are. You have plenty of time to widen the diet, after all, she’ll probably outlive you. :)
 

Ruszian Tortoise

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Sorry, you’re right, they aren’t great pictures.

There are all kinds of buttercups, some hairy and some not. I’m still leaning buttercup but I need a good picture of the plant growing in the ground and a good picture of the flower (looking down, not too close).
20200420_171726.jpg.20200420_171833.jpg20200420_171951_HDR.jpg20200420_171734.jpg20200420_171737.jpg20200420_172000.jpg20200420_171726.jpgone of these might be clover... Mix up with pictures... Long story! I hope it is buttercup, because she is not eating most of the stuff I'm giving her. Thanks sooooo much for this info. Cause she loves her dandelion... But is not eating field madder, so I'm gonna give up on that. She's just begging for me to give her dandelions!
Thanks!!!!
 

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RosemaryDW

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Buttercup! Looks like you stop mowing part of your lawn. Who know else is down there!

You never know with a tortoise what they will eat. Keep offering it on occasion. My tortoise ate something last year she wouldn’t try the three years prior. It’s still not a favorite but there are things she loved three years back she doesn’t care for now. ?
 

Ruszian Tortoise

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Buttercup! Looks like you stop mowing part of your lawn. Who know else is down there!

You never know with a tortoise what they will eat. Keep offering it on occasion. My tortoise ate something last year she wouldn’t try the three years prior. It’s still not a favorite but there are things she loved three years back she doesn’t care for now. ?
Wow! Great! Thank you so much! ???
 

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