What percentage of hibiscus / rose etc.?

orgetorix

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Hello, I have a quick food question regarding a desert tortoise. I feed mostly the grocery store spring mix and supplement when I can with local weeds, cactus pads, and other greens such as dandelion greens and msutard greens.

Recently Icam across an pretty much unlimited supply of rose leaves, hibiscus leaves and geraniums. My question is, what percentage is safe to feed of these items? Can both the leaves and flowers be offered?

Thanks in advance!
 

Yvonne G

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You can add a small handful at each feeding, with the other things you've mentioned. Just make sure no pesticides have been administered to the rose and hibiscus bushes.
 

Tom

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There are no scientific studies with which to answer this question. Its just people's personal opinions and their own experiences that they use to draw a reference from. The tortoises are very adaptable and anything from 10% of their diet to 90% of their diet will probably work fine and keep them healthy. I like Yvonne's advice of mixing in a handful of these new foods to add variety to what you've already been feeding.

Personally, I like grass and spineless opuntia cactus pads to make up a large percentage of the diet for a desert tortoise. All the other items you mentioned are fine as part of a varied diet too. If you must use grocery store food, favor endive and escarole. Those more closely simulate "weeds". Sprouted wheat grass is good to add too for fiber.
 

orgetorix

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Thank you both! I am lucky to have probably the least picky tortoise on earth so pretty much anything offered is eaten readily. Other than wheat grass, is pretty much any non-pesticide or non-fertilized grass OK? is dry grass OK? I have this tough sort of small ornamental grass growing in my backyard that has proven impossible to get rid of. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise?
 

Yvonne G

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Thank you both! I am lucky to have probably the least picky tortoise on earth so pretty much anything offered is eaten readily. Other than wheat grass, is pretty much any non-pesticide or non-fertilized grass OK? is dry grass OK? I have this tough sort of small ornamental grass growing in my backyard that has proven impossible to get rid of. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise?
If it's tough you may have to scissor it into small pieces, but first try to find the latin name of the grass and research if it's edible.
 

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