Plants to feed my Reptiles?

Discussion in 'General Lizards' started by coolgeckos, Apr 12, 2005.

  1. coolgeckos

    coolgeckos Embryo

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    I have a sulcata tortoise and a bearded dragon, both of them love to eat greens and plants, and i would like to grow some for them to eat. What kind of plants are good eating for herps, and where can i get plants/seeds like this? Does anyone have a specific type of plant they grow thats easily grown and enjoyed by their herp? Thanks
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. dianedfisher

    dianedfisher New Member

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    I see kale and all of the lettuces except iceberg mentioned frequently. Turtles usually like strawberries, also. Dandelions are frequently consumed (both flower and leaves). All of these could be grown in your enclosure fairly easily. I would make sure that the items are low in oxalic acid so that you are not feeding an item that will bind with your reptiles calcium and keep them from properly absorbing their calcium.
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. WingedWolf

    WingedWolf Member

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    Lettuces are mentioned, as foods NOT to feed to reptiles. <lol>

    I'm assuming you're looking for suggestions of what to grow in your yard, not in your reptile enclosure...a sulcata would quickly trample just about anything other than an evergreen shrub, and it would probably dig that up. :) Well...established dandelions MIGHT survive. ;)

    Mustard greens, turnip tops, arugula, and collards are all good choices.
    Arugula is very easy to grow, and somewhat weed-like, making it an ideal choice--you can grow a bunch of it, and pick parts off to feed your herps all season. Same with the mustard.
    Dandelions are spectacular food...the leaves are very nutritious and high in calcium, and a lot of herps enjoy the flower heads. You could transplant a few to a special plot in your garden...they are perrenials. :) Just pick off a few leaves, rather than harvesting the whole plant. Pick off all the flower heads, or your neighbors may become irritated, lol.
    Try nasturtiums--they're edible for humans as well (leaves and flowers), and herps that enjoy colorful veggies will appreciate the flowers (I like them myself). They have a spicy, peppery taste, somewhat like the arugula, though I'm not sure what their nutritional profile looks like.

    Consider some less traditional choices--alfalfa, for example. A bit of fresh, green alfalfa, very high in protein and calcium, would be a wonderful choice. More for the beardie than the tortoise, of course, considering the protein level.
    Stinging nettle...yes, you read that right--lightly scalded (which removes the sting) it is edible by both humans and herps, and extremely nutritious. Be sure to scald it--I am not sure if herps will eat scalded nettle, but it's worth a try. Probably not something to deliberately grow unless you have a large property, though, lol.
    Remember--weeds are GOOD. Wild plants are often more nutritious than their domesticated relatives, so an assortment of edible weeds is the best choice for herp food.

    A few more examples--all edible by humans, too, and can be eaten raw unless specified othewise:
    Cattail shoots, chicory flowers, epazote, lamb's quarter (leaves), milk thistle (leaves--remove spines), purslane, sheep's sorrel, shepard's purse.
    Find any of this growing around your property already, and it's little trouble to cultivate it, and harvest bits all season long for your animals. :)

    Strawberries are great, another perrenial, and as pointed out are vastly enjoyed by torts. I would get the everbearing variety, so that they will produce small quantities of fruit from spring to fall. If you have the space for it in your yard, blackberry brambles are another good option--if you hunt I believe there is a thornless variety now.
    Nothing beats a mulberry tree...if you can manage to get your hands on a male and female, that is, the tree is not hermaphroditic, and requires a nearby pollinator. Mulberries are scrumptious, and both you and your herps will love them. They taste somewhat similar to blackberries. It can be messy to own a female mulberry tree, as birds will eat the fruit in quantity, and leave purple droppings all over....but consider the ultimate convenience--the ability to raise your own silkworms with only a small initial investment. :) Mulberry leaves could be frozen for use over the winter.

    Now, doing a few searchs, I found the most FANTASTIC thing for you--look here! http://www.turtlestuff.com/shop/index.php?shop=1&cat=23
    Seeds and seed mixes JUST for turtle owners! :D
    What a wonderful resource!
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. dianedfisher

    dianedfisher New Member

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    Sorry, if I posted incorrect information. I was pretty sure that only iceberg lettuce was considered totally useless as a vegetable and that the other varieties are good sources of nutrition-endive, arugala, bib, etc.
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. wideglide

    wideglide Well-Known Member

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    I think you're thinking of greens instead of lettuces. Romain, iceburg, etc. are lettuces and are not very nutritious.
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. coolgeckos

    coolgeckos Embryo

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    WOWWW, Wingedwolf, haha, that may have been, actually no, it absolutely was the best response i have ever gotten in any thread i have ever posted rlanging from animals, to sports, to home repairs, ect ect... You really know your stuff and i dunno im just kind of awed by the response you gave me. Are you some kind of agricultural expert or something? lol. You should write a book..lol jk. Thanks a lot for taking the time and replying with such a plethora of information, i appreciate it :D :) :D
     
  12. nomad85

    nomad85 Member

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    why not try growing some ficus, or pothos, they are common house plants and are safe for herps to eat.
     
  13. WingedWolf

    WingedWolf Member

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    ...some would say I have too much free time. :)

    Pothos is non-toxic, which means it's not harmful if eaten, but it's not specifically edible...
    Ficus is controversial. Ficus sap is latex-like, and very astringent...this isn't an edible plant, though some chameleons have been cited to eat the leaves without apparent harm.
    But then, some chams have also eaten hibiscus leaves without harm, and they aren't edible either.

    These are all right for use as cover and decoration in a herp enclosure, as they won't harm the animals if they are eaten, but they aren't really suitable for an herbivore's enclosure, nor are they actually good food plants.

    As for the lettuces--bibb, leaf, romaine, iceberg, etc....while romaine is high in calcium FOR A LETTUCE, all lettuces are low in nutritional value, and many are mostly water. Trying to get maximum nutrition into the animals, there's no room for a plant that has so little value...it's better replaced with something that packs more punch.
    There are MUCH better choices among the "salad greens" that aren't lettuces, such as the aforementioned arugula and endive. If you have ever tasted arugula, it has quite a strong, spicy flavor, not like a lettuce at all.
     
  14. dianedfisher

    dianedfisher New Member

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    Thanks for educating me on the difference between lettuce and salad grens. LOL Can you tell I'm not a vegetarian? Also, thanks for the info on freezing mulberry leaves. I have several mulberry trees along my ditch line and planned on using the leaves for silkworm food this summer season, but I didn;t know I could freeze them in the fall and use them later. Many thanks!
     

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