horsfield help please (diet)

drkris24 · 09-03-2009, 07:17 PM

hi there
just purchased a horsfield from a local pet store , he is a 2 yr old male .Ihave him in an indoor enclose with a heat lamp ,also have a mixture of sand /soil for the bottom , recently i started giving him weeds from the garden , unfortunatley he was sick ect so stopped this for a week or 2 , what im really after is some good advice on what to feed him as there are so many different opinions and websites that conflict with one another. also can i put hey in his enclosure
many thanks

sandy · 09-03-2009, 07:45 PM

You have to be careful which weeds you feed, as some are toxic. Go to www.tortoises.net for a great list with pictures. Also check out the weed/plant section here too.
He/she shouldnt be fed fruit as it upsets gut flora. Veggies also can stop the absorbtion of calcium to the bones, so a no no.
There are plenty of weeds around at the moment, bittercress, dandelions, sowthistle, mallow etc. You have to go out and find them, or grow them yourself.

anna m · 10-03-2009, 05:39 PM

Grow your own weeds is probably best
Any good dandilions I see now are next to a busy road with lots of traffic = polution so I don't pick them
It takes such an age to grow them though, nothing much is happening at the moment and I keep having to mix with cucumber or Romain lettuce

jayne2942 · 10-03-2009, 07:57 PM

hi,
At the moment one of the main weeds is dandelion,nettles are also about but be careful when picking,also dock leaves i have picked today,it will improve soon with the weeds,there is a good list of weeds and also pictures so you can identify them.Always wash them well because of insecticide sprays.
jayne

anna5471 · 23-03-2009, 04:48 PM

i thought dock leaves were toxic i could be wrong but i am sure i have seen then on the none edible list

ME SHELL · 23-03-2009, 04:51 PM

yep dock leaves are toxic I'm sure

jayne2942 · 23-03-2009, 06:31 PM

Hi,one forum said dock leaves were okay my tort loves them but now since hearing on this site that they are toxic and high in oxalic acid i have stopped giving,what should we believe.
Jayne

**16 shells** · 23-03-2009, 09:44 PM

Hi Jane i would stop feeding Docks
Paul

Mel · 23-03-2009, 11:22 PM

Hi,
The weeds here are just starting to grow again. The ones I planted last year have gone all through the winter and are really picking up again. There are loads of sweet nettles,sticky bud, clover, dandies, milk and sow thistles about. Also pansies are good, and sedum is just starting to come back

welshlass22 · 24-03-2009, 08:35 AM

Also if its a horsefield id change the substrate to just soil because my horsefield had terrible trouble withthe sand irritatin his eyes and would always have swollen eyes. They don't like it, because they tend to dig alot and the grains of the sand gets in their eyes.

09-03-2009, 07:17 PM	#1
drkris24 Junior Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1	horsfield help please (diet) hi there just purchased a horsfield from a local pet store , he is a 2 yr old male .Ihave him in an indoor enclose with a heat lamp ,also have a mixture of sand /soil for the bottom , recently i started giving him weeds from the garden , unfortunatley he was sick ect so stopped this for a week or 2 , what im really after is some good advice on what to feed him as there are so many different opinions and websites that conflict with one another. also can i put hey in his enclosure many thanks

09-03-2009, 07:45 PM	#2
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	You have to be careful which weeds you feed, as some are toxic. Go to www.tortoises.net for a great list with pictures. Also check out the weed/plant section here too. He/she shouldnt be fed fruit as it upsets gut flora. Veggies also can stop the absorbtion of calcium to the bones, so a no no. There are plenty of weeds around at the moment, bittercress, dandelions, sowthistle, mallow etc. You have to go out and find them, or grow them yourself. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

23-03-2009, 04:48 PM	#5
anna5471 Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: lincolnshire Posts: 50	i thought dock leaves were toxic i could be wrong but i am sure i have seen then on the none edible list __________________ annalou x

23-03-2009, 09:44 PM	#8
16 shells Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hull Posts: 7,286	Hi Jane i would stop feeding Docks Paul __________________ Paul.

24-03-2009, 08:35 AM	#10
welshlass22 Senior Member Adult Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cardiff Posts: 2,260	Also if its a horsefield id change the substrate to just soil because my horsefield had terrible trouble withthe sand irritatin his eyes and would always have swollen eyes. They don't like it, because they tend to dig alot and the grains of the sand gets in their eyes. __________________ Joanna

10-03-2009, 05:39 PM	#3
anna m Senior Member Adult Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 4,091	Grow your own weeds is probably best Any good dandilions I see now are next to a busy road with lots of traffic = polution so I don't pick them It takes such an age to grow them though, nothing much is happening at the moment and I keep having to mix with cucumber or Romain lettuce

10-03-2009, 07:57 PM	#4
jayne2942 Member Hatchling Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: WALSALL WOOD,WALSALL Posts: 567	hi, At the moment one of the main weeds is dandelion,nettles are also about but be careful when picking,also dock leaves i have picked today,it will improve soon with the weeds,there is a good list of weeds and also pictures so you can identify them.Always wash them well because of insecticide sprays. jayne

23-03-2009, 04:51 PM	#6
ME SHELL Senior Member Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 8,484	yep dock leaves are toxic I'm sure

23-03-2009, 06:31 PM	#7
jayne2942 Member Hatchling Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: WALSALL WOOD,WALSALL Posts: 567	Hi,one forum said dock leaves were okay my tort loves them but now since hearing on this site that they are toxic and high in oxalic acid i have stopped giving,what should we believe. Jayne

23-03-2009, 11:22 PM	#9
Mel Member Hatched Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Norfolk Posts: 320	Hi, The weeds here are just starting to grow again. The ones I planted last year have gone all through the winter and are really picking up again. There are loads of sweet nettles,sticky bud, clover, dandies, milk and sow thistles about. Also pansies are good, and sedum is just starting to come back

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