25-10-2014, 08:12 AM | #1 |
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Fruit
Hello everyone! I'm new here. I have a 5 year old Hermanns tortoise called Hermy. After finding this forum I'm learning more and more about what he can eat and he's having so much more variety in his diet! I just have one question. I was reading up on them the other day and it says in the wild in summer when flowers are not available they eat berries and fruit. Does anyone feed their tortoise fruit? Is it safe to give them an odd strawberry every now and again?
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25-10-2014, 10:11 AM | #2 |
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The odd strawberry is fine but only as a rare treat should not be part of the regular diet
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25-10-2014, 12:40 PM | #3 |
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Egg
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I imagined it would be a rare treat. A bit like chocolate for us it's just fun to let him try different things that I know are safe
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26-10-2014, 08:18 AM | #4 |
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if you think about when any fruit is in season then the odd bit at that time won't do any harm its when its available all year in the shops that the problems occur. We had a fig tree where we used to live and my adult female Ibera would really relish any that fell on the ground but again it was just at that time she was left all sticky but she did love one. I used to give a bit of pumpkin in october and believe them to be a natural wormer but stick to the seasons for natural wild growing things and you won't go wrong.
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26-10-2014, 09:37 AM | #5 |
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Egg
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I didn't know they could eat pumpkin! Which part? The skin part or the pulp (I've never eaten pumpkin) I don't intend to go crazy on fruits just a little treat every now and again thank you for your advice
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26-10-2014, 11:53 AM | #6 | |
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Quote:
A much better treat for your tortoise would be a suitable flower:0) Fruit can upset gut flora:0)
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26-10-2014, 01:03 PM | #7 |
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Egg
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Hi sandy, I try to add as many flowers in as I can to his diet, I've just grown pansies which he has now demolished and he has all the weed flowers I can find
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26-10-2014, 03:56 PM | #8 |
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I used to buy the smallest pumpkin as poss and just used the flesh, I'd microwave it a few seconds to soften it and they have a small portion the rest would keep a few days in the fridge, I've also read that grated carrot is also a natural wormer. I don't know how reliable it is as a wormer but it was worth a go once year when pumpkins are in the shops the torts weren't particulary keen but pumpkins are cheap enough and they'd have a nibble. My female adult Ibera did like a bit of grated carrot though but variety in the diet is the way to go and there are plenty of different plants/leaves/flowers that can fed, when hubby grew marrows/squashes etc the torts did love the flowers and raddish leaves.
Last edited by Pussygalore; 26-10-2014 at 04:00 PM. |
26-10-2014, 04:23 PM | #9 |
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During the year, campanula, snapdragons, aubrietia, dandelion, pansies, hibiscus, lavatera, (sp) evening primrose, rose petals, mallow, welsh poppies just to name a few:0)
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26-10-2014, 04:24 PM | #10 |
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I agree with Sandy, I don't give any fruit. They can have butternut squash( cooked so it's soft )
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