Think about it.

[Ozric Jonathan]

We're ranging far and wide in this thread! Great.

Oxalates in dandellions are most concentrated in the stems, followed by the flowers followed by the leaves especially old er ones.

So the oxalate issue can be reduced by not feeding the stems which are full of sap and this sap is apparently oxalate.

What I do is to feed them when I haven't much else around. So I'm not feeding dandellions after about the first week of May because I've got loads of other food plants in the garden.

Does it matter? I don't know. But since CB's horsfields were raised on dandellions and nothing else then maybe this is a load of fuss about nothing.

CB are you feeding cuttle fish bones or using any kind of supplement with calcium in it?

[Suze65]

Originally Posted by Stellanne

It is interesting you are right because dandilion so get a bad press because of the warnings of offering far too many, and also because they tend to grow quickly in the spring I was told there is not much fibre which is also not good. So because of the worry factor I hunt out plantain, which can be described as a 'perfect' tort food, and feed both. My creep always leave the plantain and seek out the dandilion. Plantain is eaten only when it has crisped up in the sun.......which isn't happening much at the moment x x x hugs x x x

Mine get a mix of dandies, plantain, the odd thistle, sticky weed when I can find it and a few white dead nettle , and florette. I don't hold back on the dandies, they do like them best, and they seem to be growing fine and healthy.

[Suze65]

I do tend to pick the stems off the dandie flowers , just because they are like spaghetti and the torts get in a bit of a pickle with them.

[CherryBrandy]

jonathan I literally feed whats in these pots - they sort themselves out.

I am not exaggerating when I say that Papa un chases me out the pen if I don't feed him dandelions. He will go into his house and bash against the wooden wall (don't say anything Gordon !!! ) , it sounds like a hammer against wood until I bring him a dandelion, so its not just the Horsfields. That's no exaggeration , 25 years of dandelions. ( I haven't wet the bed once Mum !!!).

Originally Posted by CherryBrandy

My thoughts are that tortoises can be like

[Alan1]

What I meant was that mine have access to a wide choice of supposed tortoise friendly stuff but eat dandelions all the time until they are all gone. I don't feed them to them they choose to do that so I give them pellets now and again to maybe make up for them not getting what they might or might not need from other plants. Who knows what they actually need, nobody knows for sure. In that dalmation tortoise in the wild article somewhere online it mentions torts being pests to farmers by eating their crops all the time. They will eat what's easiest to come by probably rather than what's good for them.

[CherryBrandy]

Yes, I have Portrait of a tortoise book and Sheltered Life and amazing stories. Timothy lived to about 80 years old, outlived his owners and lived on lettuce it appears grown in the garden of selbourne house. He never had a house and lived 'wild'. I mollycoddle mine too much I know but I cant help it, I love everything about them and wish I had more time on the planet to be with them. CB

[CherryBrandy]

Originally Posted by Alan1

I'm not sure Ed but without your input on here everyone would be doing it the AH way. He will be right about some stuff but an alternative view is always good. ...........

Lot of time for AH, but believe in MHO, to be purist and rightly so when in that area of expertise I suppose. I agree we do need the non cross breeding v cross breeding debates, rightly so to maintain the integrity of the species. I am also drawn though that it's a difficult one to balance.

I am not a purist though and believe TK should be an absolute joy as long as right requirements for the welfare of all are provided. CB

[EJ]

weeeeeeelll... you have a problem there because in the UK backyard tortoise keepers who have been keeping tortoises for before you and me were born(I'm 58)... they didn't care or know what they had. The barn door had been left open long ago.

Originally Posted by CherryBrandy

Lot of time for AH, but believe in MHO, to be purist and rightly so when in that area of expertise I suppose. I agree we do need the non cross breeding v cross breeding debates, rightly so to maintain the integrity of the species. I am also drawn though that it's a difficult one to balance.

I am not a purist though and believe TK should be an absolute joy as long as right requirements for the welfare of all are provided. CB

[CherryBrandy]

I say yes, I think no. of course it could depend on the whether the day in the week ends in a Y. Love a debate though.

[CherryBrandy]

Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan

We're ranging far and wide in this thread! Great.

Oxalates in dandellions are most concentrated in the stems, followed by the flowers followed by the leaves especially old er ones.

So the oxalate issue can be reduced by not feeding the stems which are full of sap and this sap is apparently oxalate.

What I do is to feed them when I haven't much else around. So I'm not feeding dandellions after about the first week of May because I've got loads of other food plants in the garden.

Does it matter? I don't know. But since CB's horsfields were raised on dandellions and nothing else then maybe this is a load of fuss about nothing.

CB are you feeding cuttle fish bones or using any kind of supplement with calcium in it?

morning Jonathan, I have had tortoises since 8 years old, I have never used any supplements. I did lime flour biscuits the other year but it wasn't met with enthusiasm except from one. Cuttle fish from the beach and I wash it off. The Horsfields don't touch it, but the others do. pretty much what's in the garden, off the lawn , home grown and or picked. I have never fed pellets as for me personally I've seen tragic consequences getting stuck, hay also, but not opposed to them per se. CB