Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all!

Just curious to know if beets and turnips, along with thier stalks and leaves are healthy foods for a tortoise. If so, are either a high source of anything specific?

Thanks,
-Kory

Calcium for Turnips.They dry out fast.I soak them first.If they dont like,I put a little smell good stuff like cooked sweet patato.Vic

Hey Vic!

Thanks for the tip. I didn't realize that you "hang-out" here. Are the leaves off of the tops of beets ok to give my little Phayrei? I've recently included the root portion into my diet, and thought that I'd see if it's safe to share the rest with my tortoise. I read that the root is high in oxalates... which blocks calcium absorption... so I'll not be feeding the root to him for sure.

When you say turnip... Do you mean the root or the leaves, or both?

BTW, I was guessing at his size, he is actually 5 1/2 inches overall length, not 6 1/2-7 inches long. I guess I'm getting a little bit anxious.

Thanks,
-Kory

Kori,I dont hang here to much,but every now and then i scroll down to see if anyone talking Mt.Torts. I dont feed the bulb but the stems and leafs yes.Turnips are not their fave but as I understand the animals absorbes more from eating the plant with some calcium than when you dust with calcium.Nutrishion is one of those subjects that the more you know the less you know,it goes on and on and gets complacated and contridicting.Like the calcium D3 thing, how could that work? The animals system has to make it in the blood with UV for it to bind with the bones.In the wild Manouria both ssp eat a lot of what we call Elephant ears or Toro.In Asia its Calocasia and Alocasia.Read what the books say about them! Vic

I had a Burmese once. He mowed down the Elephant Ears as fast as a lawnmower. I feed that stuff to my aquatic turtles. Is the nutrition/calcium value good on Elephant Ears/Taro?

The Burmese was an import about 10 inches SLCL. Had good weight when I bought him.
He died in August or Sept. What's your best guess what killed him, besides my ignorance?
1) I've heard they like it cool. It gets real hot here in late summer (Austin, TX). Could it have been the heat?
2) Would a Burmese Mt. Tortoise normally eat land snails as a part of their diet? It's possible some baited (poisoned) snails got into my yard from my neighbor's yard.
3) Is it possible the tortoise was overcome by an existing population of internal parasites due to stress?

jsc