Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering if it it okay for tortoises to eat ground ivy. IT is in my yard, everywhere, and since it is so easy to grow, i thought it would be easy to feed a tortoise. Here is a picture at the link.

http://aggie-turf.tamu.edu/answers4you/grasswee/broadlf/groundivy.jpg

thanks!
-----
Paullywog

If it has scales or smooth wet skin... snatch it!!!

I think I saw somewhere that ivy is poisonous. You might want to check out some websites on edible food for torts. Just type in your search box "edible plants for tortoises" and it should come up with some sites. Good luck!
-----
Becki

1 Husband
4 kids
2 Hermans
1 Dog
2 Finches
2 Betta
1 Cat

I just wondered because i saw a pic of a tortoise near that or smething incredibly like it. I dont know the scientific name, so it will probly be harder to find out.
-----
Paullywog

If it has scales or smooth wet skin... snatch it!!!

Hummm...I wonder what kind of plant it was. I just checked a few sites and they listed all kinds of ivy and they were all listed as poisonous to torts. So I think I would keep your tort away from them.
-----
Becki

1 Husband
4 kids
2 Hermans
1 Dog
2 Finches
2 Betta
1 Cat

YES, I think so. My yard is full of ivy too and I would not let my tortoise near it.

I found the following list in the California Turtle and Tortoise Club website. As you see many types of the ivy family are on the list.

Poison Plants - go immediately to the vet if your tortoise eats one of these.
· Arrowhead Vine (Syngonium podophyllum)
· Azalea (Rhododendron occidentale)
· Begonia
· Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)
· Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)
· Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)
· Buttercup family (Ranunculus species)
· Caladium
· Calla Lily (Zantedeschia species)
· Candytuft (Iberis)
· Castor Bean (Ricinus communis)
· Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)
· Chinaberry (Melia azedarach)
· Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea)
· Crowfoot (Ranunculus sceleratus)
· Cyclamen
· Daffodil (Narcissus)
· Dianthus
· Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia amoena)
· Elephant's Ear (Caladium)
· Euphorbia
· Ficus Benjamina
· Fiddleleaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)
· Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
· Gardenia
· Grape Ivy (Cissus rhombifolia)
· Heart Ivy (Hedera helix)
· Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)
· Holly (Ilex)
· Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis)
· Ivy (Hedera helix)
· Jerusalem Cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum)
· Juniper (Juniperus species)
· Lantana (Lantana camara)
· Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus africanus)
· Lily of the Valley (Convallaria species)
· Lobelia
· Majesty (Philodendron hastatum)
· Marigold (Tagetes species)
· Mistletoe (Phorodendron flavescens)
· Morning Glory (Ipomoea species)
· Mother-in-Law Plant (Caladium)
· Mother-in-Law Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)
· Mushrooms
· Needlepoint Ivy (Hedera helix)
· Nephthytis (Syngonium podophyllum)
· Nightshade (Solanum nigrum)
· Oleander (Nerium oleander)
· Parlor Ivy (Philodendron cordatum)
· Periwinkle (Vinca species)
· Philodendron
· Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
· Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
· Pyracanthra
· Rhododendron (Ericaceae)
· Rosary Bean (Abrus precatarius)
· Rubber Tree (Ficus elastica decora)
· Schefflera
· Shasta Daisy (Chrysanthemum maximum)
· Spider Mum (Chrysanthemum morifolium)
· Split Leaf Philodendron (Monstera deliciosa)
· String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus or S. herreinus)
· Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)
· Umbrella Tree (Schefflera actinophylla)

courtesy of Califrnia Turtle and Tortoise Club

Anyway, when in doubt, don't feed it to him/her.

TT

I had a redfoot who loved to munch on pothos & never showed any ill effects from it. I always had ivy in the pen & she never tried to eat it. Contrary to popular belief, a tortoise wont eat everything it encounters & they seem to know what is & isn't good for them.
-----

I would agree with Dave. In the wild, they avoid poisonous plants pretty well. It's okay to be protective but these animals have not lived millions of years on their own for no reason. Now, when rat poison, fertilizer and weed killer enter the picture, clearly human intervention is in order.

I find that my torts will test bite in a new outdoor habitat enclosure, but in the long run, they determine what is edible and what is not.

P

Thanks for the clarification. It's not my intention to spread ignorance but the information out there is so contradictory...! What to do?

Personally I don't know anything about plants... I'm trying to learn thanks to Toto... My lawn and plants don't have any fertilizer, poisons, weed killers or chemicals. It doesn't look great but I am so paranoid about pesticides and other chemicals and their effects on animals/pets and people that I rather have an ugly lawn...

When Toto was a baby he eat everuthing he could find. He tried to eat the cat's food, kibbles, paper, rocks, etc. I had to watch him every minute if I took him out. Now he seems to have learned what he is supposed to eat, but he still tries to eat rocks.

My 2 turtle-cents

TT

Many Ivy like English Ivy which is commonly found in landscapes technically has poisonous qualities, but I've found my turtles and tortoises show no interest in it. Ground Ivy is a weed indigenous to many areas including Connecticut, where I currently live.

My tortoises consume a lot of it and it's perfectly fine, as is the following:
wild violet (heartshaped leaves)
lady's fingers (little pink flowers)
plantain weed (both kinds, narrow&broad leaf)
Goosegrass
Chickweed
mallow
wild primrose
yarrow

All of the above weeds are quite common in many areas in the Eastern US, especially up here in the NE. I have so much of it that my torts had weeds and grass as a staple from June through Oct.

Here's a link to a good list to work from. For all you Floridians, Kudzu is edible and I know you got lots of that!

Hope this helps.

Paul
Edible stuff

I am not sure if this thread is still alive, but the picture you linked to is of Creeping Charlie, which was on the list that someone else posted of poisonous ivys.

It is really hard stuff to get rid of, since it reroots and sprouts trailers constantly. With continuoud, and dilligent weeding though it can be removed by hand. I spent an entire summer wrestling with the stuff when I was in grad school doing odd jobs.

I hope that identification is a little helpful. It will make it a lot easier to find its real name, and if you are getting into gardening, it is good to know what stuff like that is!!

Elizabeth
-----
1.0 Mali Uro Archimedes
0.0.1 Egyptian Uro Zuberi Mosca Khu (Mosca)
0.0 Fish
0.1 Sulcata Minnie
1.1 Iguanas Flik and Loki
0.1 Newfoundland Jasmine
0.1 Feline Winter
Indiana & Wisconsin

...aha..and for all your poor primates out there: eats your hearts out...

Well if anyones reading, this stuff is in the shady part of my yard. It takes a lot of the yard up, but there are places where it is not growing. Thanks for the repliesl!
-----
Paullywog

If it has scales or smooth wet skin... snatch it!!!