Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi! You guys have sure been helpful with the good links you have posted. My question has to do with wild mosses and the like out of our local streams and the lake which is just north of me. I visit there often with my dog and today I noticed different types of water plants growing in the back eddies there. Is it safe to take a small amount of these plants home for the box turtle if I rinse them well in say, water with Oxine in it?

I'm thinking of parasites and what not. Don't want to introduce them to the habitat. What do you think? Thanks so much...

LQ

What do you think?

With all the different kinds of food (plant and animal) available commercially (grocery stores), why chance harming your turtle with an unknown item?
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

LQ, I give my box turtles wild foods that I collect all the time, from earthworms, cicadas, wild persimmons and mushrooms but I have never given them water plants. I know some streams are badly polluted from PCB's. You can't wash that off But if you think the plants are safe you can try it.
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Tess
Kingsnake.com Forum Host

Food for thought. Thanks much to you guys.

Happy New Year! LQ

I give my box turtles wild foods that I collect all the time, from earthworms, cicadas,

Well, now I feel stupid. I was thinking only PLANTS when I responded, and I don't feed my turtles wild vegetation because plant ID is not my forte. I DO feed mine grasshoppers, cicadas, and other insects I catch!

wild persimmons and mushrooms

I think I'd be even worse at mushroom ID than plant ID, but from what I remember, turtles are more tolerant of various mushrooms than humans are, yes?
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet