As the weather was quite mild yesterday We had Tilly out in the garden all day with us. She wandered about mouching for food and loved it. However, Although I have always tried to dig things out that I know are not good for tortoises, Tilly managed to find a fox glove and was really tucking in to it when I realised what it was. Now I have read that fox gloves are not good for them and to say I was quite worried was an understatement. I moved her away and swiftly dug it up. But this then lead to a debate between me and Neil. Neil keeps saying that she would not eat things that she were going to hurt her. And it did set me thinking. My old tortoise Toby roamed the garden all day, years ago and I never dug anything out, because I didn't know what would hurt him and what wouldn't. I just assumed he would eat what he could and leave what he couln't. Which actually did seem the case.

Tilly seems absolutely fine, no signs that the fox glove has done her any harm. So my question is, as long as we don't mix known toxins in their food, so they cannnot pick it out for themselves, would a tortoise know if something was good for them or not?

Gail
xx

I like to think they would know, and actually provided they don't injest a lot of the forbidden plant I'm sure it wouldn't do any harm. Most animals have amazing instincts and I don't see why tortoises wouldn't? We have kids (babies) at work that for some strange reason wouldn't touch a certain food, then later on when tests are done they have been found to be highly allergic to it....their own instincts had told them not to touch it for that very reason.

I appreaciate there are some plant's that are highly toxic even in very small doses and for this reason you should always be careful. On this forum a while back one of our members said that they regulary feed buttercups to their tort, now I've always been told that they are toxic I think you have to be cautious (more so with smaller babies) but I'm sure the adult torts will know what they are doing

Hi Gail

Most things that are bad for them will often taste horrid,
Foxgloves however contain Digitalis ( not sure if that is spelt correct) and are known to cause heart attack in humans,not sure about tortoises but not worth the risk,I am sure Tilly will be alright if she only had a bit but maybe fence it off or move it

Helenxx

I would not trust a captive tort to rely on its own instincts when the come across something that they would not even find in their natural habitat. I also dig out anything thats considered not good for them.

I think that might of been me. I say if in doubt, don't feed it or let them near it. (and that includes buttercups) I would be very worried if I found mine tucking in to a Foxglove. 

My Buttercup post, the link below should go straight to it.

I wouldn't trust a tort to know what's good for them either.
post4512.html#p4512

Also The Tortoise Table says "Do Not Feed" Buttercup.
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site ... n&catID=71

I think they are pretty good in terms of wild foods but gardens are full of cultivated plants they would never encounter. My tortoises have eaten things like spurge that I've missed pulling up, thats a euphorbia but no ill effects.

Theres a lot of sniffing going on when new plants are encountered, tortoises have a very complex olafactory system, I'd think they can smell good/bad things in plants.

So little is known about the digestive processes of tortoises and how/if they cope with toxic substances. I've read of Horsfields eating really noxious plants in the wild and of wild Hermanns feasting on Arum Lillies.

Only tip I've got is to keep some active charcoal in the house. If a tortoise eats something toxic, baths and ground up active charcoal in some favoutite food if you can't get to a vet straight away.

Thank you Kirkie, I didn't know about the charcoal, worth remembering .
As to whether or not a tortoise will eat something bad for them, my experience is no, not where wild foods are concerned. I have lost count of the times that after feeding, I go to their dish and there will be the odd Ivy leaf or sometimes a bluebell leaf etc inadvertently gathered when picking their food , but these items have never been touched and have never even had bite marks on them. Of course if they had eaten some I wouldn't have known, the plus side of that is if they have, it has done them no harm!

I think the morale of the story here is, if in doubt pull it out!!!! Better safe than sorry