Can russian tortoise's eat banana peels

Question

Can russian tortoise's eat banana peels

Answer 1

GREENS

Most grocery stores have a decent selection of greens that Russians readily eat. Ideally the greens should be organic and pesticide free. However this is the real world and not all tortoise keepers have access to "ideal" food. So, I have this section as a starting point for a varied diet. The following greens are easily found in my local stores:

Romaine lettuce

Red and green leaf lettuce

Endive

Escarole

Radicchio

Turnip greens

Mustard greens

Kale

Collards

cabbage (on occasion)

Spring Mix (mixed salad greens)

With the above greens one can develop a good diet. Once again (and I can't stress this enough) variety is the key!

Don't feed the same food day in and day out. Mix varieties and choose a different green as the basis every few days.

OTHER GOOD CHOICES

Some other favorites of my tortoises that are available:

Hibiscus (flowers and leaves)

Hibiscus (flowers and leaves)

Hosta

Sedum

Mulberry leaves

Hen and Chicks

Ice Plants

Prickly pear flowers, fruit and pads (burn the spines off)

Dandelion

Plantain (not the banana type fruit....the weed plantago major)

Mallow (flowers and leaves)

Henbit

Rose (flowers and leaves....make sure no systemic pesticides were used)

Chrysanthemum flowers

CornflowersPlagiobothrys ssp

Forsythia (flowers and leaves)

Dayflower  Commelina diffusa (flowers and leaves)

Californian Poppy   escholzia  

Make sure all are pesticide and herbicide free.

AVOID

The following food items should be avoided for a variety of reasons. there are many books and groups that go into great detail...so I won't repeat them here. At the end of the page are a few links).

All fruit (although fruit is often recommended, its sugar content can lead

to parasite blooms....just not worth it) the exception is apples due to the high quantity of pectin....but still not frequently.

Iceberg lettuce

Bok Choy

All grains (including bread, pasta etc)

Dog and cat food

Meat

All human food except what's been listed as "good"

Pellet type foods (An often overlooked factor of pyramiding is grain based diets. These are the pellet food that some claim to be essential to health. They typically contain soy, wheat and or rice. These are high in omega 6 fatty acids which has a negative effect on health. They also have an acidifying effect which causes a leaching of bone. They are high in phytate which binds calcium and other minerals. They also have an unfavorable ca/ph ratio and a low ca/mg ratio which has a negative impact on calcium metabolism. Grains alter Vit D metabolism. Diets high in grains can have a negative impact on bone growth in spite of adequate exposure to sunshine. (http://www.sawellnesscenter.com//nutriti...



ANTI-NUTRIENTS

A number of food items contain chemicals that interfere with a tortoises ability to absorb nutrients from food. Although most food items have some of these...a varied diet can minimize the harmful effects.

Oxalic Acid:

This is a naturally occurring element in many plants and imparts a bitter taste in greens such as mustard greens. This substance binds minerals...the most important being calcium. It binds with minerals which must be eliminated through the kidneys. In large amounts (or in small quantities with improper hydration) can lead to kidney stones and kidney damage. Avoid rhubarb and beet greens.  

Spinach also contains quite a bit of oxalic acid (USDA Nutrient Data Lab.- Oxalic Acid Content of Selected Vegetables http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Da...  However this is offset by the large amount of calcium present in the leaves. There has been some concern over using "spring mix" because it contains spinach. The spinach is only a small portion of the mix and young spinach leaves are much lower in oxalic acid than mature leaves. For additional info visit http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/nutrien...

Phytic Acid:

This is found in high concentration is peas, beans and cereals. This chemical also binds minerals as well as proteins.

Tannins:

Although tannins are beneficial for the most part, in large quantities (as with all anti-nutrients) they bind protein and interfere with digestion.

Purines:

Purines are well known in humans as being a contributing factor in gout. Russian tortoises fed large amounts can develop kidney disease.

Goitrogens:

This compound is implicated in the development of enlarged thyroid glands (Goiters). They interfere with the uptake of iodine. Limit (don't eliminate) the quantities of kale, mustard, and other cruciferous plants.

http://www.exoticpetvet.net/reptile/turt...