Plants that are NOT good for your animals

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We are often asked what plants can turtles and tortoises eat. Very little research has been carried out into poisonings in Chelonia, compared with that done on poisonings in humans, other mammals, fish, and birds.

In the absence of definitive research, we felt it was easier to create a list of plants that are NOT good for your animals…. and probably your kids too. (That is a joke)’

It is a fact that tortoises often don’t know which foods are good to eat and which are not. There is some written evidence of tortoises dying after eating plants such as Buttercups, Daffodils, and Foxgloves.

We do find that tortoises can eat a wider range of plants than humans. As turtles can eat more plant varieties then tortoises. Evolution is an amazing thing.

Other Poisonous Plant Facts:

• As few as 20 holly berries would be fatal to a human child, but birds such as cedar waxwings, mockingbirds, American robins, etc. eat them just fine.
• The Monarch butterfly, of course, is well-known for exclusively eating toxic milkweed in order to concentrate the toxins in its own body, rendering the adult butterfly bitter and poisonous to other animals.
• Deer browse on plants like skunk cabbage and false hellebore.

  

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• One tiny bite of skunk cabbage would leave a burning sensation in the human mouth for hours.
• Lots of animals eat acorns, raw, right out of the shell. Humans can eat them, but only after they’ve been washed repeatedly in water to remove the tannins – the nuts are toxic to us due to the high level of tannins, prior to that treatment (not to mention, too bitter to be palatable).
• Deadly nightshade, aka belladonna – a plant that will cause hallucinations, delerium, and death in humans. Only two berries will kill a child, and 10 to 20 will kill a healthy adult. Eating a single leaf may prove fatal. Cattle, horses, goats, sheep, and rabbits munch it down with impunity (though many of our pets may be killed by it as well)

How do I know if my plant is poisonous?

Try to identify all the plants that you have in your garden or yard.  Make a list of their names and look them up on our website for a guide as to their safety.

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Also, you may take a large cutting of the plant (including the flower where possible), to your local garden center or nursery and ask them to identify it for you.  Once your plants have been identified, always write their Latin names down alongside the common name.

This is important as sometimes different plants share the same common names and can only be accurately identified by their Latin name.

*Different plant lists may give varying opinions as to the safety of certain plants for reptiles.  It is, therefore, our responsibility to learn which plants are toxic and may poison our animals.

Toxic Plants Include

Acokanthera – Acokanthera spp. (all parts toxic, except ripe fruit)
Amaryllis – Amaryllis spp.
Angel’s Trumpet – Datura spp., (leaves, seeds, flowers)
Apricot – Prunus armeniaca (pits, leave and bark)
Apple – Malus spp., (seeds, leaves, bark)
Avocado – Persea Americana (pit, leaves, unripe fruit, stems)
Azalea – Rhododendron canadenis
Balsam Pear, Bitter Melon – Momordica charantia
Baneberry – Actaea rubra, A. pachypoda
Belladonna – Atropa belladonna
Bird of Paradise – Poinciana and related spp. (seed pods and flowers)
Bittersweet – Celastrus spp.
Black Locust – Robinia pseudoacacia
Boxwood – Boxus spp.
Braken Fern – Pteridium aquilinum
Buckthorn – Karwinskia humboldtiana and related spp.
Burdock – Arctium spp.
Buttercup – Ranunculus spp.
Caladium – Caladium spp.
Calla Lily – Zantedeschia aethiopica
Catclaw Acacia – Acacia greggii (twigs and leaves)
Caster Bean – Ricinus communis
Cherry – Prunus spp. (pits, leaves and bark)
Chinaberry – Melia azadarach
Clematis – Clematis montana and related spp.
Coral Plant – Jatropha mutifida
Crocus (autumn) – Cholochicumautumnale
Cycad or Sago Cycas – Cycas revoluta
Daffodil – Narcissus tazetta
Daphne – Daphne mezerum
Death Camas – Zigadenus venenosus and other related species
Delphinium – Delphinium spp.
Devil’s Ivy – Epipremnum aureum
Dieffenbachia (dumb cane) – Dieffenbachia spp.
Eggplant – Solonummelongena (unripe/ripe fruit, leaves)
Elderberry – Sambucus mexicana (roots, leaves, stems, bark)
Elephant’s Ears or Taro – Colocasia spp.
Euonymus – Euonymus spp. (filit, bark, leaves)
European Pennyroyal – Mentha pulegium
Figs – Ficus spp. (sap)
Four o’clock – Mirabilis jalapa
Heliotrope – Heliotropium spp. (leaves)
Henbane – Hyoscyamus niger
Holly – Ilex aquifolium and related spp. (leaves, berries)
Horse Chestnut – Aesculus hippocastanum and related spp.
Horse Nettle – Solanum carolinense
Hyacinth – Hyacinthus orientalis
Hydrangea – Hydrangea spp.
Iris – Iris spp.
Ivy (Boston, English and some others) – Hedera spp.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit – Arisaema spp.
Jerusalem Cherry – Solanum pseudocapsicum and related spp. (leaves, seeds and flowers)
Jonquil – Narcissus jonquilla
Juniper – Juniperus spp. 
Lantana – Lantana camara
Larkspur – Delphinium spp.
Laurel – Kalmia spp.
Lily-of-the-Valley – Convalleriamajalis
Lobelia – Lobelia spp.
Locoweed – Astragalus spp. and Oxytopis spp.
Lupine – Lupinus spp.
Marijuana – Cannabis sativa
Milkweed – Asclepias spp.
Mistletoe – Phoradendron villosum
Mock Orange – Philadelphus spp.
Moonseed – Menispermum canadense
Monkshood – Aconitum spp.
Morning Glory – Ipomoea violacea (seeds)
Mushrooms – Amanita spp. And many others
Narcissus – Narcissus spp.
Oak – Quercus spp.
Oleander – Nerium oleander
Peach – Prunus persica (leaves, pit, bark)
Pear – Pyrus spp. (leaves, seeds, bark)
Peony – Paeonia officinalis
Periwinkle – Vinca minor, Vinca rosea
Peyote – Lophophora williamsii
Philodendron – Philodendron spp. and Monstera spp.
Plum – Prunus spp. (leaves, pit, bark)
Poison Hemlock – Conium maculatum
Poison Ivy – Toxicodendron radicans, includes T. rydbergii
Poison Oak – Toxicodendron querciflium and T. diversilobum
Poison Sumac – Rhux vernix
Poinsettia – Euphorbia pulcherrima
Poppy – Papaver somniferum and related spp.
Pokeweed – Phytolacca Americana
Potato – Solanum tuberosum (sprouts, leaves, berries, green tubers)
Pothos – Eprimemnum aureum
Primrose – Prmula spp.
Privet – Ligustrum vulgare
Ragwort – Senecio jacobea and related spp.
Red Maple – Acer rubrum
Rhododendron – Rhododendron spp.
Rhubarb – Rheum rhabarbarum (leaves)
Rosary Pea – Abrus precatorius
Sage – Salvia officinalis
Shamrock Plant – Medicago lupulina, Trifolium repens, Oxalis acetosella
Skunk Cabbage – Symplocarpus foetidus
Snowdrop – Galanthus nivalis
Sorrel – Rumex spp., Oxalis spp.
Spurges – Euphorbia spp. 
Star of Bethlehem – Ornithogalum umbellatum
Sweet Pea – Lathyrus odoratus
Tobacco – Nicotiania spp.
Tomato – Lycopersicon esculentum (stems and leaves)
Tulip – Tulipa spp.
Virginia Creeper – Panthenocissus quinquefolia
Vetches – Vicia spp.
Water Hemlock – Cicuta spp.
Waxberry – Symphoricarpos albus
Wisteria – Wisteria spp.
Yew – Taxus spp.

What Makes Them Toxic?

Oxalates: these plants contain oxalate salts. Contact with the sap can cause burning, swelling and pain. Treatment includes rinsing mouth and washing skin with mild soap and water. Monitor for difficulty swallowing and/or breathing and drooling. Monitor for irritation, swelling or blistering of mouth and oral tissues.

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Toxic or Potentially Toxic: These plants can be toxic to varying degrees and should be considered with caution. Toxic effects can range from mild irritation to severe organ damage. Call poison control or your veterinarian if you think your pet ingested these plants.

Dermatitis: contact with sap can cause skin rash, itching or irritation. Rinse with water and if irritation persists, contact your veterinarian.

Unknown: Suspected toxicity but information incomplete. If contact or ingestion occurs contact poison control and your veterinarian.

What to do if you think your animal might have been poisoned?

Seek immediate veterinary advice

Always keep your veterinary contact details near your telephone as this will save time in an emergency.  If you know what your animal has eaten, take the plant or any packaging with you to the vet, as this will help him/her decide what the poison is and the type of treatment that your tortoise will need.

Urgent veterinary help is essential when showing symptoms of acute poisoning

The signs of poisoning do vary and can include some or all of the following:  respiratory distress, excess salivation, choking, vomiting, tremors, convulsions or paralysis. 

As death may occur as a result of poisoning, ensure there is no delay in getting your tortoise to a specialist reptile vet for immediate treatment.

Some poisons work quickly, with catastrophic effects, and some work slowly, causing damage as they gradually accumulate in the body.

With cumulative poisoning, the symptoms may include the tortoise showing signs of muscular weakness, the tortoise unable to lift itself to walk or unable to walk, and gastrointestinal upset including diarrhea.

Do not attempt to diagnose a case of poisoning yourself: specialist veterinary help should be sought as a matter of urgency.

If the poisoning is one that is cumulative, the tortoise should make a good recovery if the offending poison is removed, the tortoise is kept well hydrated and is fed on safe food so that the toxins can be eliminated from the liver and out of the body.

Some Plants Have EdibleParts!

PLANT NAME	SCIENTIFIC NAME	PLANT TYPE	EDIBLE PARTS
Agave	Agave sp.	Succulent	Entire Plant
Alfalfa	Medicago sativia	Common Weeds	Entire Plant
Aloe	Aloe sp.	Succulent	Entire Plant
Alyssum , Sweet	Lobularia maritima	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Arizona Cottontop Grass	Digitaria sp.	Grasses	Entire Plant
Arugula	Eruca sativa	Herbs	Leaves, Flowers
Asperagus Fern	Asperagus setaceus & plumosis	Ferns	Leaves
Aster	Aster sp.	Cultivated Plants	Leaves
Baby’s tears, Irish Moss	Soleirolia soleirolii	Cultivated Plants	Leaves
Bamboo Muhly Grass	Muhlenbergia dumosa	Grasses	Entire Plant
Banana	Musa sp.	Tree/Shrub	leaves, fruit
Barnyardgrass	Echinochloa crus & galli	Grasses	Leaves
Basil	Ocimum basilicum	Herbs	Leaves
Begonias	Begonia sp.	Succulent	Leaves, flowers
Bentgrasses	Agrostis sp.	Grasses	Leaves
Bermuda	Cynodon dactylon	Grasses	Leaves
Big Bluestem	Andropogon gerardi	Grasses	Leaves
Bindweed	Convolvulus sp. & Calystegia sp.	Common Weeds	Leaves
Birds Nests Fern	Asplenium nidus	Cultivated Plants	Leaves
Birdsfoot Trefoil	Lotus corniculatus	Common Weeds	Leaves
Bittercress	Cardamine hirsuta & flexuosa	Common Weeds	Leaves
Black mustard	Brassica Nigra	Common Weeds	Entire Plant
Blessed Thistle	Cnicus benedictus	Common Weeds	Leaves
Blue grama grass	Bouteloua gracilis	Grasses	Leaves
Bluedicks	Dichelostemma pulchellum	Desert Wildflower
Bluegrass, annual	Poa annua	Grasses
Boston Fern	Nephrolepsis exalta	Ferns
Bottle Brush	Callistemon	Cultivated Plants
Bouganvillea	Bouganvillea sp.	Cultivated Plants
Brome	Bromus sp.	Grasses
Bromeliads	Family Bromeliaceae	Cultivated Plants
Buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum	Common Weeds
Buffalo grass	Stenotaphrum secondatum	Grasses
Buffelgrass	Cenchrus ciliaris	Grasses
Bugleweed	Ajuga reptans	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Butterfly Bush	Buddleja sp.	Common Weeds
California Buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum	Tree/Shrub
California Filago	Filago californica	Common Weeds
Canarygrass, littleseed	Phalaris minor	Grasses
Carnation	Dianthus caryophyllus	Cultivated Plants
Cassia	Senna sp.	Trees/Shrubs	Entire Plant
Cat’s ears	Hypochoeris  sp.	Common Weeds
Cattle Spinach	Atriplex polycarpa	Tree/Shrub
Chamomile	Chamaemelum nobile	Cultivated Plants	Flowers
Chickweed	Cerastium vulgatum & arvense	Common Weeds
Chicory	Cichorium sp.	Common Weeds	Flowers, Leaves, Roots
Chinese Lantern	Abutilon hybridum	Cultivated Plants	Flowers
Chrysanthemum	Chrysanthemum sp.	Cultivated Plants	Flowers
Chufa, or Yellow Nut Grass	Cyperus esculentus	Grasses
Cinnamon fern	Osumunda cinnamomea	Ferns
Climbing Nasturtium, Garden Nasturium, Indian Cress	Tropaeolum majus	Vines
Clover	Trifolium repens & pratense	Common Weeds
Coleus	Coleus sp.	Cultivated Plants
Common greenbrier, Catbrier	Silax roundfolia & sp.	Common Weeds
Common Sorrel	Rumex sp. & Oxalis sp.	Common Weeds
Coneflower (purple)	Echinacea sp. (Rudbeckia)	Common Weeds
Coreopsis	Coreopsis giganta & tinctoria & atkinsoniana & calliopsidea	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, flowers
Corn Plant	Dracaena fragrans	Cultivated Plants
Cornflower or Bachelor’s Buttons	Plagiobothrys sp.	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, flowers
Cotyledon orbiculata	Family Crassulaceae, Cotyledon orbiculata	Common Weeds	Flowers, Leaves
Couchgrass	Agropyon repens	Grasses
Crabgrass	Digitaria sanguinalis	Grasses
Creeping Bell	Campanula rapunculoides	Common Weeds	Flower
Creeping Charlie	Pilea nummulariifolia	Vines
Creeping Jenny	Lysimachia nummlaria	Vines
Curly Mesquite Grass	Hilaria belangeri	Grasses	Entire Plant
Dahlia	Dahlia pinnata & rosea	Cultivated Plants
Daisy, English	Bellis perennis	Cultivated Plants/Common Weeds	flowers
Dandelion	Taraxacum officinale,  Agoseris aurantiaca	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers, Roots
Day Lilies (NOT Easter or Tiger Lilies!)	Hemerocallis sp.	Cultivated Plants
Dayflower	Commelina diffusa	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Deadnettle, Red or Purple	Lamium purpurem	Common Weeds
Deer Grass	Muhlenbergia rigens	Grasses	Entire Plant
Desert Dandelion	Malacothrix glabrata	Common Weed
Desert Four-O’Clock	Mirabelis spectabalis	Desert Wildflower	Entire Plant
Desert Rose	Adenium obesum	Succulent
Dichondra, Wonderlawn	Dichondra repens	Cultivated Plants/Common Weeds	leaves, flowers
Dock	Rumex sp.	Common Weeds	Flowers, Leaves, Roots
Echinacea	Echinacea sp.	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Endives	Cichorium sp.	Common Weeds
Evening Primrose	Oenothera biensis	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Evening Primrose, Cut-leaved	Oenothera laciniata	Common Weeds
Fennel	Foeniculum sp.	Herbs
Fern Acacia	Acacia angustissima	Trees/Shrubs	Flowers
Fescue, Blue	Festuca glauca	Grasses
Fescue, Tall	Festuca arundinacea	Grasses
Field mustard	Brassica rapa	Common Weeds	Entire Plant
Fig Tree	Moraceae	Tree/Shrub	leaves, fruit
Filaree	Erodium cicutarium	Common Weeds
Flowering Maple	Abutilon sp.	Succulent	all
Forsythia	Forsythia sp.	Tree/Shrub
Fuschia	Fuschia sp.	Cultivated Plants
Gazania	Gazania sp.	Cultivated Plants	leaves, flowres
Geranium	Pelargonium sp.	Cultivated Plants	leaves, flowers
German chamomile	Matricaria chamomilla	Cultivated Plants	Flowers
Globe Mallows	Sphaeralcea sp.	Common Weeds	Entire Plant
Goat Head	Tribulus terrestris	Common Weed
Golden bamboo or fishpole bamboo	Phyllostachys aurea	Tree/Shrub
Goosegrass	Eleusine indica	Grasses
Grape Vine	Family Vitaceae & Berberidaceae	Cultivated Plants/Vines	leaves, fruit, Flowers
Ground ivy	Glechoma hederacea	Vines
Guava Tree	Psidium guajava	Tree/Shrub	Leaves
Hawkbits	Leontodon ssp	Common Weeds
Hawk’s Beards	Crepis biennis & capilallaris	Common Weeds
Haworthia reinwardtii	Haworthia reinwardtii	Succulent
Heather	Ericaceae	Tree/Shrub	leaves, flowers
Hen and Chicks	Echeveria sp.	Succulent	all
Hen and Chicks , Houseleeks	Sempervivum sp.	Succulent	leaves, flowers
Henbit	Lamium amplexicaule	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Hibiscus	Hibicus rosa & sinensis & syriacus	Tree/Shrub	Leaves, Flowers
Hollyhock	Alcea rosea	Cultivated Plants	flowers
Honesty	Lunaria annua	Common Weeds	Root, Seed
Honeysuckle	Lonicera interrupta & japonica & periclymenum & caprifolium	Common Weeds/Vines	Leaves, Flowers
Honeysuckle, Desert	Anisacanthus thurberi	Desert Wildflower	Entire Plant
Hosta	Hosta sp.	Cultivated Plants	leaves, flowers
Ice plants	Mesembryanthemaceae family	Succulent
Impatiens	Impatiens glandulifera	Cultivated Plants	leaves, flowers, seeds
Indian Ricegrass	Oryzopsis hymenoides	Grasses
Jasmine	Jasminum officinale & grandifloum	Cultivated Plants
Johnny-Jump-Up	Viola tricolor	Cultivated Plants
Kalanchoe sp.	Kalanchoe sp.	Succulent
Kale	Brassica oleracea	Cultivated Plants
Kikuyugrass	Pennisetum clandestinum	Grasses
Kleingrass	Panicum coloratum	Grasses
Knotweed	Polygonum spp.	Common Weeds
Kudzu	Puerar lobata	Common Weeds/Vines	Leaves, Flowers
Lavender	Lavandula angustifolia & labiatae	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Lilac	Syringa vulgaris	Cultivated Plants
Link & Otto	Tradescantia crassula	Succulent
Live Forever	Sedum purpureum	Succulent
Loquat bush	Eriobotrya japonica	Tree/Shrub
Mallow	Malva sylrestris &  rotundifolia & neglecta & moschata	Cultivated Plants/Common Weeds	Leaves, Roots, Seeds
Mallow, Desert	Sphaeralcea ambigua	Desert Wildflower
Maple	Acer saccharum	Tree/Shrub
Marigold	Tagetes sp.	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Milk Thistle	Silybum marianum	Common Weeds
Mimosa	Desmanthus illinoensis	Tree/Shrub
Mojave Aster	Machaeranthera tortifolia	Desert Wildflower
Monkey Plant	Ruellia makoyana	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Moon Flower	Impomoiea alba & leptophylla	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Morning Glory	Family Convolvulaceae	Desert Wildflower	Entire Plant
Moss Roses, Purselane	Portulaca sp.	Succulent
Mother of Pearl	Graptopetalum paraguayen	Cultivated Plants
Muhly	Sporobolus asperifolius	Tree/Shrub
Mulberry Tree	Morus alba & nigra	Tree/Shrub	Leaves, Fruit
Mustard	Sisymbrium officinale, Brassica sp.	Common Weeds
Napiergrass	Pennisetum purpureum	Grasses
Nasturtiums	Nasturtium sp.	Cultivated Plants
Nasturtiums	Tropaeolum majus	Cultivated Plants
Needlegrass, desert	Stipa speciosa	Grasses
Nettle, Stinging	Urtica dioica	Common Weeds
Nipplewort	Lapsana communis	Common Weeds
Oatgrass	Arrhenatherum sp.	Grasses
Orchard grass	Dactylis glomerata	Grasses
Ostrich Fern	Matteuccia struthiopteris	Ferns
Owl’s Clover, Pink-Brush	Orthocarpus purpurascens	Common Weed
Pampasgrass	Cortaderia selloana	Grasses
Pangolagrass	Digitaria decumbens	Grasses
Pansy	Viola sp.	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Paper mulberry	Broussonetia papyrifera	Tree/Shrub
Pearl Millet	Pennisetum glaucum	Grasses
Pennywort	Cotyledon umbilicus & veneris	Common Weeds
Peppergrass	Lepidium spp.	Grasses
Persimmon	Diospyros texanum & virginiana	Common Weeds
Petunias	Petunia sp.	Cultivated Plants
Phlox	Phlox paniculata	Cultivated Plants
Pigweed	Amaranthus sp.	Common Weeds
Pineapple Guava	Feijoa sellowiana	Cultivated Plants
Pink Perslane	Montia sibirica	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Plantains	Plantago major & media & lanceotata	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Poppy, California	Eschscholzia californica	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Poppy, Welsh	Meconopsis cambrica	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Pothos	Epipremnum aureum	Cultivated Plants	Leaves
Poverty Weed	Monolepis nuttallia, Iva axillaris	Common Weeds	Entire Plant
Prickly Lettuce	Lactuca serriola	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Prickly Pear Cactus	Opuntia sp.	Succulent	Entire Plant
Primrose	Primula vulgaris	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Purslane	Portulaca oleracea	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Quackgrass	Agropyron repens	Grasses	Leaves, Flowers
Quick Weed	Galinsoga sp.	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Raspberry,  Blackberry	Rubus sp.	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers, Fruit
Red Maids	Calandrinia ciliata	Common Weeds
Rose	Rosa sp.	Cultivated Plants	Flowers
Rosemary	Rosamarinus sp.	Herbs	Leaves, Flowers
Russian Thistle or prickly saltwort	Salsola kali	Tree/Shrub	Leaves, Flowers
Rye	Secale cereale	Grasses	Leaves
Sage	Salvia sp.	Tree/Shrub/Herbs	Leaves, Flowers
Sainfoin	Onobrychis sativa	Common Weeds
Salad Burnet	Sanguisorba minor	Common Weeds
Sea Grape	Coccoloba uvifera	Tree/Shrub
Senna, Desert	Cassia covesii	Trees/Shrubs	Entire Plant
Sesame grass	Tripsacum dactyloides	Grasses
Shepard’s purse	Capsella bursa & pastorsis	Common Weeds
Slime Lilies	Albuca sp.	Succulent
Sow Thistle	Sonchus oleraceus & arvensis	Common Weeds
Spider Plant	Chlorophytum comosum	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Spiderwort	Tradescantia pinetorum & occidentalis	Succulent
Spurges	Euphorbia sp.	Common Weeds	Entire Plant
St. Augustine, Charleston grass	Stenotaphrum secundatum	Grasses
St. Johns Wort	Hypericum sp.	Common Weeds	Leaves
Staghorn Fern	Platycerium bifurcatum	Ferns	Leaves, Flowers
Sticky Monkey Flower	Mimulus aurantiacus	Succulent
Stonecrops	Sedum sp.	Succulent
Strawberries, domestic	Fragaria × ananassa	Cultivated Plants
Strawberry, wild	Fragaria vesca	Common Weeds
Swedish Ivy	Plectranthus australis	Cultivated Plants/Vines	Leaves, Flowers
Sweet vernal grass	Anthoxanthum odoratum	Grasses
Tea Tree	Leptospermum scoparium	Tree/Shrub	Leaves, Flowers
Timothy	Phleum pratense	Grasses
Tree Fern	Dicksonia antartica	Ferns
Tree houseleek	Aeonium sp.	Succulent	all
Umbrella Plant	Darmera peltata / Petasites hyrbridus	Cultivated Plants
Vetch – Bush, Common, Tufted	Vicia sepium & sativa & cracca	Common Weeds
Violets	Viola sp.	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Wandering Jew	Tradescantia albiflora	Succulent/Vines	Leaves, Flowers
Watercress	Family Cruicerae	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Weeping lovegrass	Eragrostis curvula	Grasses
Whispering Bells	Emmenanthe penduliflora	Cultivated Plants
White Tidy-Ups	Layia glandulosa	Common Weeds
Wild Carrot	Daucus carota	Common Weeds	Leaves, Roots
Wild muscadine	Vitis rotundifolia	Vines	Leaves, Flowers
Wild Oats	Avena fatua	Grasses
Willow	Family Salicaceae	Tree/Shrub
Willow, Desert	Chilopsis linearis	Trees/Shrubs	Flowers
Wintercress	Barbarea vulgarsis	Common Weeds	Leaves. Flowers
Wisteria	Wisteria sp	Cultivated Plants	Flowers
Witchgrass	Panicum capillare	Grasses
Yallow	Achellea millefolium	Common Weeds	Leaves, Flowers
Yucca	Yucca sp.	Succulent
Zinnia	Zinnia sp.	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers

Prevention is always better than cure

• Wash all store-bought products thoroughly, separating all leaves and removing any plastic or wire ties before offering to your tortoise.
• When collecting leaves and flowers from plants growing in the wild not only wash thoroughly but also inspect carefully to ensure there are no leaves from plants and shrubs/trees which are toxic and that may have been collected inadvertently with the safe weeds you have collected.
• Look at the condition of plants collected from hedgerows or verges before you pick them, and if they look to be withering or changing color from green to a yellowish/brown do not collect.  This may be a sign that the Council or local farmers have been spraying with weedkiller.  A simple phone call to the local Council will identify for you where and when spraying is being undertaken.
• In your own garden ensure that plants or trees that are poisonous are not planted anywhere near your tortoise enclosure.
• Do not use weed killers, pesticides or lawn fertilizers on areas that your tortoises will be exposed to.

Don’t FORGET!  Information provided in this article is not meant to be a substitute for expert medical advice.  If you suspect that your tortoise has had an adverse reaction to any food, or has ingested poison in any other way, then specialist veterinary advice should be sought immediately.

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I got this reference while doing research. >Here is a share of that links we used.

• http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Rep…
• https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tortoise-health/poisoning/#.W4vrCuhKiM8
• https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk

We Adopt ~ Breed ~ Rescue ~ Transport  ~ Rehabilitate

Crazy Critters Inc. is a Private Non-Profit, 501(c)3, Exotic Animal Rescue and Sanctuary. Our Wildlife Facility is located in Eustis, Florida. We provide permanent homes to over 200 animals including lizards, turtles, skinks, geckos, birds, and assorted wildlife. Crazy Critters Inc. was established to provide non-domestic, non-releasable animals with a safe and permanent home.

Mostly Tortoises and Turtles call Crazy Critters Inc. home. What makes us unique is that after adoption, Crazy Critters Inc. continues to share the lives of the pets on social media. Providing an additional continued connection. When an animal finds its way to Crazy Critters, it has found a forever home.

Everyone in our community benefits when donors put their funds together to help protect animals and our environment. And the fact that the animals can call this a forever home makes it that much better. Your monetary donations help provide veterinary care, food, and supplies to the animals in our care.

In keeping with our commitment to a quality life for the animals here at the sanctuary, we provide a diet created specifically for each animal’s needs, the best veterinary care, enrichment programs for the animals, and maintain their spacious, safe habitats.

Click DONATE to make a safe Paypal Transaction, of any amount. Every single dollar adds up! We will contact you by email to see how you would like your sponsorship recognized. We appreciate our community! We are always looking for corporate sponsors who believe in a mission such as ours

REMEMBER: All donations are tax-deductible!

We Grow Crazy Plants To Care For Crazy Critters!

Feel free to contact us with questions requests and comments.
Follow us on our journey as we build our Herp Haven called Crazy Critters!
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