Very little research has been conducted on poisonings in Chelonia. This is in contrast to the extensive research on poisonings in humans, other mammals, fish, and birds.

We lacked definitive research. So, 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)

We find that tortoises safely eat a wider range of plants than humans. Turtles can safely eat more plant varieties than tortoises. Evolution is an amazing thing.

Animals like tortoises often don’t know which foods are good to eat. They also don’t know which foods are not good to eat.

How do I know if my plant is poisonous?

If you do not know, ask someone or assume it is poisonous until proven otherwise.

Try to recognize 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 on their safety.

You take a large cutting of the plant to your local garden center. Include the flower, where possible. Ask the staff at the garden center or nursery to recognize it for you. Once your plants have been identified, always write their Latin names down alongside the common name.

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

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

Toxic Plants and Parts 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, leaves, 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 – Solanum melongena (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 Oxytropis 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 quercifolium 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 – Nicotiana 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 the mouth and washing the skin with mild soap and water. Monitor for difficulty swallowing and/or breathing and drooling. Monitor for irritation, swelling, or blistering of the mouth and oral tissues.

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 is incomplete. If contact or ingestion occurs, contact poison control and your veterinarian.

Other Fascinating Poisonous Plant Facts:

As few as 20 holly berries would be fatal to a human child. Yet, birds like cedar waxwings, mockingbirds, and American robins eat them just fine.

The Monarch butterfly, of course, is well-known for exclusively eating toxic milkweed. It concentrates the toxins in its body. This process makes the adult butterfly bitter and poisonous to other animals.

Deer browse on plants like skunk cabbage and false hellebore.

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 tannin. Before that treatment, the nuts are toxic to us due to the high level of tannin. They are also too bitter to be palatable.

Deadly nightshade, aka belladonna, is a plant that will cause hallucinations, delirium, and death in humans.

Only two berries will kill a child, and 10 to 20 will kill a healthy adult. Eating a single leaf proves fatal. Cattle, horses, goats, sheep, and rabbits munch it down with impunity (though many of our pets are killed by it as well)

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

Always keep your veterinary contact details near your telephone as this will save time in an emergency.

Seek immediate veterinary advice

  If you know what your animal has eaten, take the plant or any packaging with you to the vet. This will help him/her decide what the poison is. It will also determine 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. Symptoms can include some of the following: respiratory distress, excess salivation, choking, vomiting, tremors, convulsions, or paralysis.

Death occurs as a result of poisoning. Make sure 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 include the tortoise showing signs of muscular weakness. The tortoise is incapable of lifting itself to walk or is incapable of walking at all. Gastrointestinal upset, including diarrhea, can also occur.

Do not try to diagnose a case of poisoning by yourself. You should seek specialist veterinary help urgently.

If the poisoning is cumulative, the animal should make a good recovery. This is possible if the offending poison is removed. The animal must also be kept well hydrated. Additionally, it should be fed on safe food to remove toxins 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	Alyssum, Sweet	Common Weeds	Entire Plant
Aloe	Aloe sp.	Succulent	Entire Plant
Asparagus Fern	Lobularia maritima	Cultivated Plants	Leaves, Flowers
Arizona Cottontop Grass	Digitaria sp.	Grasses	Entire Plant
Arugula	Eruca sativa	Herbs	Leaves, Flowers
Climbing Nasturtium, Garden Nasturtium, Indian Cress	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
Lysimachia nummularia	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	Lamium purpureum	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	leaves, flowers	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	Hen and Chicks, Houseleeks
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
Pueraria lobata	Capsella bursa-pastoris	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. Separate all leaves and remove any plastic or wire ties before offering them to your tortoise.
• When collecting leaves and flowers from plants growing in the wild, wash them thoroughly. Inspect carefully to make sure there are no leaves from toxic plants and shrubs/trees. These have been collected inadvertently with the safe weeds you have gathered.
• Check the condition of plants collected from hedgerows or verges before you pick them. If they are withering or changing color from green to a yellowish/brown, do not collect them.  This is 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 garden, make sure 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 pet has had an adverse reaction to any food, seek specialist veterinary advice promptly. This is also true if your pet has ingested poison in any other way.

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