Can tortoises eat lavender? Yes, they can! Don’t expect to have found the best new treat for your tortoises since they will likely not go crazy over it due to the strong scent.
They will probably just nibble into it if anything, but it’s perfectly fine for them, with even some benefits.
Table of Contents
What Is Lavender?
Lavender is a plant, herb, and spice. It’s typically used for aromatherapy or as an agent to flavor food.
The name, “lavender” originated from the Latin word, “lavare” which means, “to wash”. It is thought that the plant was named after this because it was used as a soap.
Some common names of lavender are spike lavender, English Lavender and French Lavender.
What does Lavender look like?
Lavender is a plant that has many different forms and appearances. The spikes are the main characteristic of lavender, but it can also appear as single flowers, lining grass, bushes and trees. Some kinds of lavender also grow as trees.
It’s a small aromatic shrub that grows less than 2 feet high.
It doesn’t need much water or sunlight to survive and can survive most weather conditions because it’s so flexible and strong.
Most commonly lavender is purple, but it can also be pink, white or yellow depending on where you live and what you’re growing.
The purple parts of the plant are called flowers; they have tiny petals with tiny bumps on them called cilia which are used for attracting bees for pollination purposes.
Anyone who has taken a walk through the garden will have noticed the strong aroma of lavender!
The Benefits Of Lavender
Lavender is a pretty nice plant to have around. It has a lot of benefits for both humans and animals.
For one, lavender can help with nervousness and stress by calming the nerves and lowering blood pressure. It also may help with some respiratory issues like asthma or bronchitis, as well as depression.
Also, lavender has a strong antibacterial effect and is good for stomach ulcers, too.
It’s important to note that not all torts will enjoy lavender–some of them will refuse it!–so you should try it first on an individual basis if you’re thinking about adding it as a regular part of your tortoise’s diet.
What Plants Can Tortoises Eat?
Tortoises can eat a huge variety of Plants like:
-Geraniums: they flower in the summer months and are popular flowers for houseplants. In fact, they can be used to make an indoor garden on bare soil or aquarium decor.
-Hellebores: these flowering plants are another favourite indoor houseplant. They look like small white balls with a stem coming out of them. They tend to also look like balls with a stem coming out of them and can be found growing in great numbers in the wild (although they do not grow in the wild). The petals of hellebores are really bright yellow and covered in little hairs, making them see-through. They’re easy to grow because you just shed them when they die back after flowering. Plus, they like soil that isn’t too moist!
-Iris: these tiny little blossoms have dark green leaves that remain on their stems even after blooming has passed; their leaves usually come off their stems at night and reattach themselves during the day, which makes them look kind of like humans. Their scientific name is the “iris”, which means ‘eye’ in Greek. Their honey-like scent is what attracts birds and butterflies to them.
-Lilac: these flowers are bright purple and fragrant, mostly found in the wild growing in other countries. They’re called ‘lilac’ because they look a lot like a lily flower, but they’re not related at all.
-Pansies: colorful pansies grow from autumn to spring and are probably one of the most popular flowers for indoor plants or houseplants. They can be found interspersed with other flowers at home gardens, florists, or wherever else you might find them growing wild.
-Petunias: these brightly coloured blooms can be found growing wild all over the world! These produce so much nectar that some birds will even come back every year to eat their blooms!
-Yarrow: betony, heather, catmint, pennyroyal, and yarrow are pretty common in the wild. They’re also commonly found at gardens or home landscaping.
What Should I Not Feed My Tortoise?
It’s also important to take note of what it’s wise to not feed tortoises,
The following foods can be harmful to them:
-Avocados: can cause liver damage
-Citrus fruits: can cause digestive upset
-Chocolate: can cause damages due to the toxin theobromine.
-Coffee: can cause damages due to the toxin cafestol.
-Tomatoes: can cause kidney problems after a while. The fruit is also very bad for their digestion.
Conclusion
Lavender is a pretty flower that smells great and is used in all sorts of products. But can tortoises eat it?
Tortoises are can eat lavender even if they will likely not be particularly interested, they are not attracted to strong scents, but it’s perfectly fine for them with even benefits to their health!
Photo by Craig Pattenaude on Unsplash
