Feeding and Nutrition :: How Often to Feed Greesn?

[industrial_girl_2000]

I went to the store last night and got Brooks some collard greens....I gave her 1/2 leaf (b/c you were right they are big!) and she took a few hunks out of it. We'll see if it's gone tonight! She really still prefers her red leaf lettuce but we're going to try!

That's great news!

[powerofvoodoo]

I've never really looked before, but they sell dandelion leaves in grocery stores?? Where?
I've never heard of eating dandelion leaves before (humans or otherwise).

[steve]

Some of the larger supermarkets should have them. Specialty stores like Whole Foods should have them too.

[LKitsch]

Your question is appropriate. They do sell dandelion greens in stores, but they are hard to find and not very common.

You have to find them in an upscale botique supermarket, health food store or produce store with a large selection: a place like Whole Foods or Wild Oats would probably have them.

Your neighborhood Safeway or Kroger probably would not have them, although it depends on the neighborhood---if you go to a regular market in an affluent, gentrified or trendy neighborhood, you might find them there, too.

Which is why it's not as easy to find them as romaine, etc.

[grey goose]

I think that feeding greens everyday or not depends on the turt. Most turts will just "graze" casually picking at the greens throughout the day. Giving greens to a turt of this kind everyday is good. My two girls eat everything immediately, and will wipe out a stalk of romaine in mere minutes, then beg for more! I have to give them small servings a little at a time or they start crapping all over the tank!

[Kayra33]

Brooks doesn't really like the collard greens, but we gave it a whirl I'm going to try dandelion leaves next, so far it's just the red leaf lettuce and green leaf lettuce that she likes......no collard greens and no turnip greens. But we'll keep trying

[marisa]

Where I am, it's quite easy to find dandelion greens, both organic and the regular kind at larger supermarkets. Look near the collards and other similar greens.

Dandelions are quite nutritious. I include some in my own salads as well.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Spring or early summer is a great time to go out into your garden/yard & pick fresh dandelion leaves for your turtle. Once you get past June, the dandelion leaves start to get a little bitter/tough. Just make sure you get dandelions that weren't sprayed with weed killer (!).

[tissigirl]

By collards you mean what? Do they actually sell something that is just collard greens? I gave Brooks some turnip greens and she wouldn't touch them. They just went bad She loves the red leaf lettuce and green leaf lettuce. I am going to try the dandelion leaves next, maybe she'll eat those. But I do give her a big leaf of the leaf lettuce every day.

I can tell you are from north US. I'm from the south, and it's just a given that everyone here knows what collard greens are.

I'm not making fun, I just find it interesting that something that is such a common thing for one is completely foreign for another person.

Collard greens are actually Mr. Turtle's favorite. Actually he likes mustard greens too, but they stink imo so I don't get them as often. I looked for dandelion greens for a long time and finally found them at a whole foods market/health food store. You may want to look there for them if you can't find them anywhere else.

[Kayra33]

Lol, it's ok tissigirl, I have a good sense of humor! Yes, definitely from the north and I'm not too educated about greens anyway b/c I don't eat them either I eat the most unnutritional lettuce (iceberg) and nothing else but I know better than to give that to Brooksie! I can actually find all of the greens pretty easy, I find mine at Giant Eagle and I've seen Dandelion greens but I have only been getting one thing at a time in fear that it will go bad. Back to Giant Eagle I go for some red leaf lettuce

[industrial_girl_2000]

I can tell you are from north US. I'm from the south, and it's just a given that everyone here knows what collard greens are.

I'm not making fun, I just find it interesting that something that is such a common thing for one is completely foreign for another person.

LOL! Here in Detroit, there is something known as "soul food" and those restaurants always have greens on the menu too (along with fried pork chops, yams, pinto beans, and corn bread). The first time I found out what soul food was, all I could think was "that's SOUTHERN food!"

Kristin
whose family is from the south!

[tissigirl]

Yeah, i'm the same way. I can't stand greens like collard or kale (i'm a shame to my southern heritage! ). I do use romaine or green leaf lettuce in my salads and sandwiches and such. So at least i'm getting a little nutrition from it! lol

I only buy one type of greens for Mr. Turtle at a time. I just switch them every time it's time to get something new. I've found that washing the greens, letting them dry thoroughly, then putting them in a ziploc bag or container in the fridge keeps them fresh much longer. Also I separate them in to at least 2 containers. That way if part of it goes bad the other container will still be usable. Plus they are ready to go when it's feeding time! Lettuces usually last over a week, and the more hearty ones like collard and mustard greens last well over 2 weeks! Then I throw in the occasional carrots and squashes with the greens which last much longer than the leafy veggies.

[Kayra33]

Well, went to the store last night and bought Brooksie some dandelion leaves, she took a couple of bites and wasn't too interested. I put some red leaf lettuce in there and it was gone in minutes I am insisting on a variety but she's making it quite difficult! I think that she really just likes the color and might try something else colorful, is it endive that is also purple and a little more expensive?

[industrial_girl_2000]

They will have preferences for certain foods over others....that's normal.

As long as you can get him to eat veggies then that's great! the list of foods they can eat is so long that you can try all sorts of different things. Chances are, you will find AT LEAST 15 items he will eat, and that's plenty of variety.

[Kayra33]

Well, good I'm glad that she isn't missing out on nutrition if she doesn't eat everything. I'll just stick with what she likes!