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I can only find romaine lettuce here (so far) - how often can I/ should I feed hybiscus leaves and flowers. They love the flowers - we will see about the leaves - but it is an easy source as I know they are kept pesticide free since they grow in the back yard.

Thanks!

I would say once a week, or even more if they are mixed with other veggies/greens. The are a good dietary addition, but variety is the key to healthy turtles. Not just hibiscus, and not everyday would be my opinion.

thanks script_elegans. I would still feed the romaine as the staple. I will be on the lookout for turnip greens too. I just don't know what they would be called at my market. Perhaps I will get lucky and they will actually call them turnip greens! thanks for the advice!!

Snazzy, I think we are in the same boat as far as vegies. I did find that melokhiyah is okay for RES. It is always available here. So far, Fred is not a great fan, but he is just now deciding that vegies of any kind won't kill him, so I keep putting in some every so often. I also have found that cilantro and basil are easy to find in the markets here. Fred likes both of those quite a bit. I have had no success in finding any turnip greens...turnips, yes, greens, no. I think I will order some seeds and grow my own, those and dandelions.

Ok this seems stupid and I am sure it is since I can't find any other questions like this.
When you say Dandellion leaves you mean like from your yard? Or Hibiscus from a plant your are grown. That amazes me but it is cool.

melokhiyah????? What is this?

Just Jule, it is a plant, the leaves of which are very commonly used in Arabic and some areas of the Phillipines' cuisine. It is also called Jew's Mallow (not here, obviously!). It has the appropriate nutritional values, but so far, Fred is saying "YUCK!" Which is unfortunate, because it is one of the greens that I can count on always being in the market. Romaine is hit or miss.

AmSuDe, you are right...those pesky dandelions (the leaves) from your yard are great as long as they have not been treated with pesticides. Same with the hibiscus. Fred absolutely adores hibiscus! I am actually going to bring some dandelion seeds back with me so I can grow them in a pot, since they don't grow here (that I have ever seen) how weird is that?

Thanks for the tip about melokhiyah - I will have to look for that in the stores here. It is funny, I went this morning to the store to look for turtle food and found imported lettuce from Holland (I think) - okay - yeah - I like the turtles but I am not paying such a high price for imported veggies!! We get locally grown romaine though so that is what I bought because it is cheaper - it is just ok from what I read - the red leafed is supposed to be better from a calcium perspective (I think). Oh well....