redearslider.com

Hi all!

I just recently added alpha alpha sprouts to my 2 RES' diet. They tend to enjoy it more than lettuce. As of what i know, the alpha alpha has really good nutritional values!
I would like to know if anyone else feeds their turts alpha alphas, and if their turts enjoy them or not.

I'm surprised you can get them anymore. I haven't been able to find sprouts in months because of recent salmonella poisonings that they've caused.

Anyway, I'm not sure. I think they'd be mostly water wouldnt they? Probably no harm as a treat once in a while but I don't think they'd have much nutritional value.

I bet marisa will stop by and tell you exactly what's in them

Alfalfa sprouts actually have very little nutrition. So, they are not a good food for turtles. The FULLY-GROWN alfalfa plant is a good food for juvenile turtles, though, having much protein and calcium.

Alfalfa sprouts are also sources of food-borne illness. They are frequently found to be contaminated with salmonella and e.coli, which can sicken or even kill you and your turtles.

Mature greens are almost always higher in the nutrients that your turtle needs, than are their sprout counterparts. In the case of alfalfa sprouts, you might as well be feeding iceberg lettuce, for all the nutritional value they are receiving.

Please see the following links for more information:
http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/alfamat.html
http://www.anapsid.org/fdasalm1.html
http://www.anapsid.org/sprouts.html

On the last page, you can see that alfalfa sprouts are the least nutritious of all commercial sprouts, and that they (along with other commercial sprouts) have a lower Calcium to Phosphorus ratio than does lettuce. This is important because Phosphorus binds with calcium and carries it out of the bodies of reptiles. Reptiles should be fed mostly foods with a high Ca:P ratio, and supplemented calcium to make up for the rest.

Wow..
thanks for the detailed info and research 'reptilegrrl' !! ok i kinda feel embarrassed now lol but i'm glad i posted it up
alpha alphas haha...please forgive me on the mispellings.
i'm so grateful there's this kickbutt forum with such nice members!
I guess i should stick with the "what to feed your turtle" list! thank you jenaero!

You are quite welcome, and no need to feel embarrassed! I'm glad you posted too.

Some companies have been pushing the so-called nutrition of sprouts for decades now, and they have convinced many people that sprouts are super-nutritious. You are far from alone!

btw, I love your sig line It made me giggle!

Alfalfa is actually an ingredient in some of the turtle pellets on the market, if you check the labels.

I do, on occasion, give my turtle washed alfalfa sprouts for variety (never bean sprouts, which are lower in terms of Ca/Phos ration and have other issues). The turts seem to like the way they move in the water--kind of like white worms. As an occasional part of their diet, I don't think it's hurting them.

Salmonella and e-coli from plants, not just sprouts, is becoming a greater issue that salmonelli from other sources. I've read that this is largely due to produce being introduced to the U.S. from other countries that have different standards regarding how the produce is grown.

A little off-topic, but for humans, I'm wondering how the nutritional value of broccoli sprouts stacks up in all this (not mentioned that I could see in the links above, or maybe I missed it?).