Hi all,

are Vetches alright for tortoises.  I thought they were (in moderation) now someone elswhere tells me they contain cyanogenic compunds similar to alkaloids.

I dont' feed them a great deal but Vetches do figure in the current diet I'm feeding.

Hi, My four horsefields all love it when they get vetch for their food. It goes down a real treat with them.

I feed mine vetch:-)

In the wild tortoises will eat a huge range of foods containing many of the compounds we say should be avoided - but also contain compunds which are good. The idea is to not overload on the bad compounds by offering the same foods in large quantities resulting in an abundance of harmful compounds and to vary their diet as much as possible.

HTH
Darren

Thanks for those answers.  If I am to offer a wide range of foods that I can mainly grow myself then the menu is going to have a few things on there that might not be good if they were to be fed in large quantities.

I'll continue to offer some vetch occasionally.