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Post by davx on Dec 6, 2011 23:30:15 GMT
Hello,
indoor plants as fodder source isn't a big topic, is it?
I thought that it might be useful to mention this topic, especially for the cold season it might be a help for diet enrichment.
In Germany/Switzerland we have experience with the following plants (list isn't complete):
spider plant
Callisia and Tradescantia species
kitchen herbs (basil, parsley etc)
Puya
cacti (Opuntia species)
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Post by NightwishRaven999 on Dec 7, 2011 2:17:40 GMT
You are right David. The subject did come up in the cage building thread last year...but is not very common. Some of us have grown kitchen herbs thought...basil, thyme and rosemary. It is good to know Spider plants can be used. I house a very large and prolific specimen...now I know what to do with the new shoots  |
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Post by Kins on Dec 7, 2011 9:31:40 GMT
Maybe I could accidentally put my OH's spider plants near the goos cage...that'd get rid of 'em...mwah ha ha! I'm not a lover of houseplants if you hadn't guessed. Well I wouldn't mind them so much if he actually looked after them but they look half dead most of the time  Sorry, a bit off topic there, oops. |
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Post by nuttz on Dec 7, 2011 11:22:32 GMT
wow.... i never knew they could eat spider plants  how easy are they to grow!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i only just threw a load away a couple of months back as the plants bored me...........silly me  |
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Post by cherrysparkey on Dec 7, 2011 11:23:14 GMT
Wait, Spider plants are SAFE for degus?  ? We have millions, seriously lol. And when we first got our goos they were nibbling on them but we didn't think they would be allowed so quickly removed them lol. Yay for something new for them to eat (don't think the bf will be happy, te he) Are they allowed to eat all parts, i.e flowers and leaves? And is there a limited amount they can eat? (I'm guessing too much could cause bloat?) Also you posted cacti (Opuntia species). I think I have one of these, but aren't they a little spikey? |
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Post by davx on Dec 10, 2011 7:36:58 GMT
Yes spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are safe:   Yes they are, but especially Opuntia / prickly pears do not have much spikes and you can remove them. Perhaps the degus also can deal with the spikes, at least most of them can learn to deal with spikey and thorny food, also in Chile many plants are spikey and thorny, because they live in the thorn scrub savannah of Chile, the so called Matorral (spanish for bushland). I update my list with additional species: - bamboo (different species) - banana (Musa sp.) - Muehlenbeckia complexa - Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) - yellow-sorrels (Oxalis species) I also asked in a german forum and there are some other interesting suggestions, but some of them aren't well elaborated, that means I doubt if the suggestions all are good fodder plants: www.degupedia.de/board/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3365 |
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Post by nuttz on Dec 10, 2011 11:31:55 GMT
prickly pears? wow, if only i knew that, out here in spain there is absolutely trillions growing everywhere............. and they are safe? what part may i ask? the leaves (they are quite huge!), or the fruit, i know the friut is pretty sweet so i would of thought it was a NO, NO for goos?! how would you prepare it for the goos? i believe the spanish put the fruit in a bucket of water and swish it around with a stick to get most of the spikes off......... even after that i still have managed to prick myself trying to eat it...lol and august is harvest time, if i remember correctly?! ;D |
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how easy are they to grow!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i only just threw a load away a couple of months back as the plants bored me...........silly me 
? We have millions, seriously lol. And when we first got our goos they were nibbling on them but we didn't think they would be allowed so quickly removed them lol. Yay for something new for them to eat (don't think the bf will be happy, te he)