Oat (Oatgrass, Oat Grass, Oats, Wild Oats)

• Common Name: Oat (Oatgrass, Oat Grass, Oats, Wild Oats)
• Latin Name: Avena spp.
• Family Name: Poaceae/Gramineae

Oat, like many cereal crops, has the ability to absorb excess levels of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous if grown on fertilised soil.  Providing the soil is unfertilised then Oat Grass is fine for tortoises (especially grazing species), but do not grow on fertilised soil and don't let tortoises eat the seed heads as they are high in protein.  Do not confuse with Tall Oat Grass/False Oat Grass (Arrhenatherum elatius), which is a different plant.