# dandelions



## assasin6547 (Feb 6, 2013)

I wouldn't risk it cuz they might have weird stuff (ie pesticides) on them. Occasionally I feed my bearded dragons dandelions, but they are grown indoors.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Sometimes I eat them out of the yard. Mine are safe though cause we don't spray. They are actually super nutritious.


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## wicca27 (May 3, 2009)

a friend of mine does she also feeds the dandelion leaves to her bristle nose plecos. main thing is to get them only if you dont spray your yard i would never go randomly pick leaves. or better yet get the white puff balls and toss the seeds in a pot and grow them in one place so you know for sure they are safe


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## assasin6547 (Feb 6, 2013)

Nubster said:


> Sometimes I eat them out of the yard. Mine are safe though cause we don't spray. They are actually super nutritious.


Wait, like you actually put them in your mouth, chew, and swallow???


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## Big O (Jun 28, 2011)

I was more thinking of the yellow flowers(pollen).


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## mosspearl (Jan 30, 2013)

We don't spray our yard for anything, so I feed dandelions to my parakeets. They love the leaves and the flowers.


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## wildroseofky (Mar 5, 2013)

Yes, assassin, you can eat dandelions. You can eat the whole plant actually. The flowers can be breaded and deep fried like mushrooms or put in a salad. The leaves and stems can be cooked or eaten raw. Young plants taste best. In some countries they are grown like any other crop and sold in markets. They are full of vitamin C


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Personally I just eat the leaves. They tend to be bitter but mix well in a green smoothie of in a greens salad if there's enough other stuff to cut the bitterness. Like wildrose said, you can eat the flower too...there's a lot of people that make wine from them.


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## plamski (Sep 25, 2009)

Boil foliage for 10-15 minutes. Then freeze. Feed and watch happiest shrimps in the world.
If the leaves are young boil them till they get dark green .If they become olive green you have boil them too much.


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## Jadenlea (Sep 15, 2011)

wow REALLY? I can go pick those dandilions in my yard and boil the flowers for the shrimp? I have a ton of them out there!


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## caliherp (Mar 3, 2013)

I have actually have fed my iguana dandy lions for years now as a treat. They have the perfect calcium to phosphorous ratio of 3:1. Like others have stated just make sure you take them from your yard as you never know what chemicals your neighbor is using. I'm going to have to try this for my shrimp.


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## amygirl11 (May 20, 2012)

I just boiled some leaves for mine. They never go after spinach like they did this. And here I was buying food......LOL


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## Asphalt Art (Apr 18, 2013)

Yep, Dandelion roots and leaves have been used to treat liver disorders. I think NA Indians used them for kidney and skin issues as well. The roots are said to be good as an appetite suppressant. Dandelion is a rich source of vitamins A, B complex, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc.


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## Big O (Jun 28, 2011)

*Anything else in our back yards we can use?*

Other weeds, grasses or tress we could feed our shrimpies? 
Thanks for all the replies,

big o


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## plamski (Sep 25, 2009)

Stinging nettle simmer for 10-15min,freeze,feed.Kale simmer for 15-20 min,freeze,feed.Pea simmer for 2-3min ,cool down,feed,remove from the tank after 45min to 1h.Spinach simmer 5-10 min,freeze,feed.Mulberry leaf simmer for 15-20 min,freeze,feed.

Popcorn -make big portion sit upfront of the tank and enjoy the shrimps. (-:


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## Big O (Jun 28, 2011)

*I love popcorn!*



plamski said:


> Stinging nettle simmer for 10-15min,freeze,feed.Kale simmer for 15-20 min,freeze,feed.Pea simmer for 2-3min ,cool down,feed,remove from the tank after 45min to 1h.Spinach simmer 5-10 min,freeze,feed.Mulberry leaf simmer for 15-20 min,freeze,feed.
> 
> Popcorn -make big portion sit upfront of the tank and enjoy the shrimps. (-:


Outstanding!


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## ravensgate (May 24, 2012)

I boil my stinging nettle for 3 minutes, freeze, then feed. It's gone within 2 hours. 10-15 minutes and you might be depleting nutrients out of it IMO but at a simmer might wind up the same difference. I do baby Kale, spinach and Mulberry leaves the exact same way. Normal kale I boil for 5 minutes. The tougher/denser the leaf the longer I boil, I always freeze afterwards for future feedings.


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## plamski (Sep 25, 2009)

You are right for boiling time and age of the leaves. My time is longer because I'm buying greens from Whole food store and all the leaves are huge and very hard.


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## ravensgate (May 24, 2012)

I get mine off of our farm (Well the nettle and mulberry) so the leaves are more tender this time of year. In the fall I was boiling more like 5 minutes on the nettle. I go more on case by case basis these days for exactly what you say. More tender leaves, less time. Thicker or tougher leaves more time to help the breakdown. I need to start using my nettle 'tea' though. Apparently you can use that stuff for all kinds of crap, skin ailments, hair rinses, etc. I have not used dandelions though and certainly have plenty. Also have tons of wild raspberries so need to start trying those leaves as well.


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## plamski (Sep 25, 2009)

I have a book writen in 1773 from Italian doctor he puts nettle in the first 5 most important herbs for human health.Dandelion is N: 27 I think.


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## ravensgate (May 24, 2012)

plamski said:


> I have a book writen in 1773 from Italian doctor he puts nettle in the first 5 most important herbs for human health.Dandelion is N: 27 I think.



Back when I was looking it up for shrimp I came across all kinds of articles about it for humans! Crazy stuff nettle can be used for. Still don't know how people can eat it though, it's pungent enough when I boil it I couldn't imagine munching on it. blech.


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## Soothing Shrimp (Nov 9, 2011)

I think if I were to eat dandelion roots, it may suppress my appetite, too. LOL


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

There's a database of edible weeds.
http://www.pfaf.org/user/plantsearch.aspx


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## shrimpnmoss (Apr 8, 2011)

plamski said:


> Stinging nettle simmer for 10-15min,freeze,feed.Kale simmer for 15-20 min,freeze,feed.Pea simmer for 2-3min ,cool down,feed,remove from the tank after 45min to 1h.Spinach simmer 5-10 min,freeze,feed.Mulberry leaf simmer for 15-20 min,freeze,feed.
> 
> Popcorn -make big portion sit upfront of the tank and enjoy the shrimps. (-:


Plamen....you should start a shrimp cooking show!...ha...I'm going to have to try dandelions....I'm pulling them every week from my yard anyways...


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## ravensgate (May 24, 2012)

Soothing Shrimp said:


> I think if I were to eat dandelion roots, it may suppress my appetite, too. LOL


I've had dandelion root tea....worst thing EVAR. Taste like dirt...tainted with something. It's awful


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Wonder where Lambsquarter comes in on the list? I use it all the time in smoothies. Even though it's a "weed", I let it grow in my raised beds every year and eat the leaves. Good stuff.


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## Dolfan (Apr 8, 2005)

I used to feed the dandelion leaves to my turtles as they are very nutritious. As others have commented, make sure you know they haven't ever been sprayed with pesticide, herbicide, or any other type of fertilizer or treatment that could be harmful. The leaves of the plant look very similar to greens you buy at the store in a "spring mix". My turtle loved them.


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## Dfektor (May 8, 2013)

Over here in the uk we drink this! umm yum yum :thumbsup:


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## Mizuhuman (Mar 16, 2013)

Wow seriously?! the mundane dandelion that always grow at my cousin's place was that useful. well, I'll be damn. Every time I am browsing through Plantedtank I learn something new. Love this place. I'm gonna read that database and start munching lol


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## plamski (Sep 25, 2009)

In my opinion we DON’T have to use roots. The nutrients they contain are too strong . We can easily poison the shrimps. Most of the roots are for tea use only and for 200LB human requirement is like 1tea spoon per 300ml of water ones per day.


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## plamski (Sep 25, 2009)

shrimpnmoss said:


> Plamen....you should start a shrimp cooking show!...ha...I'm going to have to try dandelions....I'm pulling them every week from my yard anyways...


 I wished to start shrimps breeding show but looks like I have to be happy with cooking one for now:icon_neut:icon_conf:red_mouth.


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## Mizuhuman (Mar 16, 2013)

can you feed dandelions and those other plants mentioned here to fish like guppies, mollies, etc?


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

Just picked some and boiled for five. Didn't get the herd running to it like an algae wafer, but looks like it's tasty.


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