Rust colored grass fungus... and a tortoise who eats it? How do I kill the fungus safely?

Question

I have a large tortoise that eats the grass as main staple. The grass has a rust colored fungus growing all over it that needs to be treated safely.

My boyfriend bought commercial fungicide to treat it, and I feel it is harmful to my tortoise. We are in conflict about this.

Anyone have suggestions to treat the fungus without harming an animal that eats the grass?

Thanks

Answer 1

Boy, I gotta tell ya, I am nervous about this.

I'd dig up the sick grass and replace the soil, then replant with a better plant mix (regular yard grass is not generally a very good base for most tortoise diets. I'm guessing you are talking about a Leopard or Sulcata tortoise, right?)

Answer 2

Is it the fungus that is called red thread? From what I've read you can help get rid of it by fertilizing the lawn. Lawns that are kept damp (through late in the day waterings) and that are nitrogen deficient are prone to it.

Answer 3

A...yeah. I'm not a turtle expert, but I'm pretty sure that a turtle's main food staple should be fruits and vegetables.

No fungus can be totally removed (*kills 99.9% of fungus!*) and that .1% can grow the fungus again, either in the turtle's stomach or just on the grass.

I would just remove the grass, which is not the suggested main food anyway.