I feed my two beardies a daily salad of chopped, mixed turnip greens and collard greens (I buy bunches of whole leaves and wash them, tear them up, then mix them) but they are always slimy and/or smelly by the time I get to the bottom of the container. I keep them refrigerated in a sealed plastic tupperware--is there any better way to keep them so that they won't get all slimy and gross before I get to use them all? I only buy about a week's worth at a time. Thanks for any suggestions!
2007-07-26 09:37:55 · 7 answers · asked by thisismynewage 3 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
pugs5678: I don't chop them, as I said I tear them apart. I'll be on the lookout for bags with holes like you mentioned.
2007-07-26 11:50:25 · update #1
Rose Kennedy: These are lizards, hence why I posted in reptiles.
2007-07-26 11:51:11 · update #2
I wouldn't wash them until you are ready to use them and keep them in special bags that have holes for breathing, not Tupperware you can find them at Safeway and never chop your greens always rip apart by hand cutting ruins nutrients
2007-07-26 09:48:31 · answer #1 · answered by pugs5678 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alton Brown on the program Good Easts recommends this, and it works GREAT for my tortoises:
1. Prep the greens. If they have a heavy stem (Turnip greens, for example) cut or tear the stem out.
2. Soak the greens in lots of very cold water (or ice & water) for about 15 minutes, swishing them to loosen any dirt.
3. Dry them quickly. A salad spinner is great, but I have had good results swinging the greens in a big mesh bag. Aim for no drops of water on the leaves but not dehydrated.
4. Lay out a length of paper towels and lay a layer of greens on the towel. Lightly roll the towel up and store in a plain, gallon-size zip-top bag. Squish out as much air as possible.
I have had really good luck with this. Greens that barely last a week normally go for about 2.5 weeks with almost no degradation this way.
Be careful with bagged greens- they can support bacterial growth after only a few days while still sealed, and once opened, theings go bad quickly in there.
2007-07-26 19:45:59 · answer #2 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not washing them or cutting them up before you use them is good advice. I buy collard greens also for my beardie and I keep them in large ziplock baggies or even plastic shopping bags with a damp paper towel. Make sure you squeeze out most of the air. This keeps my veggies fresh for a couple weeks.
2007-07-26 18:10:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Believe it or not, I've had a TON of luck with the pre-packaged salad mixes. It takes a little label reading to find the right one, but they stay fresh for almost two weeks.
2007-07-26 19:16:47 · answer #4 · answered by Smartypants 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You wash and dry the leafs and layer them between paper towels then you can roll them and place in a bag.they should stay fresher longer .
2007-07-26 18:07:52 · answer #5 · answered by jayry11@sbcglobal.net 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
keep them very dry and cool and only wash them when you are ready to give the birds some. You can also grow seeds from there food on the windowsill and they eat the green growth.
2007-07-26 16:50:11 · answer #6 · answered by Rose Kennedy 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
eew.
2007-07-26 16:55:30 · answer #7 · answered by carlyy. :] 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋