# Living butter lettuce?



## chaseswife (Sep 18, 2014)

I was at the store looking through the produce section for tortoise foods, when i found this "living butter lettuce". It comes in a plastic box and still has roots on it. It is supposed to make it last longer/stay fresher in your fridge. So I wanted it up real good, washed all the old dirt off the roots, and planted it in Shrimp's habitat. It is the first plants we have tried to plant in there. 

Was this a bad idea? I was kind of hoping it would grow fast than he could eat it, but he has been chowing down for a while now. In the morning I am ordering seed online to grow inside for him too.


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## Blakem (Sep 18, 2014)

There's always better options than store greens. The websites in my signature will guide you to many great plants. I have fed the live butter lettuce before, but it always tore the root off. 


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(This is my signature)
Here's some great plant identification websites I use. 

http://www.tlady.clara.net/TortGuide/diet.htm#plantlist

http://africantortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm

http://m.thetortoisetable.org.uk/m/plants_19.asp


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## domalle (Sep 18, 2014)

It's fine to feed periodically but better to store in the refrigerator and dole out gradually to your little guy. It will never grow in the terrarium and you would just be wasting your money.


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## Maro2Bear (Sep 18, 2014)

I think that massive head of lettuce is far too large of a "portion" to have placed in your enclosure. You're encouraging your tort to get his food intake from one source. I think you should remove it, serve a better mix of greens, grass, weeds, etc.


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## chaseswife (Sep 18, 2014)

That's what I thought- i will take it out.


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## AmRoKo (Sep 19, 2014)

If I was him I would eat that butter lettuce too!


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## Yvonne G (Sep 19, 2014)

I wouldn't take it out. A living, edible plant is fine to have in a habitat. Just continue to also feed the varied diet you have been feeding. What's the difference between planting an edible house plant in there or planting an edible lettuce plant? I think its just fine.


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## chaseswife (Sep 19, 2014)

I think i will leave it in for now. If he stops eating anything else that we put in on his food tile I will take it out.


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## Jacqui (Sep 19, 2014)

I have bought these before for my hatchlings. I enjoyed watching them eating it and knowing they were exercising muscles perhaps not being used in their usual feeding. For a food source, it's not a great one, but not bad either if part of a overall varied diet. Varied not meaning each meal must be something different. I look at this head as being much the same as if you had bought a head or clump or any other type of green and were feeding it out until all gone. I would leave it with him. With just one, it may even be able to regrow and keep up with him for awhile. I would also be offering other foods at the same time, too.


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## chaseswife (Sep 19, 2014)

Yes- It has been fun watching him stretch his neck up to get the higher pieces.


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## Jabuticaba (Sep 19, 2014)

I wouldn't take it out. I'd add variety. Good job! 


May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES


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## domalle (Sep 19, 2014)

chaseswife said:


> That's what I thought- i will take it out.



I think we have a dispute. Lettuce of any kind needs full sun. The butter lettuce is grown hydoponically and then meant for immediate consumption with some ability to be preserved under refrigeration like most lettuces until it turns to mush (MMNSHW-mark my not so humble words).
Just made that one up. 
Pretty good, huh? 
Under the heated conditions of a tortoise enclosure it will dry right up.


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## chaseswife (Sep 19, 2014)

I will take what I can get from it. Day 2 and it is still looking good. Except for all the leaves that have been munched on of course! 

I have also noticed at times Shrimp just goes underneath the leaves and hangs out. I think he likes having it in there!


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## Jabuticaba (Sep 19, 2014)

Have you looked into growing chia? You get a crop every 5-7 days. 


May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES


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## chaseswife (Sep 19, 2014)

I just put in an order for a seed mix from Carolina pet supply. Today is pay day so I am doing my next round of buying tortoise supplies.  I am also trying to figure out just how many containers of growing things I can fit in my house.


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## Jabuticaba (Sep 19, 2014)

You can grow chia in the container that living lettuce came in and other spring mix containers.


This is Darwin eating fresh sprouts: 
http://instagram.com/p/igipSJh91l/



May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES


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## chaseswife (Sep 19, 2014)

I have several of those type containers, maybe I WILL do some chia. I used to have a chia pet shaped like an elephant. I don't know if those are a thing anymore. They use the same seeds, right?


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## Abdulla6169 (Sep 20, 2014)

I hope you don't mind me asking, where do you live? State would be fine. Id plant things that suit your area outside. I'm trying to grow mulberry, melon, cumber, and opuntia... Chia would be nice to grow indoors


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## chaseswife (Sep 20, 2014)

Arizona. The really hot part.


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## immayo (Sep 20, 2014)

Hibiscus flowers do really well here in AZ. 

Living lettuce is fun to plant in their enclosure, but it will most likely get eaten faster than it will grow. I've bought mixed lettuce from the garden section of Home Depot before and it did well for awhile.


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## chaseswife (Sep 20, 2014)

Rabbits ate the hibiscus we have planted outside before!


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## Jabuticaba (Sep 20, 2014)

chaseswife said:


> I have several of those type containers, maybe I WILL do some chia. I used to have a chia pet shaped like an elephant. I don't know if those are a thing anymore. They use the same seeds, right?


Yep, same seeds. I get mine at Costco. The torties and I share them.  


May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES


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