# Plants for indoor encolsure



## simeontherussiantort

Hi, I have a 2×4 tortoise table with a 2×1 second story, I am very interested in growing plants in it. I have no idea how to do it and was wondering if you had any recommendations. I use 100% coconut fiber, I'm assuming I need to mix some sort of potting soil in with it. My enclosure is inside and not in direct sunlight. I also don't know what plants to grow. I can grow dandelion in summer, but I'm not positive if I can throughout the year. I would like to be able to purchase pre grown plants, or plants that have been started since I'm not great with plants. I don't live near any specific plant stores or gardening shops although, I'm sure I could find one somewhat close. I have a Wilco, a FredMeyers, a Walmart, and an Ace Hardware. If you can list some plants that I might be able to find at these places that are both safe for tortoises to eat, and good for their health. I'm not against using seeds, I'm just not sure if it will succeed. Thank-you so much for your time


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## JoesMum

Hi and welcome to the forum. 

I have been looking back through your past posts and you seem to have been missed by most of us for no apparent reason.

Can I suggest that you read the following guides very carefully so that you give your little Russian the very best start.

Pay particular attention to what they say about enclosure size, humidity and lighting, especially UVB, as I see you have had problems with your tort's eyes.

Beginner Mistakes 
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/

Russian Tortoise Care Guide
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

Baby Russian care Guide
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/

When it comes to growing plants, don't attempt to grow them directly in the substrate. Grow them in pots in proper chemical-free soil or compost. Sink the pot into the substrate, so some of the pot shows above the surface. This way your plants will have the soil they need to grow and are less likely to be trampled. 

When they're looking past their best, you can simply take the pot out and replace with another. 

The trick is to have more plants growing on your windowsill. You can then rotate the plants returning the ones from the enclosure to the windowsill to recover... always assuming that they haven't been eaten to the ground.


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## simeontherussiantort

Thanks I've had my Tortoise for 3 years now. He started out terribly, in a 30 gal. Tall aquarium eating a single piece of romaine lettuce a day *cringe. I realized that that was not ok. Now he lives in a large tortoise table and I'm looking to give him a better diet and more places to explore. I feed him a mix of kale, red leaf, green leaf, radichio, endive, and when I can get it, escarole. I just can't seem to find the good stuff- believe me I am constantly looking for it. He is a pet store tortoise so his shell has some minor defects, they were like that when I got him. I have pictures and more information on my instagram account, @simeonandpaisley. I don't know how to upload pictures to tortoise forum thanks for replying


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## sammy33

JoesMum said:


> Hi and welcome to the forum.
> 
> I have been looking back through your past posts and you seem to have been missed by most of us for no apparent reason.
> 
> Can I suggest that you read the following guides very carefully so that you give your little Russian the very best start.
> 
> Pay particular attention to what they say about enclosure size, humidity and lighting, especially UVB, as I see you have had problems with your tort's eyes.
> 
> Beginner Mistakes
> http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
> 
> Russian Tortoise Care Guide
> http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
> 
> Baby Russian care Guide
> http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...or-other-herbivorous-tortoise-species.107734/
> 
> When it comes to growing plants, don't attempt to grow them directly in the substrate. Grow them in pots in proper chemical-free soil or compost. Sink the pot into the substrate, so some of the pot shows above the surface. This way your plants will have the soil they need to grow and are less likely to be trampled.
> 
> When they're looking past their best, you can simply take the pot out and replace with another.
> 
> The trick is to have more plants growing on your windowsill. You can then rotate the plants returning the ones from the enclosure to the windowsill to recover... always assuming that they haven't been eaten to the ground.


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## JoesMum

Try this lot. You must be able to get some of these

Mulberry leaves
Grape vine leaves
Hibiscus leaves
African hibiscus leaves
Blue hibiscus leaves
Rose of Sharon leaves
Rose leaves
Geraniums
Gazanias
Lavatera
Pansies
Petunias
Hostas
Honeysuckle
Cape honeysuckle
Leaves and blooms from any squash plant, like pumpkin, cucumber, summer squash, etc...
Young spineless opuntia cactus pads

Weeds: 
There are soooooooo many...
Dandelion
Mallow
Filaree
Smooth Sow thistle
Prickly Sow thistle
Milk thistle
Goat head weed
Cats ear
Nettles
Trefoil
Wild onion
Wild mustard
Wild Garlic
Clovers
Broadleaf plantain
Narrow leaf plantain
Chick weed
Hawksbit
Hensbit
Hawksbeard


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## sammy33

Hi we have tried


Hi we have tried several plants n lots of jigging with indoor enclosure since getting Munro from rescue centre in October with varying success. Found best to rotate/rest plants/trays or try hanging trailing plants somewhere that can't be stopped. At the moment we have aloe Vera, spider plants, viola growing outside his cage but also accessible to Munro from inside. We have a much better selection in his outside enclosure & still learning.


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## sammy33

Sorry should have said stomped on, don't you just love predictive text


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## Sara G.

While your enclosure looks very wonderful and well-thought out. Russians are active tortoises. Their minimum enclosure requirements are 8'x4'.
I know that's a huge bummer to hear. I really do think your enclosure is beautiful though!


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## simeontherussiantort

Sara G. said:


> While your enclosure looks very wonderful and well-thought out. Russians are active tortoises. Their minimum enclosure requirements are 8'x4'.
> I know that's a huge bummer to hear. I really do think your enclosure is beautiful though!


I cant go any bigger my room is only 10'×10'... All I can do is allow him more time free ranging in my bedroom. I can give him up to 3 hours a day of time in my room, or outside. I want to, but I truly cannot go bigger, if I could I would have already done it.


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## Sara G.

Letting your tort roam the house isn't very safe. There have been way too many horror stories on here of people who let their tort roam around (even when they were 100% convinced that their house/room was safe from anything) and their tort ate something or got injured or got sick from it.
The floors of houses are much colder than we think, so it's easy for a tort to get sick from that. And there are minuscule things that we don't see or think a tortoise would find interesting, but they do and they'll eat it. That can cause impact problems, etc.

Probably the best thing you could do is create a safe outdoor enclosure for your tortoise. It's okay if your tort has to come in at night to sleep, but he should definitely be spending time outside. If it's warm enough of course.


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## Sara G.

Wait a minute, @sammy33 and @simeontherussiantort
The pics that Sammy shared, are they of the same tortoise and same enclosure?
I'm a little confused now.


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## simeontherussiantort

Sara G. said:


> Wait a minute, @sammy33 and @simeontherussiantort
> The pics that Sammy shared, are they of the same tortoise and same enclosure?
> I'm a little confused now.


Those are pictures of Sammy and his enclosure. My enclosure is a tortoise table. I don't know how to post pictures on tortoise forum but I have pictures of it on my instagram, @simeonandpaisley


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## JoesMum

Plants in any tortoise enclosure get stomped. That's just how it is. 

I have 3 types of plant in my garden
- edible, but recovers
- stomped, but recovers
- big enough to force Joe to walk round

The other 2 types
- edible, but eaten to the ground
- stomped to a mush
are written off as not worth having in the first place. 

Indoors, plants don't last as well as those outdoors. The stomped ones in your pic are growing in the substrate. 

A few tips
• Don't plant them directly in the substrate 
• Do grow them on pots
• Do sink the pot into the substrate
• Do leave an inch or so of pot showing above the substrate

By having the pot level above the substrate, your tort can't stomp it, but can still hide under it.


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## JoesMum

I saw apple in one of those pictures. 

You may know this already, but I just wanted to give you the heads up that your tort can't digest sugars properly; it causes kidney problems. 

Fruit, tomato, bell pepper and carrot should all be fed only very occasionally


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## sammy33

Hi it is the same enclosure & tortoise we have tried different materials n jigged it around to see what worked best for temps access etc. It was a slice of apple my less knowledgable hubby offered, was removed thanks.


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## SarahChelonoidis

sammy33 said:


> Hi it is the same enclosure & tortoise we have tried different materials n jigged it around to see what worked best for temps access etc. It was a slice of apple my less knowledgable hubby offered, was removed thanks.



I'm pretty sure Sara was asking if your photos were of the OPs enclosure or not - which I gather they were not.


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## SarahChelonoidis

simeontherussiantort said:


> Those are pictures of Sammy and his enclosure. My enclosure is a tortoise table. I don't know how to post pictures on tortoise forum but I have pictures of it on my instagram, @simeonandpaisley



You're still using this table? https://instagram.com/p/BCtjyVZOKpy/

That's quite small for an adult Russian (although it has the right elements in it - I love the photos of your tortoise half buried in the coir under the log). I saw you had some pictures outdoors - is the outdoor enclosure used much?


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## simeontherussiantort

SarahChelonoidis said:


> You're still using this table? https://instagram.com/p/BCtjyVZOKpy/
> 
> That's quite small for an adult Russian (although it has the right elements in it - I love the photos of your tortoise half buried in the coir under the log). I saw you had some pictures outdoors - is the outdoor enclosure used much?


Yes, I do still use this table. Right now he does not have an outdoor enclosure, I just go outside and stand near him when he is exploring (I put the dog inside). I can't go any larger for the indoor enclosure. It's 10 square feet. I asked my dad and he said we could build an outdoor enclosure as soon as the weather got warmer. It's only warm here for 1/4 of the year, that's better that nothing...


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## simeontherussiantort

Simeon is 8 years old, he is not the full size of a Russian tortoise. He is only about 6"


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## SarahChelonoidis

simeontherussiantort said:


> Simeon is 8 years old, he is not the full size of a Russian tortoise. He is only about 6"



6" is likely full grown for a male Russian.


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## Sara G.

I think I might've asked this already, but I can't seem to find it on the thread. 
Where are you located?
Depending on where you are, you might be able to house your Russian outdoors, at least most of the time.


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## simeontherussiantort

Sara G. said:


> I think I might've asked this already, but I can't seem to find it on the thread.
> Where are you located?
> Depending on where you are, you might be able to house your Russian outdoors, at least most of the time.


I'm located up in Washington. It rains a ton here, it's probably not a very good idea to keep him outside year long. How do I put in my age, gender, thingy because I'm only 13


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## JoesMum

simeontherussiantort said:


> I'm located up in Washington. It rains a ton here, it's probably not a very good idea to keep him outside year long. How do I put in my age, gender, thingy because I'm only 13


Ok, very important information disclosed. Thanks for sharing your age  We have a number of younger members on here and it's important that we know who they are!

So there is less in your control than we think because clearly you have family influencing what you are able to do and where!

Is that Washington State or Washington DC? (sorry, I'm British, so treat me gently on this one) - What are your winters like?


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## simeontherussiantort

JoesMum said:


> Ok, very important information disclosed. Thanks for sharing your age  We have a number of younger members on here and it's important that we know who they are!
> 
> So there is less in your control than we think because clearly you have family influencing what you are able to do and where!
> 
> Is that Washington State or Washington DC? (sorry, I'm British, so treat me gently on this one) - What are your winters like?


Washington state


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## JoesMum

simeontherussiantort said:


> Washington state


OK, so I'm going by the internet here so you will have to correct me with reality for you.

It seems the weather varies depending on where you are in the state. This is what I found
_"Washington has two distinct climate zones. 
Mild, humid, summer days west of the Cascades rarely rise above 26°C (79°F), and winter days seldom drop below 8°C (46°F) 
while the east of the state has warm summers and cool winters. 
Western Washington experiences frequent cloud cover, fog and drizzle, and the western slopes of the Cascades receive up to 508cm (200 inches) annual snowfall. 
In the rain shadow east of the Cascades, the annual precipitation is only 15cm (6 inches)."
_
So it depends on where you are.

In winter, your tort will probably need to hibernate or be kept indoors only going out on sunny days.

You may find this thread useful as this is explains how I manage to keep my Greek outdoors in the UK for as long as possible in the year
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/


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## simeontherussiantort

JoesMum said:


> OK, so I'm going by the internet here so you will have to correct me with reality for you.
> 
> It seems the weather varies depending on where you are in the state. This is what I found
> _"Washington has two distinct climate zones.
> Mild, humid, summer days west of the Cascades rarely rise above 26°C (79°F), and winter days seldom drop below 8°C (46°F)
> while the east of the state has warm summers and cool winters.
> Western Washington experiences frequent cloud cover, fog and drizzle, and the western slopes of the Cascades receive up to 508cm (200 inches) annual snowfall.
> In the rain shadow east of the Cascades, the annual precipitation is only 15cm (6 inches)."
> _
> So it depends on where you are.
> 
> In winter, your tort will probably need to hibernate or be kept indoors only going out on sunny days.
> 
> You may find this thread useful as this is explains how I manage to keep my Greek outdoors in the UK for as long as possible in the year
> http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/


We have warm summers and it's usually in the 80s sometimes even 90s last year we had a couple days in the 100s. In the winter it's absolutely freezing, probably 28 in the mornings and never rises above 42. It also rains a lot. I don't know how many inches a year but it's a lot


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## christinaland128

I've found that wheat grass does very well especially if you grow it in a sunny window first then transplant it. 

Also in high moisture chia seeds do great.

but i have a Redfoot, not sure what yours eats.


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## JoesMum

simeontherussiantort said:


> We have warm summers and it's usually in the 80s sometimes even 90s last year we had a couple days in the 100s. In the winter it's absolutely freezing, probably 28 in the mornings and never rises above 42. It also rains a lot. I don't know how many inches a year but it's a lot


Maybe a bit colder than us... but it sounds pretty similar. You will definitely have to over-winter indoors or hibernate your tortoise. 

The thread I linked to earlier will be useful to you. Please take care outdoors with security. They can climb and dig, so you need to cap the edges and corners of an enclosure to prevent escape and have the sides dug down into the ground to prevent your tort digging out


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## simeontherussiantort

JoesMum said:


> Maybe a bit colder than us... but it sounds pretty similar. You will definitely have to over-winter indoors or hibernate your tortoise.
> 
> The thread I linked to earlier will be useful to you. Please take care outdoors with security. They can climb and dig, so you need to cap the edges and corners of an enclosure to prevent escape and have the sides dug down into the ground to prevent your tort digging out


I told my dad that building an outdoor enclosure was definitely something i wanted to do as soon as it got warmer. Im going to try and get a Terra cotta water dish thing and maybe a large enough pot for him to hide in, I also thing I'm going to buy a plant or two today and maybe a couple other things. I added another layer of coco-coir to his current enclosure and I moistened the rest of the bedding, it's probably 2"-3" deep everywhere and near his log hut 3"-4". He is really happy. He was running around in the bedding, climbing up and down his stairs, he was just having a burst of energy!


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## JoesMum

@spudthetortoise is another of our younger members who is building an outdoor enclosure for her Hermann's in the UK. 

Hopefully she can link to her thread so you can get some ideas from her pictures


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## spud's_mum

JoesMum said:


> @spudthetortoise is another of our younger members who is building an outdoor enclosure for her Hermann's in the UK.
> 
> Hopefully she can link to her thread so you can get some ideas from her pictures


I would happily add a link to my thread... If I knew how to, that is. 

Do you know how to do it, @JoesMum ? Thank you!


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## JoesMum

Open the thread in a browser, copy the whole URL including the http bit and paste it in here

Come on young 'un... you shouldn't need an oldie like me telling you how to do technology


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## spud's_mum

JoesMum said:


> Open the thread in a browser, copy the whole URL including the http bit and paste it in here
> 
> Come on young 'un... you shouldn't need an oldie like me telling you how to do technology


Haha it's because I use the app 
I will log in on the website.


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## spud's_mum

Here it is  :
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/summer-preparations-tips-very-welcome.137960/page-7


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