# Mondo Grass (aka Monkey Grass) in outdoor enclosure?



## JoshgOC (Jun 5, 2012)

I keep getting mixed answers throughout the internet on Mondo Grass(Ophiopogon japonicus). Is this plant safe or toxic for tortoises? It looks like a great plant for outdoor enclosures to provide shade/hiding spots.

It is not on any tortoise table list whatsoever. The plant does have tiny berries within it (it's seeds) during spring, but maybe if I just keep those plucked.


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## vanillapooh1979 (Jun 5, 2012)

This says no. http://www.hear.org/pier/wra/pacific/ophiopogon_japonicus_htmlwra.htm


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## JoshgOC (Jun 5, 2012)

Thanks for the info! ...but... Sorry, the answer was "N" as in "No" it is not toxic to animals according to that link. The "y=1 n=0" is not saying yes and no, it's their scoring system for shade tolerance, seed dispersement, life cycle, if it's palatable, density, etc. The toxic to animals answer was "No". I am glad you found that though!

Then again, tortoises can differ from the large general term of "animals" so I do feel it's safer but totally not there yet.


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## Greg T (Jun 6, 2012)

I have monkey grass in many places on the yard and the torts have eaten some of it but for the most part they leave it alone. As long as you feed them plenty of other food alternatives (sacrifical plants, lettuces, cacti, etc.) then they will leave the other plants alone.


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## vanillapooh1979 (Jun 6, 2012)

Mine don't seem to care for the Monkey grass. They nibble the edges a bit bit that is about it.


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## dmarcus (Jun 6, 2012)

I use it in my smaller tortoises enclosures and they ignore it all together except for hiding and shade. I would not use it for my bigger sulcata because he eats everything..


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## Zamric (Jun 6, 2012)

WalkingRock will eat it to the ground, then nibble on the fresh new shoots that spring up. I have lots of it in my front yard (because WR stays in the back yard) and I only have a small patch left in the backyard he cant get too. I USED to have it ringing every tree in my yard, a long patch down the fence that is now a Sucata Super Highway. A patch on either side on the gazebo and a large patch where WR bunker is now (that one went 1st when WR moved in). 

I don't know about everyone else, but WR likes it best when winter is over and he goes into his "Spring Eating Frenzy"


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## JoshgOC (Jun 6, 2012)

OK, so consensus so far tells me it's edible, but not very tasty as I want it for decor/sight barriers not food. So I take it that the berries (seeds) are not an issue?


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## Greg T (Jun 7, 2012)

I'm not positive about no bad concerns, but I haven't had any issues with the seeds. For the most part they leave anything they don't like alone and move on to much other stuff.


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