Best plants to grow in the enclosure?

Pure Tortoise Power

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I'm almost getting a much bigger tank for Lucky. I know growing plants in the tank can help maintain high humidity much better. But what plants would be ideal for me to put in there? Also I'd like to plant some carnivorous pitcher plants so that they can help eat up those pesky bugs.
 

xMario

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I'm almost getting a much bigger tank for Lucky. I know growing plants in the tank can help maintain high humidity much better. But what plants would be ideal for me to put in there? Also I'd like to plant some carnivorous pitcher plants so that they can help eat up those pesky bugs.
All safe to feed so also safe to use as enclosure plants but remember that stores put in fertilizer so u should either grow them from seeds or remove all the dirt and put it in new one than wait a year to set it in the enclosure or try to find a store that sells them in fertilizer free soil.Screenshot_20190317-104559_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104529_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104521_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104515_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104507_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104501_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104434_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104426_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104419_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104413_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104406_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104400_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpegScreenshot_20190317-104354_The%20Tortoise%20Table.jpeg
 

Pure Tortoise Power

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All safe to feed so also safe to use as enclosure plants but remember that stores put in fertilizer so u should either grow them from seeds or remove all the dirt and put it in new one than wait a year to set it in the enclosure or try to find a store that sells them in fertilizer free soil.View attachment 267498View attachment 267499View attachment 267500View attachment 267501View attachment 267502View attachment 267503View attachment 267504View attachment 267505View attachment 267506View attachment 267507View attachment 267508View attachment 267509View attachment 267510
All these plants are also safe for torts to eat too right?
And can I put in a carnivorous pitcher plant as well?
 

xMario

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All these plants are also safe for torts to eat too right?
And can I put in a carnivorous pitcher plant as well?
I wouldn't put them in directly but u could hang them out of reach inside ur enclosure they definitely help with the flies
If u put them inside ur tort will eat them in no time it won't do harm to ur tortoise but it's also nothing they should eat regularly
 

Pure Tortoise Power

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I wouldn't put them in directly but u could hang them out of reach inside ur enclosure they definitely help with the flies
If u put them inside ur tort will eat them in no time it won't do harm to ur tortoise but it's also nothing they should eat regularly
I see. Thx for your help. If I were to grow them from seeds, how long would it take until the plants are mature (in currently leaning towards spider plant, marigold, pansy, campanula and coleus)? Should I let them grow before introducing them in the enclosure or should I just put the seeds in with the tort?
 

xMario

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I see. Thx for your help. If I were to grow them from seeds, how long would it take until the plants are mature (in currently leaning towards spider plant, marigold, pansy, campanula and coleus)? Should I let them grow before introducing them in the enclosure or should I just put the seeds in with the tort?
I would say to mature 6-12 month's
If u put the seeds in with ur tort she's gonna destroy the fresh growth
 

Pure Tortoise Power

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I would say to mature 6-12 month's
If u put the seeds in with ur tort she's gonna destroy the fresh growth
Oh wow that's pretty long. How about this, I put the seeds in pots then put the pots in the enclosure so she can't reach where they're growing (too tall) and hence not affecting their growth? And when they're mature, I put them directly into the soil of the enclosure?
 

xMario

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Oh wow that's pretty long. How about this, I put the seeds in pots then put the pots in the enclosure so she can't reach where they're growing (too tall) and hence not affecting their growth?
Sounds like a good idea and spider plants grow the fastest if u don't have much time to wait :)
 

jsheffield

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If you ask among friends, someone will have cuttings from spider plants or pothos that have been in water for months ... you can plant those in cypress mulch in small consumers in your tortoise's enclosure ... that's what I do.

Jamie
 

Pure Tortoise Power

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So after further research, I'm planning on planting: spider plant, campanula, dandelion, hibiscus, pansies, maybe opuntia cactus (is this cactus a spineless species?), and for grass, what grass. All seeds. Also, I may buy pitcher plants too put outside the enclosure for eating all the bugs. I guess it's OK to buy the plant directly, it's that right?
Is it OK to plant the grass seeds in the enclosure with the tort inside? I know grasses grow fast under high temp and humidity, but I'm not sure if that would be a good idea.
Do I need to replenish the plants with new seeds annually since they whither in winter? Or the plants can propagate in spring and grow again? Or the temp in the enclosure will keep them alive? (yeah I know, this last question is kinda dumb)
Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer these questions.
 

ayrgrn

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So after further research, I'm planning on planting: spider plant, campanula, dandelion, hibiscus, pansies, maybe opuntia cactus (is this cactus a spineless species?), and for grass, what grass. All seeds. Also, I may buy pitcher plants too put outside the enclosure for eating all the bugs. I guess it's OK to buy the plant directly, it's that right?
Is it OK to plant the grass seeds in the enclosure with the tort inside? I know grasses grow fast under high temp and humidity, but I'm not sure if that would be a good idea.
Do I need to replenish the plants with new seeds annually since they whither in winter? Or the plants can propagate in spring and grow again? Or the temp in the enclosure will keep them alive? (yeah I know, this last question is kinda dumb)
Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer these questions.
Those plants are great for enclosures, mainly the spider plant as they are very hardy. As for the others, if you don't want your tort to eat them then you'll have to plant them in pots and keep them raised about 2 inches off the substrate so it can't get to them. As for the grass, I strongly recommend you don't get lawn grass seeds as these are modified to be greener and give the lawn a good look, cat grass and rye grass are the best options. I wouldn't plant them straight into the substrate as your tort may trample and eat the grass as it just starts to come out of the substrate. The grass and other plants should all be able to grow indoors with some direct and indirect sunlight through a window, especially the spider plant which needs indirect. If you're planning on getting the tort munch on the plants then you can buy them already grown from the store but you'll need to repot them in organic soil and wait for the new leaves and flowers to grow as the soil they are originally in could contain pesticides and insecticides which could harm your tort. The alternative is buying the seeds from your local garden centre and growing them yourself in organic soil which is what I like to do. I would recommend growing the grass in a seed tray which can easily go straight into the enclosure. If all the plants grown are kept in the enclosure and continue to thrive inside there then they shouldn't wither as the uvb and heat bulb inside the enclosure should keep them alive. As for the carnivorous plants I wouldn't put them inside the enclosure unless they are raised above the soil in pots like the other plants.

I am no expert but I hope this helps.
 

Pure Tortoise Power

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Those plants are great for enclosures, mainly the spider plant as they are very hardy. As for the others, if you don't want your tort to eat them then you'll have to plant them in pots and keep them raised about 2 inches off the substrate so it can't get to them. As for the grass, I strongly recommend you don't get lawn grass seeds as these are modified to be greener and give the lawn a good look, cat grass and rye grass are the best options. I wouldn't plant them straight into the substrate as your tort may trample and eat the grass as it just starts to come out of the substrate. The grass and other plants should all be able to grow indoors with some direct and indirect sunlight through a window, especially the spider plant which needs indirect. If you're planning on getting the tort munch on the plants then you can buy them already grown from the store but you'll need to repot them in organic soil and wait for the new leaves and flowers to grow as the soil they are originally in could contain pesticides and insecticides which could harm your tort. The alternative is buying the seeds from your local garden centre and growing them yourself in organic soil which is what I like to do. I would recommend growing the grass in a seed tray which can easily go straight into the enclosure. If all the plants grown are kept in the enclosure and continue to thrive inside there then they shouldn't wither as the uvb and heat bulb inside the enclosure should keep them alive. As for the carnivorous plants I wouldn't put them inside the enclosure unless they are raised above the soil in pots like the other plants.

I am no expert but I hope this helps.
Is the uvb necessary? I don't have uvb bulbs. I just being my tort out for sunbathe.
 

ayrgrn

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Is the uvb necessary? I don't have uvb bulbs. I just being my tort out for sunbathe.
It depends how often you have direct sunlight in your garden, if it's there everyday for at least 30mins - 1hour then you may not need the uvb bulb but still definitely need a basking bulb to help them thermoregulate (around 36°). If you don't have this amount of sunlight where you live then you definitely need a uvb bulb. DO NOT get the coil uvb bulb - this hurts tortoises eyes. Get either a D3 basking bulb (Mercury Vapour Bulb) or a T8 uvb flood tube. I have a MVB but seeing other threads from experts I wish I got the t8 tube.

Hope this helps
 

Pure Tortoise Power

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It depends how often you have direct sunlight in your garden, if it's there everyday for at least 30mins - 1hour then you may not need the uvb bulb but still definitely need a basking bulb to help them thermoregulate (around 36°). If you don't have this amount of sunlight where you live then you definitely need a uvb bulb. DO NOT get the coil uvb bulb - this hurts tortoises eyes. Get either a D3 basking bulb (Mercury Vapour Bulb) or a T8 uvb flood tube. I have a MVB but seeing other threads from experts I wish I got the t8 tube.

Hope this helps
I'm planting my flowers indoors, and I know the amount of uvb able to pass through glass is little. And what I was meant to say was if uvb is really needed for the growth of plants. Also I heard that flowers can't endure temps that are too high? Idk if that's right. And one more thing, is it OK to use tap water to water the flowers? I've also heard that the fluoride in the real water could harm the plants.
 

Pure Tortoise Power

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It depends how often you have direct sunlight in your garden, if it's there everyday for at least 30mins - 1hour then you may not need the uvb bulb but still definitely need a basking bulb to help them thermoregulate (around 36°). If you don't have this amount of sunlight where you live then you definitely need a uvb bulb. DO NOT get the coil uvb bulb - this hurts tortoises eyes. Get either a D3 basking bulb (Mercury Vapour Bulb) or a T8 uvb flood tube. I have a MVB but seeing other threads from experts I wish I got the t8 tube.

Hope this helps
So I read a post on this forum from before, and they said that plants don't need uvb to grow, only uva, what do you think about that?
 

ayrgrn

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I'm planting my flowers indoors, and I know the amount of uvb able to pass through glass is little. And what I was meant to say was if uvb is really needed for the growth of plants. Also I heard that flowers can't endure temps that are too high? Idk if that's right. And one more thing, is it OK to use tap water to water the flowers? I've also heard that the fluoride in the real water could harm the plants.
So I read a post on this forum from before, and they said that plants don't need uvb to grow, only uva, what do you think about that?
Oh my apologies, I thought you meant for the tortoise. Uvb is vital for plants as this is what they take in from the sun to photosynthesise (grow). But plants can thrive indoors where there are plenty of windows and light. Just make sure that they are not in any shaded areas or they will wither away. For example, I grow catgrass, clover and dandelions in my bedroom window from seeds at the moment, once they grow leaves I will transfer them to an outdoor area to get as much sunlight as possible and grow as much as they can. Flowers and leaves will die if they're too hot, e.g. under the basking lamp. And yes, tap water is perfectly fine to water plants with. Rain water collected from outdoors may be better I guess but I've always used tap water.
 

Pure Tortoise Power

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Oh my apologies, I thought you meant for the tortoise. Uvb is vital for plants as this is what they take in from the sun to photosynthesise (grow). But plants can thrive indoors where there are plenty of windows and light. Just make sure that they are not in any shaded areas or they will wither away. For example, I grow catgrass, clover and dandelions in my bedroom window from seeds at the moment, once they grow leaves I will transfer them to an outdoor area to get as much sunlight as possible and grow as much as they can. Flowers and leaves will die if they're too hot, e.g. under the basking lamp. And yes, tap water is perfectly fine to water plants with. Rain water collected from outdoors may be better I guess but I've always used tap water.
So basically they can thrive if I put them into the enclosure since there's light, warmth. I just gotta put them on the cool side that right?
 

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