Curious about enclosure plants

[Tessa127]

Hey @Yvonne G ! Just fyi, little LT is slowly but surely doing better! increasing weight, eating, basking, drinking, solid bowel movements... All good. So I'm making her indoor enclosure bigger and want some shade plants. 2 questions: Can and do they eat aloe vera plant? And also, can you use Golden Pothos as shade plant. They grow very well under the UV light and provide good shade. Just want to make sure neither one is poisonous to the little tort... Thank you so much...Chat soon

 

[Yvonne G]

I use pathos and they do take bites out of it. Aloe is edible, however if they eat a lot they will have runny stool.

 

[Tessa127]

I use pathos and they do take bites out of it. Aloe is edible, however if they eat a lot they will have runny stool.

Awesome... Just making sure it's all healthy. I may do without the aloe right now, but put in the Pathos for shade. Thanks so very much!!!

 

[jsheffield]

I use pathos and they do take bites out of it. Aloe is edible, however if they eat a lot they will have runny stool.

Do you mean pothos?



Thanks,

Jamie

 

[Tessa127]

Sorry, yeah, that is what I mean... Safe?

 

[Robber]

Sorry, yeah, that is what I mean... Safe?

It is supposedly toxic to mammals, but my redfoots eat it with no trouble(usually small amounts). I cannot get it to thrive in my indoor leopard enclosure(too hot I guess) , so I'm not sure how they would handle it. Aloe is edible and I know other people's tortoises will eat it, but none of my torts of any species like it (I understand why...try a little at your own risk)

 

[jsheffield]

I planted pothos, wandering Jew, and some mint in Darwin's enclosure, and I love watching him hide, explore, and nibble.

Jamie

 

[Chasen]

Pothos, african violet and wandering jew in mine.

 

[Bambam1989]

I stuck some ajuga in my torts enclosure just to see how it would do. He doesn't like the taste of them so it's not gonna get eaten. All the original leaves died but now it has new leaves growing and is starting to look like a plant again.
I want some wandering Jew but for some reason I haven't found any locally.

 

[Chasen]

I stuck some ajuga in my torts enclosure just to see how it would do. He doesn't like the taste of them so it's not gonna get eaten. All the original leaves died but now it has new leaves growing and is starting to look like a plant again.
I want some wandering Jew but for some reason I haven't found any locally.

I'm surprised you haven't seen any in your area as it's such a common plant. Are you close to Seattle? You could go to the conservatory and see if they have it growing in there. They may let you have some cuttings (very easy to start). You can def get it online.

 

[Bambam1989]

I'm surprised you haven't seen any in your area as it's such a common plant. Are you close to Seattle? You could go to the conservatory and see if they have it growing in there. They may let you have some cuttings (very easy to start). You can def get it online.

I am several hours south of Seattle. I had some back in Texas but had to leave them along with all my other plants when we moved up here a few years ago. Have to be one if the easiest plants to grow!
Not exactly my preferred time of year to ship plants, so I'll wait. When it's warmer I'll probably get some from joshsfrogs, should be chemical free.
I've got some good lighting, I think I'll see if I can get some cucumber or something to sprout, see how that does.

 

[jsheffield]

Darwin seems to enjoy exploring his enclosure more since I added plants:

Mint
Pothos
Wandering Jew

I caught him this morning enjoying a soak and nibbling at the mint, then he wandered into the pothos undergrowth.



You can see him getting ready to nip off this leaf.

Jamie

 

[daniellenc]

Aloe is so bitter I tasted some after my RF kept refusing it. I certainly know why now, lol. Pothos, ice pant, wandering jew, and others work well planted in pots. Just be ready for your tort to kill/eat any foliage hanging down.

 

[jsheffield]

I keep a bunch of replacements growing in jars of water.

J