Dirt & Plants for Russian Tortoise?

[Blueberry272]

I've been filtering through the threads but haven't found quite what I'm looking for.

We are building our Russian Tortoise a new enclosure and want to include live plants for him to enjoy.

1. What type of dirt would be good for both a plant and the tortoise? We usually use the Eco Earth stuff that comes in a compressed brick.

2. What type of plants would be good for him indoors?

Thank you!

 

[JoesMum]

Grow your plants in pots and sink the pot into the substrate. It will grow much better that way and is much easier to swap out when it gets trampled or eaten.

For your tortoise, use fine grade orchid bark (emphasis on the fine as the coarser grades don't hold moisture so well) or coco coir. Tip in water from a jug and mix it with your hands until all of it is evenly damp top to bottom and right into the corners.

Plants will do just fine in either of these too or you can use any additive free compost ... you don't want pesticides or fertilisers that will get into the plants and might be eaten. And you don't want perlite, vermiculite,calcium bits or any type of water retention compound that your tort might be tempted to eat.

Spider plants are a great starter. You can grow one on a windowsill and have an endless supply of baby plants to pot up and use in the enclosure

 

[Blueberry272]

Grow your plants in pots and sink the pot into the substrate. It will grow much better that way and is much easier to swap out when it gets trampled or eaten.

For your tortoise, use fine grade orchid bark (emphasis on the fine as the coarser grades don't hold moisture so well) or coco coir. Tip in water from a jug and mix it with your hands until all of it is evenly damp top to bottom and right into the corners.

Plants will do just fine in either of these too or you can use any additive free compost ... you don't want pesticides or fertilisers that will get into the plants and might be eaten. And you don't want perlite, vermiculite,calcium bits or any type of water retention compound that your tort might be tempted to eat.

Spider plants are a great starter. You can grow one on a windowsill and have an endless supply of baby plants to pot up and use in the enclosure

Isn't the Zoo Med Eco Earth technically coco coir? I have no idea what I'm doing, but that's what pops up when I google it...

 

[JoesMum]

Yes, but...

You rapidly learn that printing a picture of a reptile on a packet adds dollars to the price. Buy the orchid bark or coco coir from your local garden centre, DIY store or online from somewhere like Amazon and it will be MUCH cheaper for the same thing! Only buy things from a pet store that you really have to!

 

[Blueberry272]

Yes, but...

You rapidly learn that printing a picture of a reptile on a packet adds dollars to the price. Buy the orchid bark or coco coir from your local garden centre, DIY store or online from somewhere like Amazon and it will be MUCH cheaper for the same thing! Only buy things from a pet store that you really have to!

I hadn't thought of that! I guess I'm just weary of buying anything that doesn't have a picture of a reptile, since I would think it would be more likely to contain something harmful. Not that the reptile picture always makes it safe, I just assumed there was a higher probability...

How do I even verify that a plant I buy isn't toxic by way of fertilizer or pesticide? Is it just where you buy it, or psychic ability?! I just want the little guy to be happy...

 

[Blueberry272]

Yes, but...

You rapidly learn that printing a picture of a reptile on a packet adds dollars to the price. Buy the orchid bark or coco coir from your local garden centre, DIY store or online from somewhere like Amazon and it will be MUCH cheaper for the same thing! Only buy things from a pet store that you really have to!

Would this work?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GSHK6EI/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[JoesMum]

We recommend you take any plants you buy out of their pot, rinse the compost from the roots and then grow it on in additive free compost. It needs to grow on for a few months for new growth to be clear. In the case of spider plants, the baby plants growing on new runners will be fine if this is done.

You don't get a quick fix with plants unfortunately. Plants grown for human consumption are usually fine. It's the house plants that aren't

 

[JoesMum]

Would this work?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GSHK6EI/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Apart from Amazon getting upset because I live in the UK and the vendor won't ship there, it looks fine

 

[Blueberry272]

We recommend you take any plants you buy out of their pot, rinse the compost from the roots and then grow it on in additive free compost. It needs to grow on for a few months for new growth to be clear. In the case of spider plants, the baby plants growing on new runners will be fine if this is done.

You don't get a quick fix with plants unfortunately. Plants grown for human consumption are usually fine. It's the house plants that aren't

You have been so incredibly helpful. Thank you so much for your time! Yay - this is exciting!

I might actually have a friend with a spider plant I could steal from... I will check

 

[Cheryl Hills]

I use organic peatmoss. It is really cheep and you can grow plants in it. Just make sure there are no additives. I get it from Lowe’s or Home Depot . There are other places you can get it too.

 

[Rusky]

You can use http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/ to tell if a plant is toxic or not. Just don't go with anything that has any sort of pesticides.