Is There A Specific Substrate To Grow Spider Plants.?

[EllisEditz]

Is There A Specific Substrate To Grow Spider Plants.?
want to add some plants to my RF's Enclosure and i decided to go with spider-plants
would i need a certain substrate for these plants to grow from seed.? if so any reccomendations on substrates would be appreciated

(THE IMAGE LINKED IS THE SUBSTRATE IM CURRENTLY USING FOR MY REDFOOT)​

Thanks..

 

[Tom]

To grow plants you need some soil for nutrients. Since soil should not be used as tortoise substrate, I grow my plants in pots where the tortoises can't reach them. I use soil with no perlite, minimal additives and use small amounts of dilute liquid fertilizer as needed. If floor space is limited and you don't have room for a bunch of pots, you can also hang your plants and just let the fronds dangle. All of my torts eat anything they can reach, so beware.

Pothos is another good one for our warm humid indoor enclosures.

Another technique I've figured out is to clip mulberry branches, grape vines, lavatera branches, or Hibiscus branches and just drop them in the enclosure for cover and for nibbling. I replace them every two or thee days, as needed. I have a tough time keeping plants alive, and the tortoises simply destroy them too, so clipping fresh branches every few days helps to provide the cover, food and behavioral enrichment I strive to offer.

 

[snowman04]

Thanks, Tom. Just what I was looking for...

 

[Cathie G]

Hello and welcome 😊 Something that works for me is the little wire shelves that go behind the kitchen sink or on the counter. You can place a potted plant or two on it They double also as a hiding spot with an oblong square dish on top. That's where my spider plants are. A tortoise enclosure is the perfect environment for them.

 

[snowman04]

Thanks, Cathie. Good idea! Picked up some succulents today. Will be shopping for a spider plant this weekend...

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome 😊 Something that works for me is the little wire shelves that go behind the kitchen sink or on the counter. You can place a potted plant or two on it They double also as a hiding spot with an oblong square dish on top. That's where my spider plants are. A tortoise enclosure is the perfect environment for them.

We need pics!!!

 

[Cathie G]

We need pics!!!

Ok. The little baby spider plants that I finally found are sitting on top of a tall one with just card stock for now. He uses those spots every day. The little succulent is one I don't know so it's out of reach for now.this is another spot he likes.

 

[Tom]

Ok. The little baby spider plants that I finally found are sitting on top of a tall one with just card stock for now. He uses those spots every day. The little succulent is one I don't know so it's out of reach for now.View attachment 347074View attachment 347075this is another spot he likes.

Thank you. That rack seems like it would be great for smaller tortoises.

 

[Cathie G]

Thank you. That rack seems like it would be great for smaller tortoises.

It really is. Not for larger torts though. With potted plants on top they can't move them. But to put them next to each other you have to make sure the legs are together as one. Or you have a tortoise wedgie 😁 I learned that the hard way 🐢😯😁

 

[EllisEditz]

To grow plants you need some soil for nutrients. Since soil should not be used as tortoise substrate, I grow my plants in pots where the tortoises can't reach them. I use soil with no perlite, minimal additives and use small amounts of dilute liquid fertilizer as needed. If floor space is limited and you don't have room for a bunch of pots, you can also hang your plants and just let the fronds dangle. All of my torts eat anything they can reach, so beware.

Pothos is another good one for our warm humid indoor enclosures.

Another technique I've figured out is to clip mulberry branches, grape vines, lavatera branches, or Hibiscus branches and just drop them in the enclosure for cover and for nibbling. I replace them every two or thee days, as needed. I have a tough time keeping plants alive, and the tortoises simply destroy them too, so clipping fresh branches every few days helps to provide the cover, food and behavioral enrichment I strive to offer.
View attachment 347004
View attachment 347005

thankyou for your response, I will take your advice into consideration. if redfoot does happen to eat spiderplant is that bad or fine ? + buying spiderplants from stores need re-potting and wait 12months right? so i am just going to grow them from seed

(your torts are beautiful) 😍😍 setup looks really clean and spacious too great job

 

[Donna Albu]

You don't need to grow them from seed, you can plant the babies that the larger plant produces. I have grown spiders in coco coir. The problem is the torts walk all over them and destroy them!

A hint: Spiders like to be root bound, so they grow better in a pot that is smaller at tge bottom, and tapered to the top. Once root bound, they will grow babies.

 

[WNash]

To grow plants you need some soil for nutrients. Since soil should not be used as tortoise substrate, I grow my plants in pots where the tortoises can't reach them. I use soil with no perlite, minimal additives and use small amounts of dilute liquid fertilizer as needed. If floor space is limited and you don't have room for a bunch of pots, you can also hang your plants and just let the fronds dangle. All of my torts eat anything they can reach, so beware.

Pothos is another good one for our warm humid indoor enclosures.

Another technique I've figured out is to clip mulberry branches, grape vines, lavatera branches, or Hibiscus branches and just drop them in the enclosure for cover and for nibbling. I replace them every two or thee days, as needed. I have a tough time keeping plants alive, and the tortoises simply destroy them too, so clipping fresh branches every few days helps to provide the cover, food and behavioral enrichment I strive to offer.
View attachment 347004
View attachment 347005

 

[WNash]

Aren't Pathos plants toxic Tom? I took them out of my enclosure because when I looked them up a few different sources labeled them as toxic. I've seen mix reviews on this.

 

[Tom]

Aren't Pathos plants toxic Tom? I took them out of my enclosure because when I looked them up a few different sources labeled them as toxic. I've seen mix reviews on this.

No. They are safe to eat, but I wouldn't offer them as a meal. Were are learning that tortoises process compounds found in many leaves differently than mammals do, and differently than we all surmised they do. Many of us have been using pothos for years, and the tortoises nibble on them will no ill effect.

 

[WNash]

OK Thank You

 

[SulcataSammy]

Is There A Specific Substrate To Grow Spider Plants.?
want to add some plants to my RF's Enclosure and i decided to go with spider-plants
would i need a certain substrate for these plants to grow from seed.? if so any reccomendations on substrates would be appreciated

(View attachment 347002THE IMAGE LINKED IS THE SUBSTRATE IM CURRENTLY USING FOR MY REDFOOT)​

Thanks..

 

[Beasty_Artemis]

Ooooh..... I need to order some!!

 

[SulcataSammy]

Wish you were close to me, I can start tons of baby plants and I do for friends. they are easy to grow. They do best in direct sunshine but will do OK in partial sunlight. The more the light, the more babies and denseness of the hanging plants.

 

[Beasty_Artemis]

Oh no, I have 4 hanging planters with nothing in them. I'm a jerk....

 

[Beasty_Artemis]

My last load of carnivorouse plants to occupy my tortoise room were DOA.