Is This Ok For The Tortoises OR Is It Harmful?

[ILoveTortoises2]

So I was at Home Depot this morning. While I did get my soil & Grass seeds. I did see that they had flowers that were already planted and what not. Now I didn't know if they had pesticides in them.
So I was wondering IF I bought the flowers and rinsed off ALL the soil they have at the bottom and then take the roots and flower and putting it in soil that tortoises don't get sick from would this be ok OR does the flowers have pesticides still? I just want to make sure before I go buying those flowers. I seen they had Mums I know they like those. I also seen some roses & other flowers. So if I rinse the soil out would this make a different or no it is still bad for them?

 

[Yvonne G]

Some members do tell you to do that, then wait a couple weeks for the plant to actually get rid of whatever may already have been absorbed. Personally, I don't. I usually leave plants in the pot it came in and sink the pot right down into the substrate. But then, I don't feed plants that I buy to my tortoises. I only use them as decoration/hiding places.

Another thing to do would be to scrape off the top layer of soil because it may have some chemicals sitting on top, then just set the plant aside for a couple weeks while you water it. This allows whatever may be in the soil to leach out.

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

Oh ok I will have to do that. So if I put it a side for a few weeks then put it in there tank my Cherry Head could eat them and it would be safe?

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes. You could make it be safe faster by doing what you said in your first post...wash the existing soil off the roots and re-plant the plant.

 

[ILoveTortoises2]

Oh ok great. Thanks so much. I just wanted to double check to make sure this would be ok for me to do