Live plants

[smurfet505]

I want to plant something in my torts enclosure. Does anyone know what I could grow that is safe for him?

 

[Jacqui]

Wow, that can be a long list. Anything you can find on any of the diet lists is good for growing too. Can we narrow done this possible list a bit? Is this for inside or outside? Are you wanting the plant mainly to be eaten? To also be like a hide? To make the enclosure "prettier"? A vine? A blooming plant? Something perhaps just from seeds scattered in the enclosure?

 

[Luke225]

I want to plant something in my torts enclosure. Does anyone know what I could grow that is safe for him?

•Buffalo Grass (Buchloe dactyloides)
•Bermuda Grass (Cynodon Dactylon - actually originated in Africa!)
•Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata)
•Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
•Little Bluestem (Andropogon scoparious)
•Western wheatgrass (Agropyron smithii)
•Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
•Arizona Fescue (Festuca arizonica)
•Lawn Fescue (Festuca arundinacea)
•Sheep Fescue (Festuca ovina)
•Creeping Red Fescue (Festuca rubra)

•Dandelion
•Prickly Pear Cactus pads (Opuntia species) - You can scrape off the needles with a sharp knife or burn them off by holding the pad over the flame of a gas or propane camp stove
•Broadleaf Plaintain or Buckhorn Plantain (Plantago major or Plantago lanceola)
•Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea grossulariaefolia)
•Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule)
•Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)
•Roses (Rosa species) - flowers only
•Sowthistle
•Chickweed
•Hibiscus (Hibiscus species)
•Geranium (Pelargonium species)
•Mulberry (Morus species) - leaves only
•Grape (Vitis species) - leaves only

Good luck'
Michael

 

[GBtortoises]

The list could include thousands of possibilities! A better approach might be to find out which plants are toxic rather than those that aren't. Since no studies have been done with tortoises to determine what might be toxic to them the "rule of thumb" with tortoise keepers has been to determine which plants are toxic to people and animals and not use them. The toxic list is much shorter than the non-toxic!

 

[smurfet505]

I guess we just want it to be something he could munch on a little and is from a seed so we know no chemicals were put on it. Would be good if it made the enclosure look nice and something he could hide in too.

 

[smurfet505]