Looking for some verification

[UnicornSploosh]

So, we're in the process of redoing the tortoise enclosure and I want to double check on a few things. I recently went to this website:

http://www.africantortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm

I've been looking for ideas on what sort of plants to include in their enclosure for hiding spots, snacks, etc. One of the ones that caught my attention was spider plants. We have a huge spider plant that is always trying to give us little spider plants. It's not given any fertilizers and I have organic soil to plant the "babies" in. This is an okay plant for sulcatas? For sure?

They're also going to have grass planted and I'm thinking some other tasty bits like strawberry plants, etc. Essentially just little things for them to nibble on and hide under.

I am also trying to figure out a way to build a marshy area in their indoor enclosure. Has anyone had any success with this? Ideas?

 

[tortdad]

Spider plants are fine
skip the strawberries as they shouldn't be eating fruit
I wouldn't give it a marshy area. You should have an area fro it to soak in, like a terra cotta plant saucer but not a marsh.

 

[UnicornSploosh]

I wasn't planning on letting them have the fruit actually. Just leaves and flowers. I'm just looking for fairly easy to find plants/seeds.

I got the marsh idea from that beautiful ivory tortoise thread. Well, that and their repeated attempts at making their regular water dish a marshy mud puddle. I was thinking of doing both. One a normal water source and the other an area with standing water but with plants and stuff growing in it.

 

[Yvonne G]

Actually most tortoises really love a "mud waller." If you have the space I see nothing wrong with it. You can also have a clean waterer such as what tortdad suggested. For my Aldabs, I was running the sprinkler one day and the tortoises themselves, dug out a depression that collects water. I've allowed it to stay and even let the hose drip into it to keep it wet:



As far as edibles go, you can see the young mulberry trees in the picture on the right, and the grape vine in the black tub over the mud pit. You can also plant rose of sharon, hibiscus, hosta, but anything you plant will have to be protected from the tortoises until it is well established. Barely visible behind the black tub is a young fig tree that I've had to put PVC around to keep the tortoises from bumping into it.

 

[bouaboua]

Actually most tortoises really love a "mud waller." If you have the space I see nothing wrong with it. You can also have a clean waterer such as what tortdad suggested. For my Aldabs, I was running the sprinkler one day and the tortoises themselves, dug out a depression that collects water. I've allowed it to stay and even let the hose drip into it to keep it wet:

View attachment 139202

As far as edibles go, you can see the young mulberry trees in the picture on the right, and the grape vine in the black tub over the mud pit. You can also plant rose of sharon, hibiscus, hosta, but anything you plant will have to be protected from the tortoises until it is well established. Barely visible behind the black tub is a young fig tree that I've had to put PVC around to keep the tortoises from bumping into it.

OH. Good! ! ! !

SO is out! ! ! ! ! !

 

[UnicornSploosh]

They're still a bit too little to go outside all the time. I'm building their indoor enclosure again.

I just had to share how hard it is to get a morning soak and feeding too.