Must Have Plants

[Brewster320]

I just anted to see if there were any plants anyone thinks are a must have in a tortoise enclosure. Just curious to see what people think and people's opinions. Plants for both indoors and outdoors would be awesome too.

 

[Yvonne G]

Rose of Sharon, grape vine and mulberry tree

 

[mctlong]

What part of the world do you live in?

For outdoor enclosures here in SoCal, I think spineless prickley pear is a must have. I also like hibiscus, grape vines, strawberries, turnip greens, and lots and lots of weeds and grasses.

For indoor enclosuers, the assorted weed and grass seed mixes are excellent. My favorite is the "Russian Tortoise seed mix" sold online through Carolina Pet Supply. Technically its made for Russians, but I use it for all species. It contains crimson clover, white new zealand and red clover, plantain, turf and creeping red Fescue, orchard grass, chia, chicory, turnip greens, timothy grass, and Kentucky bluegrass.

The "Grazing Tortoise Seed Mix" they sell there is also very good.

 

[Jacqui]

This is for a Russian right? To be honest if I could only have three plants, Yvonne listed my three... Althea (Rose of Sharon), grape vine and mulberry tree. All are great plants, not only perennials but extremely hardy/fast growing ones and easy to find. The seed mix that Shelly mentioned containes some of my favorite picks for outside enclosures too.

For both inside and outside I like to also pick up some of the little cheap packets of seeds from places like WalMart. There are turnips, beets, and carrots which the green part is great feeding. Then they have other ones like collards, mustard, mixed greens, too. Squash (and other vines) are good for cover and especailly the blooms are good. Bush vines are the best. I love daylilies because they make great cover, blooms are loved, can easily find these hardy perennials. So man of the annual flowers are usable too for a touch of color along with afood source.

Now my Russians tend to eat plants down to nothing like a piranha feeding frenzy. It cost me a huge beautiful hosta plant to learn that lesson. Took them less time to eat it, then for me to plant it. For that reason consider trying firmly anchored pots of plants just out of their reach, but where the plant might trail over and down to them at times (like the spider plant).

Inside one of the fun things I like to add to their enclosures every so often is one of the living lettues the grocery store carries. It's not a great lettuce variety but it gives them a few hours of fun eating those plants which still have their roots attached.

 

[Brewster320]

What part of the world do you live in?

For outdoor enclosures here in SoCal, I think spineless prickley pear is a must have. I also like hibiscus, grape vines, strawberries, turnip greens, and lots and lots of weeds and grasses.

For indoor enclosuers, the assorted weed and grass seed mixes are excellent. My favorite is the "Russian Tortoise seed mix" sold online through Carolina Pet Supply. Technically its made for Russians, but I use it for all species. It contains crimson clover, white new zealand and red clover, plantain, turf and creeping red Fescue, orchard grass, chia, chicory, turnip greens, timothy grass, and Kentucky bluegrass.

The "Grazing Tortoise Seed Mix" they sell there is also very good.

I'm from Massachusetts so I'm not lucky enough to plant lots of cacti outdoors as you guys are. And I was thinking about ordering that seed mix, I'm just waiting for my new debit card to come in the mail its taking too long lol.

This is for a Russian right? To be honest if I could only have three plants, Yvonne listed my three... Althea (Rose of Sharon), grape vine and mulberry tree. All are great plants, not only perennials but extremely hardy/fast growing ones and easy to find. The seed mix that Shelly mentioned containes some of my favorite picks for outside enclosures too.

For both inside and outside I like to also pick up some of the little cheap packets of seeds from places like WalMart. There are turnips, beets, and carrots which the green part is great feeding. Then they have other ones like collards, mustard, mixed greens, too. Squash (and other vines) are good for cover and especailly the blooms are good. Bush vines are the best. I love daylilies because they make great cover, blooms are loved, can easily find these hardy perennials. So man of the annual flowers are usable too for a touch of color along with afood source.

Now my Russians tend to eat plants down to nothing like a piranha feeding frenzy. It cost me a huge beautiful hosta plant to learn that lesson. Took them less time to eat it, then for me to plant it. For that reason consider trying firmly anchored pots of plants just out of their reach, but where the plant might trail over and down to them at times (like the spider plant).

Inside one of the fun things I like to add to their enclosures every so often is one of the living lettues the grocery store carries. It's not a great lettuce variety but it gives them a few hours of fun eating those plants which still have their roots attached.

And yeah I have a russian but I meant tortoises in-general. And I know exactly what you mean by them eating it away. Last year when I set up my tortoises outdoor enclosure I bought a small flowering bush (I forget what its called but it was listed as a safe plants that tortoises don't generally like to eat). Well after a day she left the entire bush bare. She even rose up on her hind legs and ate the highest leaves that I thought were out of her reach. The only plants shes really left alone are the hens and chicks lol.

I also have some veggies I'm growing out fro seeds so I definitely have more than I need. I was thinking about planting them out-doors for her to graze on. The ones I was thinking are carrots, summer squash, italian dandelion, and I do have seeds for radish, beets, and turnips. You think that'd be a good idea?

 

[Spn785]

That sounds great! One that wasn't mentioned that I really like is aloe vera. They don't eat much of it, but they do eat some.

 

[Brewster320]

That sounds great! One that wasn't mentioned that I really like is aloe vera. They don't eat much of it, but they do eat some.

I do have some aloe plants around the house but I'm going to wait until I finishing building her new indoor winter enclosure before plant them in with her.

 

[Jacqui]

Mine eat the hens and chicks. As for the cactus, there should be some types that will actually live in your area.

 

[Brewster320]

Mine eat the hens and chicks. As for the cactus, there should be some types that will actually live in your area.

Really? I know theres a native prickly pear cactus but they don't come spineless as far as I'm aware of. Then of course theres the hens and chicks even thought they are technically a succulent.

 

[Camirdra]

I have hen and chicks and jade in my tort table. outside I have grapevines, hibiscus, Gerber daisies and spirea. I am in eastern WA so I keep the hibiscus in pots that sit in a buried bucket during summer then I move them into the tort shed in the winter and cap off the buckets. I have been trying to find some spinless prickly pear cactus, I have heard there are some that will grow here but I haven't ordered any yet. Is there anyone on here that sells it?