Natural looking indoor plants for marginated tortoise

Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Sewell New Jersey
I’m building a naturalistic enclosure for my marginated tortoises indoors. I want to find some plants that don’t look tropical or exotic, just plants that look like they are from their natural habitat. Any suggestions?
 

TisMary

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Joined
Mar 1, 2021
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New York
Hi @Speedy and Pokey TheTorts! Welcome. There have been a number of threads on this topic recently. Check out Looking for recommendations for live plants for tortoise table for a start. Also, you'll want to make sure whatever plants you choose are not toxic (torts will nibble!) Here's a good list from Tortoise Trust Safety of Some Common Houseplants. Also, you'll need a plant light or 2 - here's a thread on that Plants Dying in Indoor Enclosure. There's lots more content out here; the search facility is pretty good at finding it.

Not sure what your concern is about "tropical" plants (or "exotic" for that matter) - the environment for your Marginated should support tropical plants nicely (high humidity, nice and warm). This in contrast to, say desert plants (cacti, for example) that need hot and dry.

Good luck! Bounce back with questions.
 
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Sewell New Jersey
Hi @Speedy and Pokey TheTorts! Welcome. There have been a number of threads on this topic recently. Check out Looking for recommendations for live plants for tortoise table for a start. Also, you'll want to make sure whatever plants you choose are not toxic (torts will nibble!) Here's a good list from Tortoise Trust Safety of Some Common Houseplants. Also, you'll need a plant light or 2 - here's a thread on that Plants Dying in Indoor Enclosure. There's lots more content out here; the search facility is pretty good at finding it.

Not sure what your concern is about "tropical" plants (or "exotic" for that matter) - the environment for your Marginated should support tropical plants nicely (high humidity, nice and warm). This in contrast to, say desert plants (cacti, for example) that need hot and dry.

Good luck! Bounce back with questions.
Thanks a lot, I’ll look into all those links. The only think I have against tropical plants is that there are not many tropical looking plants in the marginated tortoises natural habitat which is what I’m trying to imitate. Thanks!
 

TisMary

Active Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2021
Messages
160
Location (City and/or State)
New York
Thanks a lot, I’ll look into all those links. The only think I have against tropical plants is that there are not many tropical looking plants in the marginated tortoises natural habitat which is what I’m trying to imitate. Thanks!
I just came across this wiki page categorizing the native flora of all parts of the world ?: Wikipedia:WikiProject Plants/World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions. Thought I'd pass it along in hopes you find it useful.
 

ZenHerper

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Joined
Feb 27, 2020
Messages
2,078
Location (City and/or State)
New Jersey
Hopefully you have a green thumb...most edible plants found in Southern Greece are herbs, needing a good bit of full-spectrum light and particular watering/drying cycles (something hard to replicate indoors with vivariums).

Search for edible plants of Greece, like the list found here:

Compare them with the data base found here:

Note: All plants listed as "Feed In Moderation" at Tortoise Table are edible and non-harmful for well-hydrated, healthy animals. Torts will avoid strongly flavored leaves (essential oils), and animals kept in dehydrated conditions will have trouble metabolizing certain plant constituents.
 
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
27
Location (City and/or State)
Sewell New Jersey
Hopefully you have a green thumb...most edible plants found in Southern Greece are herbs, needing a good bit of full-spectrum light and particular watering/drying cycles (something hard to replicate indoors with vivariums).

Search for edible plants of Greece, like the list found here:

Compare them with the data base found here:

Note: All plants listed as "Feed In Moderation" at Tortoise Table are edible and non-harmful for well-hydrated, healthy animals. Torts will avoid strongly flavored leaves (essential oils), and animals kept in dehydrated conditions will have trouble metabolizing certain plant constituents.
Thanks Zen Herper!
 

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