New here! I’ve done my research but..

[Pastel Tortie]

I have two Zebra’s, are they going to do good in enclosure and can my tortoises have some to eat? Here is a pic.
View attachment 254706

Thanks for the pictures. The closer view helps quite a bit, as does the picture of the enclosure showing where the plants are positioned.

The general, oversimplified answer to your question is yes (to both parts), but with plenty of caveats and precautions.

I would NOT put the plants directly into the substrate, with or without the pots. It will be easiest for you to monitor and maintain the plants if you can remove them from the enclosure to tend to them. Hawarthias don't mind being root bound.

It looks like there is plenty of perlite (small white pieces) in the potting medium for the zebra plants. While perlite is great as an additive to succulent potting media, it's bad for tortoises. It looks way too much like calcium, and it could cause impaction if eaten. DON'T let your tortoises near the zebra plants' potting medium until you can remove the risk of them ingesting any non-dirt-like parts.

Also, if there's any time release fertilizer at the top of the potting medium, go ahead and remove it.

Questions:

1. Is there any sign of time release fertilizer in the plant pots?
2. Are the zebra plants planted directly in the black ceramic square pots, or are they actually in a smaller plastic pot set inside the outer container?
3. Does the container have any drainage holes?
4. Is there any indication of where the plant came from, a brand name, or nursery?

I have more thoughts, but let's start with those questions before my brain goes running off on too many tangents.

 

[Casefresh]

Thanks for the pictures. The closer view helps quite a bit, as does the picture of the enclosure showing where the plants are positioned.

The general, oversimplified answer to your question is yes (to both parts), but with plenty of caveats and precautions.

I would NOT put the plants directly into the substrate, with or without the pots. It will be easiest for you to monitor and maintain the plants if you can remove them from the enclosure to tend to them. Hawarthias don't mind being root bound.

It looks like there is plenty of perlite (small white pieces) in the potting medium for the zebra plants. While perlite is great as an additive to succulent potting media, it's bad for tortoises. It looks way too much like calcium, and it could cause impaction if eaten. DON'T let your tortoises near the zebra plants' potting medium until you can remove the risk of them ingesting any non-dirt-like parts.

Also, if there's any time release fertilizer at the top of the potting medium, go ahead and remove it.

Questions:

1. Is there any sign of time release fertilizer in the plant pots?
2. Are the zebra plants planted directly in the black ceramic square pots, or are they actually in a smaller plastic pot set inside the outer container?
3. Does the container have any drainage holes?
4. Is there any indication of where the plant came from, a brand name, or nursery?

I have more thoughts, but let's start with those questions before my brain goes running off on too many tangents.

Thanks! Some answers: no drain hole, zebra plants are potted directly in the black China pots you see. Good call on that white stuff. I will re plant them in the pot with cactus soil from Lowe’s or Home Depot. Don’t think there is timed fertilizer. They came from the www.theheartcompany.ca

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Thanks! Some answers: no drain hole, zebra plants are potted directly in the black China pots you see. Good call on that white stuff. I will re plant them in the pot with cactus soil from Lowe’s or Home Depot. Don’t think there is timed fertilizer. They came from the www.theheartcompany.ca

Read the ingredients carefully on any potting mix, from Lowe's or Home Depot, or anywhere, as perlite is a frequent additive in cactus mixes and for other plants. Again, great for succulents, just not so good for tortoises.

While you're out looking in the garden sections, see what kind of plant pot saucers they have. This time of year, you may be able to find some large terra cotta saucers covered with a ceramic glaze. They should also have the regular terra cotta saucers available. Glazed or not, those work great for food and water.

The black ceramic pots look awesome, but they may pose some challenges in getting the watering right. Plan to remove the plants from the enclosure to water them. That way, if they seem too damp, you can stick a paper towel in/on the top of the wet soil and let it hang down. The wicking action will remove some of the excess water.

Of course, if you find pots with drainage that you like, or heavier (ceramic or terra cotta) pots that you can use as a cachepot, that would work well. You could set the cachepot or outer pot partly into the substrate, and just remove the inside plastic pot (with drainage holes) for watering. That would also give you the option of switching out the plants if needed, i.e., if they didn't adjust well to the lighting or humidity inside the tortoise enclosure.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Whether the pots have drainage holes or not, watering the zebra plants will take some trial and error (and experimenting) to find a happy balance. Basically, the higher the lighting and temperature levels, the more water or moisture they can handle - and the more water they probably NEED to compensate for rapid evaporation under a hot light. You may have to experiment with different locations for the plants in the enclosure, to see what microclimates they're happiest (healthiest) with.