Planting in an enclosure

[Kylee L.]

I want to plant some edible plants in the encloser, will they grow in coconut coir? I have them in the little plastic containers now but would like to take them out. Does the substrate have enough nutrients to support plants?

 

[Yvonne G]

It's not so much the substrate that affects them as the lighting. Most plants require more light than we can provide indoors. Some low light plants that do well would be pothos, boston fern, prayer plant. You can plant things like squash or carrots, but be prepared that they wither and die before the tortoise can eat them.

 

[Toddrickfl1]

My problem is my torts eat or destroy anything I plant. I plant things in small pots and then bury them about halfway so that the torts can't reach them, or knock them over. Doesn't always work though lol

 

[Markw84]

I also keep plants in pots that are partially buried in the substrate for young tortoises. With the good LED lights available now, they do well in the enclosure and the pothos in particular will take over the enclosure with very young tortoises that can't keep up with its growth. Here's an enclosure that was housing 12 4 month old Burmese Stars at the time. Pothos, spicer plant, prayer plant. 2 5000k LEDs in front and 2 grow light LEDs in back that are excellent for plant growth and provide a great color spectrum.



For larger tortoises I hang plants in the enclosure that they can push under and will swing out of the way. As it grows down they can nibble the ends. They stay under them as hides all the time. In the immediate foreground right, there is a big rectangular and heavy pot as a site barrier with plants as well. You can see they trim it back but it is heavy enough to stay in place. Mostly pothos and boston fern used for this.

 

[Kylee L.]

I also keep plants in pots that are partially buried in the substrate for young tortoises. With the good LED lights available now, they do well in the enclosure and the pothos in particular will take over the enclosure with very young tortoises that can't keep up with its growth. Here's an enclosure that was housing 12 4 month old Burmese Stars at the time. Pothos, spicer plant, prayer plant. 2 5000k LEDs in front and 2 grow light LEDs in back that are excellent for plant growth and provide a great color spectrum.

View attachment 283140

For larger tortoises I hang plants in the enclosure that they can push under and will swing out of the way. As it grows down they can nibble the ends. They stay under them as hides all the time. In the immediate foreground right, there is a big rectangular and heavy pot as a site barrier with plants as well. You can see they trim it back but it is heavy enough to stay in place. Mostly pothos and boston fern used for this.

View attachment 283141

that's awesome!! I thought pothos were poisonous

 

[Blackdog1714]

I have the 5000k white LEDs and have some geranium, spider, and air plants growing. I just got a spider plant from Lowes for $12 and it was loaded with babies! The hang way down the sides

 

[Kylee L.]

I have the 5000k white LEDs and have some geranium, spider, and air plants growing. I just got a spider plant from Lowes for $12 and it was loaded with babies! The hang way down the sides

I have about 5 plants I got from the gardening center, I'm not sure if they fertilized them or sprayed them do not sure if Sheldon should eat them?

 

[Blackdog1714]

Give the plants a good rinse and keep the torts out of the roots (bigger pot or up high so they can reach) and you should be okay. That is why I like the babies growing off the spider so I can clip and go.

 

[Markw84]

that's awesome!! I thought pothos were poisonous

Pothos is listed as an irritant, but it only affects mammals. Turtles and tortoises are not affected by the raphides these plants contain. The raphides are calcium oxalate crystals that are extremely small and needle like. Totally harmless to tortoises, however, keep this a small portion of the diet and be sure the calcium content of other items is there to compensate for lower calcium availability when eating pothos.

 

[Viola B]

I agree with Yvonne. Veggies would be hard to grow in enclosure with the light. Why not grow them in pots and then when big enough put the pots in your enclosure.
I have an African Violet, spider plant, and prayer plant planted in pots planted in substrates. Easy to take care of that way. I do have a Pothos in pot sitting on top of her hide.

 

[Kylee L.]

Pothos is listed as an irritant, but it only affects mammals. Turtles and tortoises are not affected by the raphides these plants contain. The raphides are calcium oxalate crystals that are extremely small and needle like. Totally harmless to tortoises, however, keep this a small portion of the diet and be sure the calcium content of other items is there to compensate for lower calcium availability when eating pothos.

thank you!

I agree with Yvonne. Veggies would be hard to grow in enclosure with the light. Why not grow them in pots and then when big enough put the pots in your enclosure.
I have an African Violet, spider plant, and prayer plant planted in pots planted in substrates. Easy to take care of that way. I do have a Pothos in pot sitting on top of her hide.

I have a spider plant, african violet, succulent, 3 friendship plants and a stone crop sedum in pots in his encloser lol. Honestly, I just don't like the look or the space the pots take up. I have 4 other different things sprouting in pots in the enclosure now...

 

[Blackdog1714]

Start with a small plant and slide a piece of PVC around the base to be the protector and put the roots in the substrate. Should last long enough or not some torts just like to take occansional bites more than others.

 

[Kylee L.]

Start with a small plant and slide a piece of PVC around the base to be the protector and put the roots in the substrate. Should last long enough or not some torts just like to take occansional bites more than others.

brilliant idea!!!