RT safe cactus for decor any suggestions
- Thread starter Richabi
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Sara G.
Active Member
Opituna cactus (sometimes known as prickly pear cactuses I think) seem to be very common because they're safe for torts to munch on. But try to see if you can get a spineless kind (I've never seen one but heard rumors that they exist). And I'm sure other members have better inputs with plants for an RF enclosure. 
Sara G.
Active Member
No problem!
Here are two better cactus options and one bad option -> cuss worthy plant.
I bought first and third from Home Depot and the second one from a local nursery. They're all from least summer and have already grown quite a bit.
I bought first and third from Home Depot and the second one from a local nursery. They're all from least summer and have already grown quite a bit.
dannylozano10
Well-Known Member
Ok so do you think the thorns hurt there mouth?
I don't know if they do, I would assume they would but I hate them. If I get within a foot of the one cactus, it jumps out and stabs me! (jk)
If you try a mom & pop nursery, they might have a larger selection. However, if you're in sunny SoCal, they're selling now almost everywhere. The cactus in the first picture is called an 'Emerald Wave' opuntia cactus. The second one was just labeled as a spineless cactus.
Your russian will likely eat any cactus it has access to, spines or not. There are many varieties of spineless opuntia and they are all good tortoise food. I have around 10 different types at my ranch. My tortoises devour all of them every chance they get.
turtlemanfla88
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What I do with the spines/hairs is use a small torch I got at harbor freight and burn them for a couple of seconds. Remember these cactus are native only to the Americas and are found no where else in the world so, to a lot of our animals they are not used to spines. I watched a wild gopher tortoise eat a prickly pear the other day in Florida and all of our have huge spines, but then again they are both native.
gamera154
Well-Known Member
Di spineless cactus really have no spines
They all spines, prickles, glochids, or some other thing that's hurt like heck. So called "spineless" glochids are so tiny they are hard to spot. I learned that the hard way.
gamera154
Well-Known Member
Ok
turtlemanfla88
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Yep today I broke off some pads off of my spineless opuntia today and threw them to my Russians. Then I felt something in my fingers it was very little hairs I got them out.
I wear thick leather gloves and then use a metal spoon or hand spade to scrape off any thorns (big or small).
gamera154
Well-Known Member
i have the first one of those kind of cactus well i actauly found the new leaf i dug out and "killed" it survived for a year out of the ground replanted it now its starting to grow
turtlemanfla88
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They are all opuntia cactus. A lot of people only use so called spineless. I use both spines and spineless . I do remove the spines, hairs with a small cheap butane torch. Just go over it and the heat and flame do the rest. I almost cooked it the first time I did it. In FLA I had people tell me they cook and eat prickly pear and it is good. My luck is I would cook some spineless and end up at the Dr. With hairs in my mouth.
