Safe decorations and fast growing plants????

[Blgreek08]

Just Rome advice please. I see all these beautiful enclosures and mine is so plain and boring.....any ideas to help me?? I want a pretty but natural look.

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[Jacqui]

Inside or out? Do you want things only growing in the enclosure or would you like for instance an airplane/spider plant which you have the actual plant outside the enclosure, but with the small ones dripping over into the habiat so the tortoise can free feed? Would you be open to having smal trays growing outside the enclosure and when these seed trays are mature enough you slip the entire tray into the enclosure substrate. Then you simply keep a rotation of them going. If outside do you want something like a grapevine or maybe a bush vine like some types of squash are? Or do you want something taller like a hibiscus bush (tropical, hardy or Rose of Sharon/Althea) something that can get some height on it or would it be too limited by an enclosure lid perhaps? Of course tropicals grow well inside too.

Tell us a bit about your enclosure (inside/out, size, substrate, lighting, ect) along with who lives in it and that will help us come up with ideas.

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I would look aroud in your area for some nice branches perhaps that have fallen off of trees. I love using old hollowed ones. Maybe some local rocks? Or go to a garden center and loo at what rocks they have. I enjoy the flatter river rocks as they add character, can be used by the tortoise as a baskng site, are not too tal so worries about the tortoise climbig and then falling off onto their back are more limited, and can even be used as food locations. Those two items do a lot to make things look more "natural".

 

[Blgreek08]

I do not have a permanent out side enclosure. So not to worried about that......
My indoor one needs to be a bit bigger. Im updating next month but right now it's a 3.5ft long by just over 2ft wide....it's only about 7inches or so high. Temps very from 93 down to 73 depending where they chose to be. And average humidity of about 50. I know that's kinda low people say but the vet said to do that because they had breathing problems and since changing the humidity they have been great.......I use coco fiber and Cyprus mulch separated for two different terrains.

Id prefer lower stuff not trees and I just wanna make it look a little more interesting. Im not picky as to how I accomplish that other then price wise. Just moved so not much extra cash right now

It won't let me post pics from my phone

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I forgot to say two 8 month old Redford

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[Jacqui]

I think the option you would want to work with right now, is the one where you have the rotation of several small trays of seeds. Do you happen to buy your greens in the plastic bxes? Those make great trays to use. Those clear tops are nice to aid in the seed germination. You an also buy or grow plants in pots and simply set the pots into the ground(substrate the same way). With the pots most folks keep it so the actual pot top is out of reach of the tortoises, so they don't eat the plant down to nothing. You could buy cheap bird seed, but I like to buy those seed packets that go for 20-50 cents each. Things like turnip greens are my favorite to use. You could also use the hang over plan idea like I mentioned with the spider/airplane plant. A hosta would work well in there or a small tropical hibiscus even. Do you happen to know anybody who has some plants they would let you have or take cuttings from? Then you would not have to worry about chemical issues (unless those folks also use chemicals for fertilizer or pest control). Could even plant a cactus pad in there. Might try transplanting from your own yard weeds, too. Some stores also carry rooted lettuces and while the lettuce is not a great item in itself, it is still good as part of their diet and does give the tortoise the fun of ripping apart te plant to eat it. Just so many options are available for you.

 

[Yvonne G]

If you can find someone who has a fruit-type mullberry tree, and capture some of the fruits...they grow very fast. You can plant them in a different container, and harvest the seedlings a few at a time to plant in the enclosure.

The little packets of growing grass in the pet store (cat/wheat grass) would be another option.

If you know someone with a rose-of-sharon tree, those seedlings grow pretty fast too.

Go the a nursery and take a look in the cactus section. Any of the cacti (with the exception of the euphorbia) would be ok to plant. Buy several in the really tiny pots and plant the pot and all right into the substrate.

 

[Blgreek08]

Thanks. im just not good at this decorating thing haha.

I also am afraid that it will be to crowded and they won't have enough space. I don't want to separate them. They have been together since I got them and they always snuggle in there hole together. It's cute. I do do trays of clover. I guess I could try other plants. But what plants are safe

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[Jacqui]

Thanks. im just not good at this decorating thing haha.

I also am afraid that it will be to crowded and they won't have enough space. I don't want to separate them. They have been together since I got them and they always snuggle in there hole together. It's cute. I do do trays of clover. I guess I could try other plants. But what plants are safe

Most of the time with the plants, they will go under the plant stems/leaves so it doesnt take up that much of their space. Plus between eating and stomping on them most plants don't last too long. Don't worry too mch on how good the "decorating" is, the tortoises do not care and anything is better hen nothing at all. It is normally helpful if you have mainly one side you look into them from, to keep the taller plants at the back of the enclosure, the short ones in front. Remember plants can be move around, if you end up not liking how they look.

Tortoise table is always a good place to check on wha plants are good. Plus you can ask in here.

Just thought of another great plant.. the pothos. That vine grows very well, hs pretty leaves and works with redfoots.

 

[Blgreek08]

thank you to both of you. im nervous about growing grass though. at least in the enclosure. because when my clover things are gone and eaten it makes for very hard stuck dirt from the roots and stuff. and my guys love to dig

 

[Blgreek08]

What do you think??? Im going to cut a hole in the side of the tub and attach it to the other one for added space and places to hide

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[RosieRedfoot]

Wandering jew is hardy and edible as well. I had some on my balcony and cut it back for winter. The cuttings fell to the ground and I found them this spring growing fine. I pulled them up and set them on top of the soil in a pot and now have almost a whole plant growing everywhere.

 

[Blgreek08]

I did not realize that was edible. That is the purple vine and leaf plant right. Could you post a pic please

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