Spider Plants in Tortarium?

[Sally Franklin Christie]

I was reading the decor thread and even commented, but I lost it...

I seem to remember someone mentioning spider plants.

I have a big momma spider plant and now I am curious. Could I put a few babies in the tank? I am sure they would eventually root and might even help with my humidity level.

But it it will turn my little girl belly up, I don't want to do it.

She hasn't eaten any veggies at all for me since I've had her, ever...muzuri all the way. If I wasn't afraid of killing her I'd do like my mom did and tell her she has to stay at the table until she takes four bites....

Gosh, any advice on improving her diet are very welcome even though it should be another topic.

Sally

 

[Levi the Leopard]

spider plants are fine. i've added some of the babies you are referring to into my indoor enclosure. so far none have taken root nor been eaten. oh well for me but you can and should try it.

 

[diaboliqueturtle]

A lot of tortoises, mine included, refuse fresh foods once they taste Mazuri. You can either chop and mix what she SHOULD eat with the Mazuri (may take a couple days for the stubborn child to give in, though) or stop the Mazuri altogether. Again, she might go on a "diet" , hoping mommy will give in and bring it back but you gotta be tough ;-)
About the spider plant, sorry, I don't know. I planted a live lettuce head. Not much nutrition but it works as an always available snack.

 

[kanalomele]

Spider plants are fine. They are far more likely to be uprooted than eaten mine have never taken more than a few nibbles.

 

[mainey34]

I don't know why everyone gives mazuri such a bad rap. Its not your torts fault. I have not had this problem. Are you mixing veggies with the mazuri? You should be giving mazuri only a couple times a week. Sometimes you have to give tough love and give them nothing but greens. And if they don't eat, they don't eat. They won't starve. They can go days without eating. Just keep offering.

 

[biochemnerd808]

A more varied diet will be SO much healthier for your tort. There is a very good "edible plants" list here: http://russiantortoise.net/edible_plants.htm - most of them have a link to a picture. You may find that you already have some of these in your garden (make sure you haven't put fertilizer on them).

As far as the spider plant, I know those are poisonous for cats and dogs, but I THINK they are ok for tortoises. Our Russians are little piggies and will eat anything, so I've given up putting live plants in their tort table for decoration purposes... however I do put live plants in there for them to eat!

I was reading the decor thread and even commented, but I lost it...

I seem to remember someone mentioning spider plants.

I have a big momma spider plant and now I am curious. Could I put a few babies in the tank? I am sure they would eventually root and might even help with my humidity level.

But it it will turn my little girl belly up, I don't want to do it.

She hasn't eaten any veggies at all for me since I've had her, ever...muzuri all the way. If I wasn't afraid of killing her I'd do like my mom did and tell her she has to stay at the table until she takes four bites....

Gosh, any advice on improving her diet are very welcome even though it should be another topic.

Sally

 

[diaboliqueturtle]

I don't know why everyone gives mazuri such a bad rap. Its not your torts fault. I have not had this problem. Are you mixing veggies with the mazuri? You should be giving mazuri only a couple times a week. Sometimes you have to give tough love and give them nothing but greens. And if they don't eat, they don't eat. They won't starve. They can go days without eating. Just keep offering.

I agree with everything. I'm not against Mazuri, at all, I was merely reassuring her that her tort's reaction was normal. I never had to worry about my red foot's appetite, she would lick her plate clean, until I introduced it. She'd snub everything else so I had to start mixing it all for her to eat it. To me, that's just complicating something that should be really simple. I'm even considering cutting it out completely once I run out and get her back on her fresh only diet. We have enough things to worry about, right, so why complicate them further unnecessarily?