What plants do sulcatas ignore?

Triple9Nickel

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Hi everyone,

My 20yo sulcata lives in our yard in Los Angeles. He's happy and healthy, lives underground, and makes love to the rocks, which is better than I do some months.

I've built a shallow garden pond (only 6 inches deep) surrounded by succulents and hibiscus, but of course I realize he will eventually eat everything, so I had a thought.

There are hundreds of pages online about what tortoises eat, and hundreds on what plants are bad for them.

But I can't find a single piece of advice as to which plants tortoises ignore. I'd love to stick a few plants on the garden perimeter that will survive his never-ending hunger.

Excited to hear your experiences as to which plants or small trees they couldn't care less about.

Thanks for your thoughts!
 

Blackdog1714

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A wall- a stout wall- your bulldozer will eat what it wants and most likely trample the rest. I would really consider raised gardens that allow for shade underneath
 

Avuwyy

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Anything with a strong, pungent smell will often survive being munched down to the roots. Tortoises, alike people, do have preferences however, so what plants may scare my tortoise away, or someone else’s tortoise away, might be your tortoise’s favourite thing in the world.

I’ve found my tortoise really dislikes the smell of lavender, haven’t gone out of my way to try and feed him the lavender, but he doesn’t seem too pleased when he can smell it on my hands after I’ve been trimming at my houseplants. Herbs tend to hold very strong smells which don’t appeal to tortoises. Thyme, garden mint, and basil are some examples of these. I found when I tried to feed my tortoise thyme when he was younger that he was put off of all of his food just by the smell of thyme being mixed in.

Anything with fibrous leaves, or tannins are less palatable to tortoises also, so they may be more likely to ignore these after having a little nibble. I’ve been informed in the past that tannins can have deworming properties, but also can be toxic in large amounts, so if your tortoise does actively go after plants with high amounts of tannins, be aware of this just incase (I can’t remember where I read this or if this is correct. Please correct me if I’m wrong).
Check The Tortoise Table for ideas of tortoise safe plants to place in your garden. I wouldn’t recommend planting no feeds if your tortoise is able to get to them, just incase they do have a nibble:
 

Lyn W

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I would go for plants and shrubs etc that you are know are safe just in case your tort takes a liking to them (see the Tortoise Table link above) and out of reach so they don't get flattened when he tries to rearrange his garden.
 

Tom

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Hi everyone,

My 20yo sulcata lives in our yard in Los Angeles. He's happy and healthy, lives underground, and makes love to the rocks, which is better than I do some months.

I've built a shallow garden pond (only 6 inches deep) surrounded by succulents and hibiscus, but of course I realize he will eventually eat everything, so I had a thought.

There are hundreds of pages online about what tortoises eat, and hundreds on what plants are bad for them.

But I can't find a single piece of advice as to which plants tortoises ignore. I'd love to stick a few plants on the garden perimeter that will survive his never-ending hunger.

Excited to hear your experiences as to which plants or small trees they couldn't care less about.

Thanks for your thoughts!
You are out of luck. Anything they don't eat, they trample. PLant things outside of the enclosure, or plant things inside the enclosure and wrap them with something to protect them like plywood or cinder blocks.
 

Maro2Bear

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If you have the luxury, space & funds to select safe plants, then thats what you really should do. Tortoises don't really know that eating tulip bulbs or oleander leaves & stalks will kill them. Toxic plants might even taste good. Your tortoise might ignore them forever, but all of a sudden devour them, then it’s too late.

Definitely concentrate on trusted plants. Grapes, hibiscus, rose of sharon, mulberry, even banana trees trees (provide great shade & they love the leaves).

Good luck - happy gardening & torting.
 

Triple9Nickel

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Thanks @Avuwyy for that thoughtful response, that's exactly what I'm looking for.

A friend who has 25 tortoises (most of them are huge) suggested a lemon tree or Plumeria. She has both of these in her yard and says the tortoises don't bother them. I was concerned as citrus is dangerous, but she said the same thing you said, that her tortoises don't like the smell and simply stay away from it.

@Lyn W I did consider that, though in my experience all of the plants that are "tortoise safe" are usually plants they will eat. I'm hoping to find a very specific third category of plants they don't want to eat but which don't harm them.

What better resource than fellow tortoise veterans who have collectively survived decades of daily tortoise destruction. I'm sure a single non-toxic plant has been left alone somewhere.

I greatly appreciate the help.
 

Markw84

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I've used Rosemary bushes for a few decades now in my tortoise enclosures. From a large group of sulcatas to a large group of Galapagos. You need to protect it the first year, but a rosemary will develop a very strong truck quickly. The tortoises will only nibble very occasionally on it as they don't seem to prefer it. My sulcatas simply trimmed it up to where they would rest beneath it in the shade - as have my Galapagos. My Burmese Stars never touch it, but also like the shade created. As the rosemary grows, you can trim it to whatever shape you'd like. I also use society garlic. I used to see the sulcatas, when I had them, occasionally take a nibble, but they didn't like it much. The smaller ones like to rest beneath it. My Galapagos are also leaving it alone. There are several of the plants in their enclosure and they are all left alone after more than 2 years now. It is a favorite resting spot for any that can fit beneath the shade it creates. Both have very strong odors and I feel that is the principle reason they just don't eat it.

I also really like to use Rose of Sharon. But that has to be protected until it develops a big trunk. That usually takes a few years. It grows into a nice shade bush and great food source that they will keep trimmed up as high as they can reach. My larger Galapagos have learned to bend the branches down on the smaller plants to get to the leaves - so you have to have a plant well enough established to resist that.

A weeping mulberry is another good choice as shade and food. It definitely needs to be protected until well established - which will take 3 years or so.

Here's the Galapagos yard a year ago when the galaps were smaller.
IMG_2153.jpg

And now when they are larger:

IMG_2825.jpg
 
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TammyJ

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I've used Rosemary bushes for a few decades now in my tortoise enclosures. From a large group of sulcatas to a large group of Galapagos. You need to protect it the first year, but a rosemary will develop a very strong truck quickly. The tortoises will only nibble very occasionally on it as they don't seem to prefer it. My sulcatas simply trimmed it up to where they would rest beneath it in the shade - as have my Galapagos. My Burmese Stars never touch it, but also like the shade created. As the rosemary grows, you can trim it to whatever shape you'd like. I also use society garlic. I used to see the sulcatas, when I had them, occasionally take a nibble, but they didn't like it much. The smaller ones like to rest beneath it. My Galapagos are also leaving it alone. There are several of the plants in their enclosure and they are all left alone after more than 2 years now. It is a favorite resting spot for any that can fit beneath the shade it creates. Both have very strong odors and I feel that is the principle reason they just don't eat it.

I also really like to use Rose of Sharon. But that has to be protected until it develops a big trunk. That usually takes a few years. It grows into a nice shade bush and great food source that they will keep trimmed up as high as they can reach. My larger Galapagos have learned to bend the branches down on the smaller plants to get to the leaves - so you have to have a plant well enough established to resist that.

A weeping mulberry is another good choice as shade and food. It definitely needs to be protected until well established - which will take 3 years or so.

Here's the Galapagos yard a year ago when the galaps were smaller.
View attachment 343887

And now when they are larger:

View attachment 343888
Looks like Paradise. Wow.
 

Maro2Bear

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I've used Rosemary bushes for a few decades now in my tortoise enclosures. From a large group of sulcatas to a large group of Galapagos. You need to protect it the first year, but a rosemary will develop a very strong truck quickly. The tortoises will only nibble very occasionally on it as they don't seem to prefer it. My sulcatas simply trimmed it up to where they would rest beneath it in the shade - as have my Galapagos. My Burmese Stars never touch it, but also like the shade created. As the rosemary grows, you can trim it to whatever shape you'd like. I also use society garlic. I used to see the sulcatas, when I had them, occasionally take a nibble, but they didn't like it much. The smaller ones like to rest beneath it. My Galapagos are also leaving it alone. There are several of the plants in their enclosure and they are all left alone after more than 2 years now. It is a favorite resting spot for any that can fit beneath the shade it creates. Both have very strong odors and I feel that is the principle reason they just don't eat it.

I also really like to use Rose of Sharon. But that has to be protected until it develops a big trunk. That usually takes a few years. It grows into a nice shade bush and great food source that they will keep trimmed up as high as they can reach. My larger Galapagos have learned to bend the branches down on the smaller plants to get to the leaves - so you have to have a plant well enough established to resist that.

A weeping mulberry is another good choice as shade and food. It definitely needs to be protected until well established - which will take 3 years or so.

Here's the Galapagos yard a year ago when the galaps were smaller.
View attachment 343887

And now when they are larger:

View attachment 343888
Good looking spot Mark.
 

DianeS

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Nov 21, 2018
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San Diego, California
Hi everyone,

My 20yo sulcata lives in our yard in Los Angeles. He's happy and healthy, lives underground, and makes love to the rocks, which is better than I do some months.

I've built a shallow garden pond (only 6 inches deep) surrounded by succulents and hibiscus, but of course I realize he will eventually eat everything, so I had a thought.

There are hundreds of pages online about what tortoises eat, and hundreds on what plants are bad for them.

But I can't find a single piece of advice as to which plants tortoises ignore. I'd love to stick a few plants on the garden perimeter that will survive his never-ending hunger.

Excited to hear your experiences as to which plants or small trees they couldn't care less about.

Thanks for your thoughts!
Hello, Just a reply to your sulcata's makes love to the rocks..... My sulcata's were doing the same. I have two males for 16 years. One of them, Monster, had damage to his penis where he had broken blood vessels and it would not retract back into the shell due to swelling. Unfortunately his penis had to be amputated. I have a wonderful exotics animal vet. Her advise has been the best. What a nightmare though. Just to take care of him with a feeding tube for over 2 weeks, baby food, pain medication, antibiotics. Had to keep him inside with a heater. weekly visits to the vet. It has been a couple of months, he is doing good. They both have had no interest to "love the rocks"! If they did, I would definitely stop them. take care
I have planted 2 grape plants for food
 
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