What Type of Grass Should I Plant?

[SunnySideUp]

I've just begun the construction of Pumpkin's 8' x 8' outdoor enclosure and I was wondering if there is a specific type of grass that I should seed in a portion of it. Is any kind of "lawn" grass okay? I know some ornamental grasses should not be eaten, but what about just turf grass? If it makes any difference, Pumpkin is a Hermann's tortoise so he is not really a grass eating species.

 

[ascott]

Bermuda grass....and take care to not purchase seed that is surrounded by fertilizer for rapid growth...

 

[KevinGG]

Orchard, perrenial rye, Bermuda, wheat, fescue. Tortoise supply and carolinapetsupply sell seed mixes

 

[Yvonne G]

Bermuda is very hardy, but also pretty invasive. I have Bermuda in all my tortoise yards. It originated in Africa, so it is a staple of the African tortoises' diet.

 

[Sheldon the russian tortoise]

Does anyone know if st.augistine grass is ok?

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, it is ok.

 

[Tom]

Make sure to leave lots of bare patches for a hermanni.

A tip I learned from Yvonne.

 

[SunnySideUp]

I don't think Bermuda would survive the winters in Michigan, but I'll look around for some of the other grasses you mentioned.

I'm only going to have partial grass cover. Thanks for the tip, Tom

 

[SunnySideUp]

Okay, I just bought some orchard grass seed from Carolina Pet Supply! It's supposed to be more cold hardy. I probably will order some of their broadleaf seed mix once the tortoise-safe wildflower mix I have runs out. Thanks for all of your advice, everyone.

 

[StarSapphire22]

Make sure to leave lots of bare patches for a hermanni.

A tip I learned from Yvonne.

Interesting. I'm a ways away from building an outdoor enclosure myself, but why is this?

 

[leigti]

Bermuda is very hardy, but also pretty invasive. I have Bermuda in all my tortoise yards. It originated in Africa, so it is a staple of the African tortoises' diet.

Make that very invasive!

 

[Tom]

Interesting. I'm a ways away from building an outdoor enclosure myself, but why is this?

Some species, like hermanni, are not really grass eaters. The bare spots give them an easier place to walk and bask. If you look at the wild habitat of most species, it does not look like a lawn. It looks like a whole lotta dirt with patches of vegetation and brush spread around. There are some really good hermanni books that show lots of pics of their natural environment and it is basically scrub brush patches in a sea of rocky dirt patches.

 

[StarSapphire22]

Some species, like hermanni, are not really grass eaters. The bare spots give them an easier place to walk and bask. If you look at the wild habitat of most species, it does not look like a lawn. It looks like a whole lotta dirt with patches of vegetation and brush spread around. There are some really good hermanni books that show lots of pics of their natural environment and it is basically scrub brush patches in a sea of rocky dirt patches.

Makes sense!