wrecking the plants?

[ColleenT]

Is it common for the box turtles to wreck the plants in the enclosure? Bernadette keeps trying to hide UNDER the fern in one corner ( which i then have to replant), and Wolowitz just burrowed near one of the Hostas. Wondering if my plants will be hardy enough to get thru the first year. I do go out and check the turtles and everything on a daily basis, so i hope i can catch dying plants in time to be helped. What is your experience with boxies and plants?

 

[JoesMum]

Is it common for the box turtles to wreck the plants in the enclosure? Bernadette keeps trying to hide UNDER the fern in one corner ( which i then have to replant), and Wolowitz just burrowed near one of the Hostas. Wondering if my plants will be hardy enough to get thru the first year. I do go out and check the turtles and everything on a daily basis, so i hope i can catch dying plants in time to be helped. What is your experience with boxies and plants?

It's not just boxies, it's all torts.

Have the plants in pots and sick the pot into the substrate, but not all the way down. If the pot is standing proud of the substrate. The tort can still hide under it, but they can't trample it or dig it up

 

[Eric Phillips]

Honestly to help with the burrowing into individual plants, plant ground cover plants in certain areas like dead nettle, creeping jenny, non-invasive thyme and ivy, etc. These supply cover and humidity for them without "forming" or burrowing in the ground. Once your ferns, hostas, daylilies, daisies, etc. are more established then you won't have to worry about them wrecking the place up. I would plant a hardy fern like an Ostrich Fern. They can get big and populate but they are great for cover and for the most part sun resistant as long as the soil stays moist. Just a suggestion, other wise once they like a spot to form, your never going to change their mind. I've got a Brilliant Autumn Fern that they literally destroyed at the end of last year, but it found its way to make it back this year. They abused the heck out of it, I had 2 burrowing on opposite sides. Nothing I could do, its like telling my kid they are not allowed in their room anymore and need to stay in the basement!

 

[ColleenT]

I actually have clover, Pachysandra and Creeping jenny in there. also moss, and a straberry plnat, plus a bunch of hostas and a few ferns. Must be something about the fern she loves.