Can I just plant fake plastic grass in my Russian's enclosure?

CharlesDarwin2.0

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I'm having trouble planting anything alive in his enclosure; he keeps knocking it down or digging it out. Is it possible to just by some plastic grass and put it in there along with one or two other artificial plants, or is that unhealthy for the little dude?

Thanks!
 

Tom

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I'm having trouble planting anything alive in his enclosure; he keeps knocking it down or digging it out. Is it possible to just by some plastic grass and put it in there along with one or two other artificial plants, or is that unhealthy for the little dude?

Thanks!

There is a substantial risk that he will try to eat it and become impacted. I would not use fake grass.

Why don't you like regular substrate like most people use? Maybe we can think of an alternative if we know what you are after.
 

CharlesDarwin2.0

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There is a substantial risk that he will try to eat it and become impacted. I would not use fake grass.

Why don't you like regular substrate like most people use? Maybe we can think of an alternative if we know what you are after.
That's what I was worried about. What do you mean by regular substrate? I use coco coir mixed with some timothy hay where his burrow is, and some dark rubber chunks (huge, dont worry) that function as rocks. Currently, i've got some 12" weeds growing in there, but he's knocking them down and they don't seem to be growing well anyways.

Edit:
I suppose i'm just looking for something to give him some sight blocks. He reacted very well to the weeds in the enclosure!
 

Tom

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I would not use hay as substrate, especially not mixed with coir. Your coir should be damp and damp hay will mold. Plus russians don't eat hay, so there is no reason to have it in there. Coir is fine for russians, but I prefer fine grade orchid bark for adults.

For sight blocks I would use logs or large rocks.
 

CharlesDarwin2.0

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Hay is only in the burrow, it doesnt seem to have been molding for the past few months, but i'll change it anyways eventually! The logs are a good idea, I will look into that! I was also thinking bamboo
 

ZEROPILOT

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Also, I'd remove the rubber blocks. Even a small piece that could get nibbled off could cause a serious issue with your little one. Rubber can't be digested and small tortoise...Even adults will now and then try to eat about anything.
 

SarahChelonoidis

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Is this indoors or outdoors?

If indoors, most people don't have enough of the right light to grow anything other than traditional house plants - many of the yummy weeds and grasses people want to grow require full sun which is extremely hard to recreate indoors. You are really limited to tropical, shade tolerant plants for indoor enclosures (you also have to think about water drainage - not all tortoises enclosures are well planned for keeping plants thriving). Things like pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is quite hardy and takes a trampling. Many palms are generally pretty good once established too. Most of what grows well in indoor enclosures isn't ideal for Russian snacking, however. The enclosure also has to be big enough that you can section off a portion to allow roots to get established before stomping occurs. Very few plants can survive stomping before they've set in the ground - which can take months.

If outdoors, just section off portions to allow plants to start.
 

JoesMum

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The best thing to do is to raise plants in pots on your window ledge or in a greenhouse or cold frame.

You can then sink the pot into the substrate. When the plant is past its best, swap the pot out for another. That way the plant is growing in the soil it likes rather than the substrate and is likely to last longer
 

Yelloweyed

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If it's edible, it'll be gone in short time.

Try using a 5000k or higher LED lightbulb. It emits very little heat but spider plants and tort-safe ferns thrive with the higher wavelengths. You may need to experiment with different (but safe) plants to see which one your tort doesn't like to eat.

I've had 1 spider plant in an enclosure for over a year and it's so happy it has spread its babies all over the enclosure. I've had to switch out my ferns because they grew too tall for the enclosure. All my indoor enclosures are considered 'closed.'
 
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