Edible plants?

[Lstrayer92]

Hi everyone I had a question I was hoping you could help with. I have an adult male russian tortoise and I decided next week I'm going to start putting live plants in his indoor enclosure and I was wondering if you guys knew what plants were safe for them and which ones were edible?

 

[tyguy35]

http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/tortoise_home_1.asp

Hey, go to the plant data base it will tell you all you need to know.
This is how I and basically everyone on the forum knows what's safe.

 

[Lstrayer92]

Oh okay! Thank you!!!

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

The Tortoise Table is a wonderful resource, as already suggested. I bought some "cat grass" and plant it in rotating flats so they can graze and then I replace as eaten. It is suppose to be healthy, it's what they also call wheat grass at the health food store for people. I love how it looks like a little lawn. I got the seeds, if you are in the states, at Target. Also, edible flowers are fun, they can eat them and it looks colorful. I like nasturtiums and my Greek tortoises eat the flowers and leaves.

 

[Lstrayer92]

Yeah I went to Walmart and they have a huge selection of plants I did look at the cat grass and I'm thinking about picking some up this Friday, not sure how well it will grow I don't have much of a green thumb lol, but it never hurts to try I guess

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

It's easy. Sprinkle seeds on soil, cover with a little bit of soil, water. The cat grass/wheat grass grows fairly fast. Success!

Being a tortoise keeper will make you a good gardener. Just be sure if you get plants from the big box stores to be sure to wait for your tortoise to feed from them because a lot get market ready pretty with chemical fertilizers. You want those to leach out. No chemicals with tortoises they are too canary in a coal mine sensitive in my opinion. Also, if you get soil do not get the stuff that has fertilizer added, nor the mix with little white things in it, these are perlite which is volcanic glass and you don't want your pet to ingest it.

Now if you want to get plants for your garden that you can feed your tortoise in the future I highly recommend hibiscus and roses. Mine go nutty for those two. Also, I do a little guerrilla weeding and steal weeds from lots that I know have not been sprayed with chemicals and bring them home with roots and plant them for later. I look weird stealing weeds from lots with my little shovel and bag and my dog standing guard while on our walks, but do I care? Nope. My tortoises love what I have taken and brought home to grow, weeds-fo-free!

Also, if you buy lettuce, like romaine, keep the bottom inch or two of the stem and plant it in your enclosure. Push in and tap the soil, water. (I am hoping you use coco coir since that is best for this). Most of the time your salad green you bought to eat, will regrow for your tortoise. Recycle and reuse. Swear, it works most of the time. Perfect for them to munch on. Hope this stuff helps out. : )