Plants for enclosure

[avelovestorts]

Hey everyone. I have been looking for ways to spruce up Ernie's enclosure.. To make it a bit more exciting for him I want to plant some plants, but I'm not sure the types that are ok for him. And whether to plant them directly into the substrate, or in little pots. I hope someone can help me out! Any other ideas would be appreciated too

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Hi,

One plant among many that are good choices would be a lemon cucumber. They grow fast, the leaves are highly edible, the variety choice I suggest works well indoors. I would suggest a potting soil for indoor plants that does NOT have fertilizer already in it, or "water crystal". I would further suggest that you DON'T start it outside to bring in, as that will also bring in insects.

I have planted several pots of seeds inside for my tort's so they can eat 'at will' in addition to regular prepared salad. It's Ok if the potted plat is taller than they can reach. Pick leaves off and on and set them wherever you feed, and those that grow over the edge and droop, will not last long.

Will

 

[Jacqui]

Looks like you have a sulcata, so any plant he can reach will be eaten, so be prepared. A quick plant is to go to the grocery store and see if they have any living lettuce for sale. It's not the best types of greens, but it does give them a fun time eating it. With seeeds many do the birdsed. I like also doing vines (cucumber, squashes), greens (like turnip, collard, even radishes). The vine type plants if you get the bush varieties also are great for them to hide under. You can do plants that hang over the sides of the enclosure so they can trim the bottoms or baby plants, such as the airplane plant. Cactus and jade plants are pretty popular. Really the lists are endless.

I like just using the substrate, which for me is coir/sand combo, for my plants that I don't just grow in the enclosure. It usually works better to start the seeds in like trays and once they get big enough, plant the whole tray in the enclosure. If you have several trays started on staggered days, you can usually keep up with them. Be aware they quickly stomp and /or eat everything. That's a good reason to plant in high pots or hanging pots. Just be sure nothing is placed where it can fall over (I often wire my securely to the enclosure) or the tortoise use it to climb out and escape.

 

[avelovestorts]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm excited to go to store and get some plants and greens. I use coconut coir substrate.. Will they grow in that or will I need to put soil down? Ernie's a little pig, haha

 

[wellington]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm excited to go to store and get some plants and greens. I use coconut coir substrate.. Will they grow in that or will I need to put soil down? Ernie's a little pig, haha

They should grow fine in the coir. Last year I grew grass, clover, various weeds indoors, just in the coir.

 

[biochemnerd808]

Since your tort will eat any plant you put in there, you might try a rotating crop in several pots (or even in flat tin baking dishes with holes in the bottom for drainage). There are seed mixes specifically made for tortoises, and you can start them a week or so apart and rotate several, so your tort always has some to graze on...

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm excited to go to store and get some plants and greens. I use coconut coir substrate.. Will they grow in that or will I need to put soil down? Ernie's a little pig, haha