Store bought plants

[Abdulla6169]

Is there any problem with buying store bought plants and planting them with my tortoise? Sometimes I am afraid of fertilizers and pesticides, any opinions or suggestion... If there are any problems or cases with store bought plants I'd love to know them.

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, store bought plants can have fertilizers and pesticides in them. If you don't want to re-pot them, washing off all the old dirt from the roots, then you should wait a couple months before planting them in the tortoise habitat.

 

[Abdulla6169]

Thanks a lot!

Yes, store bought plants can have fertilizers and pesticides in them. If you don't want to re-pot them, washing off all the old dirt from the roots, then you should wait a couple months before planting them in the tortoise habitat.

I've read some posts that say up to a year or maybe more, it that really necessary?

 

[dmmj]

I think a year might be a little excessive, but I do like to wait 6 months with a re-pot. personal choice.

 

[Abdulla6169]

Ok thanks

 

[StarSapphire22]

Just to throw another opinion in here...I don't wait at all. However, I do take my plants, remove every single speck of dirt from the roots that is physically possible to remove, rinse the root systems for 10-20 minutes, and also rinse all leaves and flowers thoroughly. I make sure to get little white pebbles, fertilizer granules, whatever goofy is in the soil out...and then plant it straight in the tank. I haven't had a problem, yet. If waiting and re-potting is an option for you, then that is the better route. BUT I have 3 cats in an apartment, and there's no way I could keep them from destroying plants if they really wanted to, so keeping them outside my enclosure isn't an option, and there's no organic nurseries near me.

 

[Saleama]

The whole wait one year thing is for plants you are going to use as a food source. if you buy plants for decoration you should be ok removing the dirt and rinsing off the roots. You can also ask at the nursery where you buy the plants. Some of them do not use anything on their plants.

 

[Abdulla6169]

The whole wait one year thing is for plants you are going to use as a food source. if you buy plants for decoration you should be ok removing the dirt and rinsing off the roots. You can also ask at the nursery where you buy the plants. Some of them do not use anything on their plants.

My tortoise might eat them so maybe I should wait a year?

 

[Abdulla6169]

*probably he's going to eat them

 

[Saleama]

*probably he's going to eat them

They will not just eat any and every plant you put in with them. They do know what they want to eat. The problem is if you actually feed the plant to them. For instance, my russians do not eat the grasses and moss in their garden but if I cut the grass up and put it in their food, they will eat it. My Leos have never even tried to eat the decorative plants I put in with them and my Sulcatas will not eat the wheat grass I plant in their pen, but if I cut it down they will gorge on it. Best advice though is to do what you feel comfortable with. I simply wash off the roots of the non-edibles before planting them.

 

[Abdulla6169]

Thanks