margosha
Member
I've seen a lot of posts on here about Tortoise Supply's Broadleaf "Testudo" Mix and Carolina Pet Supply's Russian Tortoise Seed Mix. And since I have gotten both, I thought it'd be interesting to do a comparison study of the two!
I live in an apartment, so space is limited and I have no outdoor area, but I know there are plenty of apt or "no land" dwellers on here, and I've seen what these mixes can look like outdoors, but I wanted to experiment growing it indoors. I know some people might be unsure about growing these indoors (I was), so I'm hoping this will help!
Both mixes claim to be carefully curated for Russians and other Testudos. The ingredients for the Russian Tortoise Mix are listed on their website, but Tortoise Supply doesn't list theirs. I got the smaller size of each seed mix, and there's still a TON. A little goes a long way... don't over-sprinkle!
Here is the Russian Tortoise Seed Mix after 2 days:
And the Testudo Mix after 2 days:
Make sure to not let the soil dry out during germination! For me, that meant watering twice a day, but depending on your environment it could be less/more. After they sprout, I just make sure the soil is moist but not drenched. I also like to mist the sprouts once every (or every other) day. They love it and almost instantaneously perk up!
Here's the Russian Tortoise Mix after 2 weeks:
And the Testudo Mix after 2 weeks:
Some of the sprouts look the same so far.. in particular the little 2-leafed heart shaped stems. I think those are turnips? Someone correct me if I'm wrong. But they grow the fasted and overpower the other plants, so I prune as needed.
The Russian Tortoise Mix has some grasses unlike the Testudo Mix. I haven't tried feeding my little guy grass yet, and I know Russians usually don't take to it much, but I'll definitely give it a go once these are ready to be cut.
All in all, with a little TLC, both options have been growing quick and plentiful and I would recommend either. I hope this was helpful for anyone on the fence about getting a seed mix, and to help decide which one fits your (and your tort's) needs!
I live in an apartment, so space is limited and I have no outdoor area, but I know there are plenty of apt or "no land" dwellers on here, and I've seen what these mixes can look like outdoors, but I wanted to experiment growing it indoors. I know some people might be unsure about growing these indoors (I was), so I'm hoping this will help!
Both mixes claim to be carefully curated for Russians and other Testudos. The ingredients for the Russian Tortoise Mix are listed on their website, but Tortoise Supply doesn't list theirs. I got the smaller size of each seed mix, and there's still a TON. A little goes a long way... don't over-sprinkle!
Here is the Russian Tortoise Seed Mix after 2 days:
And the Testudo Mix after 2 days:
Make sure to not let the soil dry out during germination! For me, that meant watering twice a day, but depending on your environment it could be less/more. After they sprout, I just make sure the soil is moist but not drenched. I also like to mist the sprouts once every (or every other) day. They love it and almost instantaneously perk up!
Here's the Russian Tortoise Mix after 2 weeks:
And the Testudo Mix after 2 weeks:
Some of the sprouts look the same so far.. in particular the little 2-leafed heart shaped stems. I think those are turnips? Someone correct me if I'm wrong. But they grow the fasted and overpower the other plants, so I prune as needed.
The Russian Tortoise Mix has some grasses unlike the Testudo Mix. I haven't tried feeding my little guy grass yet, and I know Russians usually don't take to it much, but I'll definitely give it a go once these are ready to be cut.
All in all, with a little TLC, both options have been growing quick and plentiful and I would recommend either. I hope this was helpful for anyone on the fence about getting a seed mix, and to help decide which one fits your (and your tort's) needs!