Groots Indoor Enclosure. Thoughts?

Yvonne G

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Looks like your light might be up too high????? and the temperature gauge needs to be down at turtle level.
 

PJay

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I would move the piece of bark downward so it becomes a place Groot can hide under. Maybe lean it against the back side of the tank.
 

Pastel Tortie

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Do you know a good real plant type I can add for Lucy my turtle ?
It's difficult to keep real plants healthy in an indoor enclosure. Usually, they're either too far from the light to get any benefit, or they're crispy because they're too close to the light (heat).

I do have a few suggestions:

* Sword fern - gets crispy sometimes and you'll have to cut it back periodically, but it is resilient and handles neglect fairly well. It spreads by runners, and outside it may require weeding, so you may be able to get it for free if you ask around. If you don't want it spreading all over, plant it pot-and-all in the enclosure.

* Liriope - looks like a clump of grass, often grown as ground cover. It seemed like it took a long time to get it established in my boxie's indoor enclosure, but then one day it was holding its own and doing fine. Low maintenance once established.

* Holiday cacti and other epiphytic cacti. No spines, fine if eaten, and once established can handle whatever light, watering, temperatures, etc., your conditions provide.

* Sansevieria species and varieties. I believe it's S. hahnii that's the bird's nest sansevieria. I have a couple of those hanging from the top of the wall of my boxie's indoor enclosure. Their leaves are thick like a succulent, so they withstand being near the light (and heat).

I hope that helps!
 

Pastel Tortie

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I use a combination of real and artificial plants in my boxie's indoor enclosure. I think the artificial plants in the picture are pretty much Exo Terra.
WP_20180810_08_24_29_Pro.jpg
 
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It's difficult to keep real plants healthy in an indoor enclosure. Usually, they're either too far from the light to get any benefit, or they're crispy because they're too close to the light (heat).

I do have a few suggestions:

* Sword fern - gets crispy sometimes and you'll have to cut it back periodically, but it is resilient and handles neglect fairly well. It spreads by runners, and outside it may require weeding, so you may be able to get it for free if you ask around. If you don't want it spreading all over, plant it pot-and-all in the enclosure.

* Liriope - looks like a clump of grass, often grown as ground cover. It seemed like it took a long time to get it established in my boxie's indoor enclosure, but then one day it was holding its own and doing fine. Low maintenance once established.

* Holiday cacti and other epiphytic cacti. No spines, fine if eaten, and once established can handle whatever light, watering, temperatures, etc., your conditions provide.

* Sansevieria species and varieties. I believe it's S. hahnii that's the bird's nest sansevieria. I have a couple of those hanging from the top of the wall of my boxie's indoor enclosure. Their leaves are thick like a succulent, so they withstand being near the light (and heat).

I hope that helps!
Wish I could live this comment ! Thank you for a great response!
 

Pastel Tortie

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Wish I could live this comment ! Thank you for a great response!
You're quite welcome! :) If you lived nearby, I'd be glad to share. My bird's nest sansevierias have been offsetting, and they're really showing their variegation under the PowerSun 100W.
 
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Ooo I have a Powersun 100w too def gonna get her some vegetation ... ive noticed she won’t eat her veggies indoors but when I take her doe her outdoor walks she eats all kinds of stuff!
You're quite welcome! :) If you lived nearby, I'd be glad to share. My bird's nest sansevierias have been offsetting, and they're really showing their variegation under the PowerSun 100W.
I
 

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