Healthy plants in FL for Leopards

[Teiko's Mom]

Hi,
I am in south FL and would like to build my baby Leoard Teiko an outdoor enclosure on my lanai. I want to plant some food for him in it and need some suggestions for safe plants that will grow in my neck of the woods. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Itort]

Two that come to mind are hibiscus and opuntia ficus-indicus cactus. Other residents of S. Florida can give a more list. extensive

 

[Teiko's Mom]

Yes Hibiscus is all over the place here, I have read that Marigolds, Impatients, Colius, banana and papaya (leaves) are all good. I was wondering about other citrus fruit tree leaves as well as mango leaves all of which we have around here. Also, what about herb such as basil, parsley, mint, oregano etc...? My yard is full of varoius weeds/grasses...I don't know which are safe..are most lawn weeds safe????

 

[Itort]

I don't believe citrus are and am not sure about colius. They others are good espically papaya fruit and mango fruit. Yes, most common lawn weeds (at least the ones I'm familiar with in Midwest). If you can a book on wild foods in Florida climate, that would be great help. Remember most weeds are eatable plants successful in enviornment created by lawns.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Teiko's mom: I think you'll find that the leopard tortoise really like grass. I have a large area outside for my leopards and it is planted with different grasses and weeds. There is clover, dichondra elephant grass, burmuda grass...lots of different types of things, but what they go for first is the young blades of grass. I bought a nice assortment of seeds from www.carolinapetsupply.com/ and from www.turtlestuff.com/
The seeds sprout nicely right away and they really do have a nice assortment to choose from.

Yvonne

 

[Teiko's Mom]

Thanks for the input...I have been picking grass from my yard and he really likes it. Eventually I'll have a pen in the yard. I just built one yesterday on the lanai...not quite done yet but good enough to let him scamper around in..(do tortoises scamper?)...He seems to really like it so far. I need to dig some grass and weeds out of the lawn and plant them in there. I'll post a pic on the habitat topic forum!