Hearty plants for indoor enclosure?

[Bambam1989]

If you ever take a little taste of aloe, you will know they they don't eat it; although it seems similar to cactus, it tastes totally different(as in TERRIBLE). It is quite hardy though(I think the only way to kill it is to water it too much - if you plant it and forgot about it for six months, it will probably do great) so it can be good décor at least.

My tort love aloe vera[emoji6]
But only the younger leaves.

 

[Ella’s Gigi]

I have a cactus, aloe, hibiscus and hosta in Kurt’s tank. So far he leaves it alone because I also plant dandelion and clovers patches which he will sleep and eat.

How did you plant your edible weeds? I have dandelion all over my yard and was wondering if I could just transplant into my indoor enclosure?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Pothos Ivy is often lumped into the "toxic" category because of its listing as an irritant to dogs and cats if they eat it. It does contain a form of oxalates that is also know as "raphides". They are extremely tiny, sharp crystals of calcium oxalate This is what is an irritant to mammals when eaten. In mammals it can cause swelling of the lips when chewed. It has no effect on reptiles and in particular, chelonians. All of my tortoise will eat it, but it doesn't seem a favorite food for them if other things are available.

While at the Behler Center, I actually spent time talking about this with the director, a highly respected reptile vet, as well as another of their vets on staff, and also their "head of gardening" was there. Since almost every enclosure there has pothos growing everywhere, and it is obviously one of their primary choices for plants in an enclosure, I had to ask their thoughts on this. They all agreed it perhaps the best choice for a plant for an enclosure with lower lighting problems, and posed no problem for a chelonian.

Great info on Pothos. Interesting that TheTortoiseTable doesn’t have an entry for this common plant. /at least none of my searches in it could locate it/.

 

[Maro2Bear]

My tort love aloe vera[emoji6]
But only the younger leaves.

Interesting... our Sully loves aloe. I buy foot long sections in our grocery store and feed chopped up sections until it’s gone. Loves it more thsn grass or mazuri...

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Sully loves aloe. I buy foot long sections in our grocery store and feed chopped up sections until it’s gone. Loves it more thsn grass or mazuri...

You chop yours up for them? I’ve never done that. Mine gets the entire leaf and eats it till it’s gone.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Spider plant works well if you can place on a shelf so that your tortoise only gets the ends. Also mother in law plants work well.

 

[Wendy Proulx]

How did you plant your edible weeds? I have dandelion all over my yard and was wondering if I could just transplant into my indoor enclosure?

I just dug them up from the yard and placed them in the tank. It doesn’t take him long to find them and eat them thou.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

How did you plant your edible weeds?

I take a shovelful scoop about 4” thick of dirt and grass and weeds and just kinda plant that in my enclosure. Tortoises just munch on that when they’re inside.

 

[Maro2Bear]

You chop yours up for them? I’ve never done that. Mine gets the entire leaf and eats it till it’s gone.

Makes it last longer - limits the amount eaten at one sitting. A foot or longer x 2-3 inches wide is a lot of aloe to eat all at once (i think) maybe not? Ive just always done it like that, maybe i don’t need to. Good question.

 

[Ellen & Toby]

I have had great success with a prayer plant, Toby has nibbled it but not destroyed it. Also spider plants, Toby pretty much destroyed it when the first went in but it recovered and since then Toby has pretty much ignored it.

 

[TriciaStringer]

If you ever take a little taste of aloe, you will know they they don't eat it; although it seems similar to cactus, it tastes totally different(as in TERRIBLE). It is quite hardy though(I think the only way to kill it is to water it too much - if you plant it and forgot about it for six months, it will probably do great) so it can be good décor at least.

My Russian will eat aloe vera but not opuntia. I keep offering it though.