Help For the Horticulturally Challenged

[travisgn]

I was at the store today and I picked up a few small potted plants. I based my purchases on how they looked, basically. The idea is to sink them into the substrate in my enclosures in their little pots. However, I don't actually know if they will be okay in there i.e. are they toxic to torts, etc.

I'm sure someone with immense knowledge can glance at my list and tell me what I need to know a lot faster than I can scour the internet by myself.

Thanks in advance!

Croton
Golden Pothos
Spathiphyllum
Dracaena

If they can't go in with the torts I'll just use them elsewhere, no great loss.

Travis

 

[terryo]

I carry this list with me when I go to the nurseries. I have a Cherry Head and it's fine for him too ...also use it for my boxie enclosures.
http://www.africantortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm

Here's another site I use for flowers and other plants for my enclosures.
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plants_19.asp?mode=cl&col=all

 

[travisgn]

I should have mentioned that I did check a couple lists and didn't find any info.

The first list says Pothos is okay but high in oxalic acid. It has one species of Dracaena that is okay, guess I'll have to find out the specific species I have. It didn't have the other two. Thanks, though!

Perhaps the other two are more commonly listed under different names. I'll have to check that out.

 

[ekm5015]

Those are all great air purifying plants. They are generally not good for animals to eat. Since they are "air purifiers" they take all the toxins out of the air and produce oxygen, leaving the toxins from the air in the plant. I would not recomend putting any of those in your tort enclosure. They may not kill your tortoise, but they are not really good for them.

Spathiphyllum is also known as Peace Lily. You could put them throughout your house to help make the air cleaner, especially with cold weather coming you won't have the windows open so much. They are toxic to cats and dogs as well and they will probably try to eat them, I know my cat ate some dracanea and when I looked it up I found out this info.

 

[terryo]

I use the variegated pothos in all my indoor enclosures. They take a lot of abuse, but my tort never ate any.

 

[travisgn]

Thanks once again. I may just slowly introduce them and keep a close eye out for nibbling. Otherwise I'll just put them around the enclosures but out of the tort's reach.