Hermann Tortoise Courtyard

[Jacobjtd]

Hello everyone, I have a Hermann tortoise named Chives, he's a male with an unidentified age.
Here he is. He is very shy, and I want him to get out more, so I'm transforming my family's old vegetable garden into a tortoise courtyard for him and my Eastern box turtle.

That's her being adventurous in the garden now.
Now my main questions are what are some Hermann friendly plants to put in there? I am on a limited budget for this courtyard and am trying to make it the best it can be.

There's the garden as it is. I've pulled most the weeds, keeping some dandelions, and clover. I am going add a water bowel type thing for them in the yard. I also plan on changing the chicken wire walls into something else and adding stability. My two tortoises have different enclosures in my house but if anyone has any ideas for what to add to their courtyard that would be great! I want to make my two babies as happy as they can be.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Too bad you pulled the weeds. My hermann's eats grass, clover, dandelions, violets & plantain in the lawn. She also eats hosta, rose of Sharon, Geranium/cranesbill, grape leaves.

That bare area can be made into a fertile bed by top dressing it with dead leaves and plant matter to decompose for your box turtle. It will attract bugs for her to hunt and eat.

Make a separate bed for the hermann's.

 

[lismar79]

Yep agree with the above weeds are good and free. For boxie throw some dead leaves and tree bark in there to attract the bugs too. Seperate enclosures are a must. You can use cinder blocks to seperate.

 

[Jacobjtd]

I can't have the courtyard work for both of them?

 

[Jacobjtd]

Also the enclosure isn't a permanent stay for them. Just an area for me to have them outside while I'm outside that is safe and well put together. They will return to their indoor enclosures at night and on days I cannot keep an eye on them.