Plants for Enclosure

[cindy1546]

Hello!

I am expecting my (4-7 year old) Russian tortoise to arrive this week and was wondering if anyone has any advice of any plants I could buy to plant in the outdoor enclosure? I live in Southern California (LA) and don't want to get plants that will die easily in the heat. Also, I saw a huge list compiled of "safe to eat" plants but for some reason I cannot find any of them on the Lowes' website? If anyone has any advice, that'd be great!
Thank you

 

[Happytort27]

The Testudo Mix from Tortoise Supply is a great seed mix that sprouts really quickly. It’s quite hardy once it grows bigger. I planted this mix in my tortoise’s outdoor enclosure, and it’s really taken off! You can also check out other seed mixes they sell that include a variety of grass. Carolina Pet Supply also sells a Russian tortoise seed mix. Although, it contains a lot of grass, which is considered a “filler” since it’s cheaper and would take up the majority of the mix. But, if you’re wanting some grasses along with other weeds, this is a great one as well. Of course, you additionally can order other mixes from Amazon. You can also search up some safe plants on The Tortoise Table to grow. Pothos and spider plants are also good, but mainly for indoor enclosures. Spirea is a hardy plant, and I especially recommend it for people who are just getting into gardening. Squash leaves, grape leaves, cucumber leaves, Campanula, Aster, pansies, African violet, Coreopsis, rose mallow, hibiscus, Evening Primrose, the list is endless! You can also find some safe weeds growing in your backyard and transplant them into the enclosure. For example, sowthistle, dandelion, hawksbit, clover, and plantain, are just a few so called ‘nuisance’ weeds that your tortoise can eat. Once the plants get going, your tortoise will love it!
Also, it’s best to stay away from store bought plants because they might have pesticides or toxic chemicals in them. (Unless you go to your local nursery and make sure that the plants weren’t treated.)

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Russians are very active and will walk and walk in circles...Or rectangles...or whatever shape that your enclosure is.
Do not place any plants near a wall of the enclosure. The outside perimeter right by the walls will be a well worn path in short order. Flattening any plant placed there.
Also, anything near a wall will also be seen as something that must be climbed.

 

[jsheffield]

I'd suggest hibiscus (or rose of Sharon)... all of my torts love their leaves and flowers.

I also just cut branches of leaves (maple and birch) from the woods around my house for my torts' outside enclosures.

If you do get plants from Lowes or Home Depot, don't feed the leaves or flowers to your tort for a while as both of these places tend to use fertilizers and pesticides which could make your new tort sick... my advice is to change out the soil as much as you can and water aggressively for the first month or two to help rinse off and flush out undesirable chemicals.

Jamie