Plants in habitat

[Nicoled]

Hello again,
Northern Nicole here with yet another question - or five.

What kinds of plants can I put in with my redfoot? Do they eat the plants or just use them as a place to hide? If they eat them, can they over eat? Or do they know when they're full?

Thanks in advance!
Nicole - from Alberta, Canada.

 

[Saleama]

I only laugh because these are the questions we all have asked a time or two or a hundred. They will eat plants that are edible and yes they know when to stop. Unfortunatly for the plants, it is typically when there is no more plant to eat. I asked this question, only about Sulcatas yesterday. One of the forum members suggested planting in pots around the enclosure and allowing the plants to grow into it so the tort can eat when the plant grows out. I don't know about red foots, but my leopards don't eat every plant I put in their house, only the ones they should eat. I imagine they know what is edible but you should get a list because some poisonous plants are extremly attractive to little torts.

 

[Jacqui]

Normally with especially young redfooted you can get away a bit more with plants within the enclosure then you can with something like a sulcata. They will not over eat and in fact grazing is the best thing for them to be doing.

This is an example of one I did for a couple of cherryheads.

This one had pothos, hostas, pansies, and moss.

You can plant seeds right on the substrate or plants either in the substrate or in a pot that is a little higher then the substrate where the tortoise can't climb into it. You can have plants that have their root system (pot) outside of the enclosure or atleast out of tortoise reach hanging above.

 

[pfara]

My redfoot enclosure has: pothos, dragon dracaena, norfolk island pine, lipstick vine, tons of spider plants, prayer plants, bromeliad, and christmas cactus. These plants seem to do well in low lit, humid enclosures. In any case, I haven't killed them yet and it's been about a year for some of those plants. If I had more room, I'd probably try wandering jew. I just started a seed tray of begonias, coleus, lettuce, swiss chard, and sempervivum which I'll probably add into the enclosure once well established.

 

[juli11]

In the tropical enclosure normal fern would be a good solution. I use it and I've got in a short time a really big fern and 3 new fern from the big one. Also this plant can hold humidity very good. Also you can plant normal grass. If it works it looks like that ;-)


There also grows a tomato plant :-D because my youngster eats sometimes tomatoes :-D

 

[pfara]

In the tropical enclosure normal fern would be a good solution. I use it and I've got in a short time a really big fern and 3 new fern from the big one. Also this plant can hold humidity very good. Also you can plant normal grass. If it works it looks like that ;-)


There also grows a tomato plant :-D because my youngster eats sometimes tomatoes :-D

http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/plants_19.asp?st=true&mode=main&catID=448

I'd be careful with tomato plants as the plant itself is toxic.

 

[Nicoled]

Wow, thank you very very much for your help! I have a lettuce bottom rooting in a cup, maybe I will plant it with Dovey! It's looking like he's going to need a bigger house soon, so I will definitely incorporate a plant area!

Thanks again!

 

[juli11]

Okay thanks for the link. But in the enclosure live kinixys homeana and they aren't interesting in green plants.
So no problem . If you use good and warm light and your enclosure isn't dry plants will grow up easily. And I think normal grass is every time a good solution. Post some picture when your enclosure is finished.

 

[Moozillion]

Whenever I've planted seeds in Elsa's enclosure, she would come along and happily nip off all the tops of the little sprouts, so they never grew! So now I grow them outside her enclosure and transplant them in as larger plants. I still start seeds for her too- they just won't last very long!