Plants to buy for outdoor enclosure? Please help, thanks!

[tortoisekyle]

Hello Tortoise Community! I have recently made a huge outdoor enclosure for my Russian tortoise! I have been looking at Home Depot and Lowe’s looking for plants for her enclosure but I don’t know if any of them are safe for tortoises. What plants do you guys have for your enclosures and where did you buy them?

Thank you so much!

 

[Bambam1989]

Have you been told about this website? https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/index.php#.WvO0U-BlA0M

Don't forget that just about any plants that you buy from a store or nursery is probably going to be loaded down with pesticides. These can stay in the plant for 6months to a year and may make your tort sick if it eats them.

 

[tortoisekyle]

Have you been told about this website? https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/index.php#.WvO0U-BlA0M

Don't forget that just about any plants that you buy from a store or nursery is probably going to be loaded down with pesticides. These can stay in the plant for 6months to a year and may make your tort sick if it eats them.

Thanks!

 

[RosemaryDW]

You can safely start with any squash or melon vine. If your nursery has okra started, leaves are quite safe.

Since you are new and have a large outdoor enclosure, it might be easiest to start from seed, then you don’t have to worry about pesticides. You’ll need to keep an area (or two!) blocked off for them to grow, or your tortoise will trample them to death. Tyler’s Tortoise and Carolina Tortoise Supply both sell good broadleaf tortoise mixes.

If you can’t wait for a seed delivery, you can try okra, radish, turnip, chia, crimson clover, sunflower, and nasturtium seeds from your own nursery. These are all easy to find and grow.