Growing Plants for Tortoise Yards By Bob and Judy Thomas (2024)

FAQs

What ground cover is safe for tortoises? ›

Large grasses are an excellent way to provide cover and the animals do not eat them (with the exception of very large tortoises like Aldabras, for example. Fountain or maiden grasses are a preferred choice here and they come back each year fuller and larger.

Marigold (Pot Marigold, Field Marigold, Calendula)

The Pot or Field Marigold flowers and leaves are fine for the tortoise enclosure as part of a varied diet, although they may not enjoy them. Do not confuse with Tagetes, which is commonly called French Marigold or African Marigold and is not a suitable food.

Tortoises love to dig and bury so a sand and soil mix is an excellent substrate. Hides, a water dish and other features such as wooden bridges and edible plants such as dandelions can be added to the enclosure. Tortoises do, however, have predators such as large birds, foxes and other pets.

Grasses and Hay 100% Of The Time!

Sulcata tortoises NEED access to grasses and hay on which to graze. The bulk of their diet should be from pesticide and herbicide-free grass and grass cuttings, cheatgrass, clover, edible flowers (nasturtium, geraniums, hibiscus, rose petals), and shrubs.

Tortoises should eat a very varied diet of weeds and flowers with calcium supplement. Safe weeds/plants include; plantains, dandelion leaves and flowers, hawkweeds, mallow, sow-thistle, chickweed catsear, hibiscus flowers, nasturtiums, pansies and violas.

Top soil was traditionally recommended as a floor covering for a tortoise table. Never use sand, because of the risk that particles could be swallowed with the tortoise's food and end up causing an intestinal obstruction.

Popular indoor substrates for tortoises include coconut coir, soil & coconut coir mix, organic soil, and peat moss. Popular chip type substrates include fir / orchid bark, cypress mulch, and coconut husk chips. Also shown is sphagnum moss which is very soft when damp.

Wood Chips or Mulch

Wood chippings are another easy-to-come-by substrate, however, be sure that you use a wood that is safe for tortoises – orchid and cypress are some of the most popular wood chips you can use and are safe for reptiles.

Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) flowers and leaves are nutritious favorites of many tortoises.

Is Dawn dish soap safe for tortoises? ›

Safety: Don't use soap or detergent for tortoise habitats — even a trace left behind can harm your pet.

When can tortoises go outside? All tortoises can and should be out in the open air during the warmer months. They all require the UV rays of the sun for their general growth and metabolic development. Even very young hatchlings should be outside, as long as they are safe and secure.

If you live outside of natural range of the desert tortoise (such as Prescott), the tortoise will need to be hibernated in cool dark area inside your home (such as a garage) that, ideally, does not go below 50 degrees.

Tortoises shouldn't roam around the house. They could get injured, lost, too cold or too hot, fall or get stuck and be attacked. A tortoise roaming around the house might also spread disease.

If your tortoises are outside 24/7 then a normal basking bulb is sufficient, as the tortoises will benefit from the natural UVB from the sun. Natural predators are always a threat, so make sure your greenhouse/cold frame is securely closed during the night to keep your tortoises safe.

While tortoises cannot swim and do not live in water like turtles do, there is no danger in a tortoise getting wet. Tropical rainforest species of tortoise, such as the popular red-foot tortoise, are living proof that they can handle significant amounts of rain.

Create a as large as possible basking area that allows the whole tortoise to warm up. Use "flood" bulbs whenever possible and avoid "spot" bulbs that create small, heated pinpoint areas on tortoises' backs. Ideally, use a long fluorescent tube for UVB and a separate reptile heat bulb for basking heat.

Your tortoise, our passion

A variety of substrates are used to grow our live plants, the most common being coco coir, an organic, sustainable product, which is completely safe for use around all herbivores. There is no need to repot into topsoil, insertion straight into your indoor/outdoor enclosure is perfectly safe.

At home, feed them lots of dark leafy greens, alfalfa, and grasses to ensure they're getting the right nutrition. They will also love some dandelions or prickly pear cactus when you can find it; they make a great addition to your tortoise's diet.

Offer your tortoise a variety of vegetables (up to 10% of the daily rations). Try cabbage, Napa cabbage, carrots, Brussels sprout, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, yellow wax beans, radish and red/green/yellow bell peppers.

What is poisonous to tortoises? ›

The Sulcata is the largest of the African mainland tortoise, with specimens easily reaching 24-30 inches (60-75 cm) in carapace length and 80-110 pounds (36-50 kg). Food and Feeding: Adults should be fed three times per week minimum, and hatchlings fed daily. For every feeding, dust food with a calcium supplement.

They need to be soaked outside the enclosure in shallow, warm water once or twice a week for 15 to 30 minutes to get fully hydrated.

Bananas can be eaten, and cherries, in strict moderation. Always remember to remove the cherry stone beforehand. These fruits should only be offered in moderation as part of a mixed diet to rainforest species such as the Red footed tortoise and Yellow footed tortoise. Any excess can easily result in diarrhoea.

Acceptable types of grasses include bermuda, clover, alfalfa, rye, rice, and sowthistle. Other fresh plants that can be grown for your tortoise to forage on include geraniums, violets, chard, grapes, nasturtium, and various herbs such as oregano, cilantro, and basil.

Older juvenile tortoises should be bathed 2-3 times a week and adult tortoises bathed weekly, but more frequently if kept indoors under heat lamps. All tortoises should be bathed daily or every other day in the period of winding down in preparation for hibernation.

Other substrates include alfalfa (rabbit) pellets, bark mulch, potting soil and sphagnum moss. With the exception of alfalfa pellets, be sure that your tortoise does not actively eat these substrates. Materials of this type tend to hold water and can become moldy.

Tortoises need soaking more often than they need full-on baths. In fact, tortoises rehydrate themselves through a soaking, so it's good to provide water for one at least once a week. Nonetheless, you can also scrub your tortoise if he's particularly dirty.

However, a tortoise that is kept indoors cannot burrow as vivariums tend to be made out of solid material as do the rooms that tortoises are kept in. So, a tortoise needs bedding to be able to recreate an environment in which it can burrow and feel safe.

How do I keep my tortoise warm at night? ›

It might be necessary to install some form of supplementary heating at night, to prevent the tortoise going into hibernation mode. There are several options: Suspend a ceramic heat emitter above the sleeping area, and attach it to a thermostat so that when the temperature falls too low it will come on.

Logs, rocks, bathing dishes, moist hides, and dirt mounds are good choices for toys and enrichment. In addition to providing a clean and safe enclosure for your tortoise, you should give plenty of thought to enrichment objects and activities—otherwise known as toys!

Organic topsoil is OK as it doesn't have fertilisers in it. Most recommend 50:50 mix with playsand, but it does depend on the type of topsoil you purchase.

For a young tortoise the depth of the bedding should be around 2”, but as the tortoise gets older you should increase the depth of the bedding to allow the tortoise to be able to dig and bury. Fresh water must always be available for your tortoise.

Is Tortoise Poop A Good Fertilizer? Tortoise poop is an excellent natural fertilizer, especially because of its plant-based diet. However, it requires careful handling as tortoises are carriers of salmonella.

Tortoises may touch their nose to your hand or arm to show affection. This is a common behavior in the wild and is a social behavior. A tortoise or turtle roaming the house or garden may show affection by following you around. They might bump against you for some pats or simply stay a few paces behind you.

An excited tortoise will willingly move toward whatever has her attention. They often run, or move as fast as they can. You can tell they are excited by the speed and surety of their movements. Nothing can distract and excited, determined tortoise.

Since tortoises are reptiles, they are not capable of feeling “love” as we humans understand it. However, tortoises do show signs of affection and appreciation for their owners. They follow their pet parents around, tolerate handling, eat directly from human hands, and come to us when they see us.

During this study, the stimuli green-, blue-, yellow-, and red-colored bananas and plaster blocks were randomly offered to the tortoises. Analysis of the data showed that the tortoises had a preference for the stimuli dyed with colors red and yellow over the other presented colors.

Cucumber can be offered to help with hydration, or prescribed medication can be hidden within it and offered to the tortoise as a tasty treat. The leaves and flowers of the Cucumber plant may be fed in small amounts to all species. Tortoises easily become addicted to store-bought diets so avoid long term use.

Should I oil my tortoises shell? ›

It needs oxygen and exposure to sunlight to keep healthy. The build-up of soils, waxes, oils, or other preparations, is actually harmful to a tortoise's shell. The keratin and bony layers contain millions of microscopic pores, and things such as the products mentioned actually clog the pores, causing problems.

How much and how often should I feed my tortoise? As a general rule, you should offer an amount of food equivalent to the size of your tortoise's shell. They should be fed once a day, 5 days a week. The 2 starve days can be implemented at any time, in any order.

And some plants that are poisonous to your tortoise:

Lupins, Daffodils, Hydrangea, Lily of the valley, Foxglove, Mistletoe, Rhododendron, Narcissus, Rhubarb, Hellebores, Crocus, Bleeding heart, Ragwort, Azalea, Vinca, Hypericum, Peony, Lobelia, Aconite, Tobacco plant & Euphorbia's.

They enjoy basking in the warmth, digging in dirt to cool down, and some even enjoy playing with humans. What do you need for a tortoise habitat? Tortoises need a lot of space, a place to hide, a warm side of the tank and a cool side, and access to fresh water.

Tortoise owners may choose to combine coconut husk products with other substrates such as soil or moss, to create a mixture that works for their setup. However, alone, coconut coir is great for burrowing species, thanks to its lightweight texture and springy consistency.

Tortoises live in a variety of habitats, from deserts to wet tropical forests. Most tortoises are vegetarians and eat foliage, flowers, and fruits; some tortoise species from moist forest habitats are more opportunistic and consume animal matter.

Do not feed tortoises frozen vegetables or sodium-rich foods including canned vegetables, dairy products, breads and celery. Please exercise caution to ensure that captive tortoises cannot consume toxic plants such as oleander, chinaberry trees, tree tobacco and toadstools.

Every two or three weeks: Change out the bedding. Wipe down the habitat with cage cleaner or disinfectant. Safety: Don't use soap or detergent for tortoise habitats — even a trace left behind can harm your pet. Instead, use a cleaner made especially for this purpose.

Should tortoise soil be wet? ›

Change substrate completely every 4-6 weeks. Lightly mist substrate daily to make slightly damp as this will help maintain humidity levels and microclimates. Avoid making substrate too wet to avoid health problems.