Red foot tortoise enclosure question

[kpugh]

Hi there!

Maybe I'll introduce myself before I post - I'm new to this forum. I run the Saskatchewan Reptile Rescue - basically we just handle turtles. I currently have a bunch of RES, a pair of Western painteds, a mississippi map, a malaysian box, two eatern boxes, and a new baby Red foot tortoise (my first tort - I'm very excited!).

My parents also have a baby redfoot, and the question comes from my mother: she wants to plant some live plants her tort's house, and wants to know what sort of plants are safe, and what a good source for non-chemically treated plants would be. Or maybe a trustworthy decontamination regime? I told her to stay away from live plants for the time being - until we can find some safe species and sources - just to be safe.

Any advice is appreciated!

Kaley

[Linds]

Welcome to the site! :D

Hehehe good luck if you are planting them for decoration ;) Redfoots eat literally anything. My guy even chews on plastic pots in his enclosure :flick: I just aim for non-edible items in his indoor cage, but aim for edible stuff in his outdoor pen (leafy greens mostly). Sorry I don't have any good suggestions for decorative plants :confused:

I don't know much about how much checmicals make it inside the actual plants, but whenever I've used live plants for animals (that aren't likely to eat them), I take them out of their pots (leaving as much soil behind) and rinse the root system in regular water, and rinse the above ground parts in soapy water (dishsoap), followed by a good clean rinse. I then give them a 'quarantine' period of about a month or so, misting them with warm water and watering them in their new soil, before finally adding them to the enclosure :)

[sneaky_boa]

This website has some great info on edible plants for torts. The site says it's for russian torts, but would imagine the same is applicable for red-foots as well

http://www.russiantortoise.org/edible_plants.htm

Now I haven't personally tried any of these plants with my redfoot, but fully intend to once the growing season starts in the spring and seed availability is better. Let me know what works for your little guy!
And Linds is totally right! My redfoot will plow down anything I put in the enclosure (I have put in growing radish greens and clover sprouts and in a little plastic container from the organic food store.....it lasted 2 days and they were completely eaten)

[kpugh]

Thanks for the input! I also thought that decorative plants may not last, but Mom really likes the idea...so what can I do!

I'm going to have to do a bunch more research though, 'cause some of the plants on the above edible plant list are things that I saw on a poisonous plant list somewhere else, like the chicory for example. Gotta love conflicting info!

Kaley

[sneaky_boa]

Geez! I didn't know that.....things like hibiscus are for sure a great thing for your tort. Aside from being decorative, these plants (assuming they're not poisonous for torts) will provide much needed variety in their diets. There are plenty of other lists of edible plants online though...if you do find a good list poisonous/harmful ones do post that do we might all be made more aware!

[kpugh]

Will do!

[kpugh]

I found a couple pages that seem pretty complete, seem to have good scientific backing, and don't seem to conflict with each other (I didn't spend a lot of time checking though!). Hope they're useful to someone else!

http://www.anapsid.org/resources/plants.html
http://www.sdturtle.org/Plants%20that%20Poison.htm