Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can anyone recommend some good, safe, hardy plants I can use in a boxie enclosure indoors? Preferably a lower light plant(s), although I can add another fixture if there aren't any low light pants that are safe and hardy and can handle some abuse from the turtle. I tried doing an internet search and didn't seem to come up with anything except toxic plant lists.

Thanks

Turtles will pretty much bulldoze any plant that you put in there, so be prepared for that.

If you're using lighting with UV for your turtles, then you have a little more latitude with plants and aren't confined to just 'low light' ones.

I've had good luck with ferns: they hold up well in the limited light, enjoy the same humidity as the turtles and are not harmful if ingested. They are also surprisingly resilient and can bounce back well from tramplings if kept well watered.

Be aware that most potted plants are shipped from the growers with a generous supply of slow-release fertilizer granules in the soil which would be very harmful to you turtle if ingested: it's a good idea to shake ALL the soil off of the roots to get rid of the granules, and then put the plant into the substrate or new soil w/o any fertilizer.

I do have a UV light on my boxie, a 48" 10.0 reptisun with a reflector. I was thinking if I added live plants of getting a double bright strip (holds 2 bulbs) and putting either 2 reptisuns, or 1 reptisun and 1 growlight or whatever the plant bulbs are called. But if I don't need this I won't waste the money. Do you have the name of a specific fern? I live up north, is it the same kind of fern that grows naturally up here? If it is I can just dig some up. I have a source for plants that are not grown with any fertilizer, pesticides or herbicides. Do you think a nasturtium would survive?

Nasturtiums are an annual plant that requires full sun to thrive, so they might not be a great candidate for a terrarium situation.

As far as ferns go, any variety will do: they are all shade and humidity loving. Choose one with nice arching foliage that will provide good cover for your turtle.