Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all,

I have a sulcata that is about 6 yrs old, and she is finally moving outside full time. She is about 16in long, 9 or 10in wide. The area she will be going into is about 5ft wide and 15 or 16 ft long. Currently, it is rick solid clay, but I am working on "freshening" the dirt so grass and plants will grow.

Basically, here's my question... What should I plant for her? (note, on a budget, aren't we all?)

I read all over the net that there are a variety of grasses that they can eat, but is any one grass "better" than any other? Are there any that should be avoided? The local Lowe's sells Tall Fescue and St Augustine sod pieces The Fescue is about $2 for 3 sq ft where the Augustine is almost $7 for just over 1 sq foot. I don't mind spending the money on the Augustine, but if it's no "better" than the Fescue, I DEFINITELY wouldn't mind saving a few dollars per sq ft of grass.

Also, what kind of other plants should I put back there with her? I live in Southern California and would be willing to travel to nurseries, so it doesn't just have to be the ones available from Home Depot or Lowe's.

Also, given her size, are there any animals that I would need to worry about? My wife seems to be worried that she will get picked up and carried away by a crow or a pidgeon or a hawk or eagle or something like that... I don't think so, because I am in the suburbs, so I would think only neighborhood cats or an occasional Possum... Would I need to worry about anything like that with her? My wife is just really worried about animals getting to her, so I guess I'm just looking for someone with a little more experience to tell her she is crazy, or panicked, or something along those lines...

Well, now that I've written a novel, I look forward to your responses. Thanks for taking the time to read my life story!!!

In my experience I prefer just good old Bermuda grass. My tortoises have done exceptionally well on it and because it has deep roots it hold up to grazing very well. Sometimes the tall fescue and St. Augustine will be pulled up or don’t survive the tortoises eating them down so close to the ground. The biggest problem with Bermuda is also the best quality for grazing tortoises and that is once it is established you can’t get rid of it. The other problem with Bermuda is that it goes dormant in the winter and fescue and St. Augustine don’t. A 16-inch tortoise can’t be picked up by any birds (I don’t think a California condor could even pick one up). The tortoise should be big enough that a stray cat or possum wouldn’t be a problem.

There are lots edible plants that could go in your yard but unless they are protected the tortoise will eat them down before they get established. I like to use tall grasses like fountain grass (we have several tall native grasses her that grow to about 2-feet tall that do well in my area). Don’t use grasses with saw like blades. I also grow spineless prickly pear cactus. Hibiscus flowers are great as well as grape vines. Desert trees can also add interest to your tortoise yard (check to make sure they are not toxic).

Good luck,

Richard Fife