tort home.

[-Solo-]

So im getting a horsfeild tort after the new year. Whom i have pre-named.
just a quick question. Im thinkin of puting in his table like 5 trays with different substrate. In one i was thinkin of makin it just grass. grass to break up the sky line between both sides.
i was thinkin of two ways of doing this
a) cutting a square of grass from the garden the same size as the try and plop it in
b) Grow my own. top soil in the tray and then throw in some seeds. i dont know if using food to help the grass grow would be good for the tort.
any sugestions ?
Im also going to plant some dandilion in the grass for food

[blackrandomapple]

Cool is it your first tort?
I would advise you but, dont have enough experiance yet!

[indigo_rock_girl]

Originally Posted by -Solo-

So im getting a horsfeild tort after the new year. Whom i have pre-named.
just a quick question. Im thinkin of puting in his table like 5 trays with different substrate. In one i was thinkin of makin it just grass. grass to break up the sky line between both sides.
i was thinkin of two ways of doing this
a) cutting a square of grass from the garden the same size as the try and plop it in
b) Grow my own. top soil in the tray and then throw in some seeds. i dont know if using food to help the grass grow would be good for the tort.
any sugestions ?
Im also going to plant some dandilion in the grass for food

easier to grow it imo if you start in a month or so before n when it gets to long cut it with scissors or the hand held hedge trimmers

[-Solo-]

Originally Posted by indigo_rock_girl

easier to grow it imo if you start in a month or so before n when it gets to long cut it with scissors or the hand held hedge trimmers

grow my own would be fine. but like chemical grass foods like ever green, would these effect the tort do you think? shouldint realy cos they wont be there when the tort is cos ill grow the grass first itll be cool tho.. I want it pretty long long enough for presley to get lost and have a wee adventure in eat his way out!

[indigo_rock_girl]

Originally Posted by -Solo-

grow my own would be fine. but like chemical grass foods like ever green, would these effect the tort do you think? shouldint realy cos they wont be there when the tort is cos ill grow the grass first itll be cool tho.. I want it pretty long long enough for presley to get lost and have a wee adventure in eat his way out!

hmmmm many people do say if you get a plant or food from the shop to 'weather it' to get rid of most of the chemicals but i am not sure if it would have an affect but i try not to risk it plus if you grow your own you know if is safe :P how about growing some weeds in there aswell? prob wont last long but will by nice for the tortoise to find them n munch them up

[annsimpson1]

if you cut a peice of old established grass/turf with perhaps a few weeds etc it will stand up to being trodden on eaten etc a lot better than new grass plus will be more like the natural food they would find as it won't be so rich as new growth, you might even find some with some dande's etc and if you intend doing this on a regular basis encouraging the weeds to grow outside in certain areas where you want to take the turf from is a lot easier than growing them in trays. The weeds in trays don't have such a good root stock so will be more likely to die or not carry on growing, just re sow where you have taken from outside.

[wizzasmum]

Originally Posted by -Solo-

So im getting a horsfeild tort after the new year. Whom i have pre-named.
just a quick question. Im thinkin of puting in his table like 5 trays with different substrate. In one i was thinkin of makin it just grass. grass to break up the sky line between both sides.
i was thinkin of two ways of doing this
a) cutting a square of grass from the garden the same size as the try and plop it in
b) Grow my own. top soil in the tray and then throw in some seeds. i dont know if using food to help the grass grow would be good for the tort.
any sugestions ?
Im also going to plant some dandilion in the grass for food

In my opinion this would not work for a horsfield tortoise as they are a burrowing species and would simply spend all their time digging up whatever you put in. Deep substrate is required so they can dig.

[-Solo-]

Originally Posted by wizzasmum

In my opinion this would not work for a horsfield tortoise as they are a burrowing species and would simply spend all their time digging up whatever you put in. Deep substrate is required so they can dig.

I would agree Completely if i was going to put the whole table as grass. But thats not what im going to do. im going to have the table 5 trays long. And by trays i mean the 2 inch deep seed trays. 1 with folded towels under the light,playin it safe to prevent him turning over. then one with lyk the wee stones gravel that you put at the bottom of fish tanks. then in the middle the grass and weed within. then the last two just weeds and food bowls with his hide holes here.