Poisonous Plants??

[myrtle999]

I was wondering if anyone knew if any real plants are poisonous to turtles, that might be sold in aquatic stores. Myrtle loves hiding in amongst her plants, and observing her people. I have got a fair few silk plants but they are quite costly, whereas the real ones are not, and I am trying to make her habitat as natural as possible. Any info would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Turtle Rescue UK]

hi

I have loads of really nice plastic plants which the turtles can't eat or destroy. i find that they are also really easy to clean.

I thought the same as you, i wanted to try and create a natural habitat for my two turtles. I then brought 4 plants, thinking it would look better. soon the turtles ate and destroyed them within days. i then thought if i buy loads at once they might not destroy/eat them all.

So i went out and brought £40 of live aquarium plants, They were...

Marimo Moss balls x10
Elodea Densa X8
Amazon Sword x5
Java moss (4 hand fulls)
Cabomba Caroliniana x7
Hemianthus Callitrichoides (3 hand full)
Vallisneria Nana x8

Search on google if you don't know what they are.

I divided/propagate some of these so i have more. Then i decided that i had enough and arranged them in the tank. I already installed an aeration device before hand, for co2.

20 days after all of the plant had been eaten or destroyed, apart from the moss balls and the java moss. i don't think they like the taste. Both of these plants are still in there today.

I have three other aquariums which all have plants in, and i maintain some aquariums in my area like in schools, offices etc. But i have never seen live plants go so quick.

This may just be my turtles who like to eat the plants in the aquarium.

I'm not sure if turtles/terrapins in a pond eat/destroy plants as well?

Hope this helps

Dan

[Turtle Rescue UK]

Also i forgot to say i recommend buying the 'Zoo Med Turtle Hut'. My turtles swim in and out all day long and hide in there if they are worried. And some bubbles/aeration device will give it a good look as well.

Dan

[myrtle999]

Hi Dan,
Many thanks for all your info. I just wondered if it might actually be good for Myrtle to have some real plants to munch on, what do you think? Also I'm always worried that she does not have anything to do really and have tried putting soft play balls etc in her tank to entertain her. Strangely enough she quite liked bopping the red and orange ones about but never went near the green one!! A few months ago I discovered the Exo Terra Riverbed Sand and this is fabulous. Myrtle loves digging in it and actually walks about a lot on it which she never did with the gravel, it is also very easy to keep clean as any wastage after her dinner, just sits on the top of the sand, and I use a kitchen sieve to remove it. I decided on silk plants as was worried plastic ones may catch her eyes, as some did seem to have quite sharp bits on them. I think the highlight of Myrtle's day is when she comes out for a walk in the evening, she has about 20mins pottering about, but have to be more careful now as I live in a very old house and Myrtle decided to take on a very steep staircase last week, something I thought she would never do, but that certainly gave her something to think about and she slept well that night! Would she fit in one of the Turtle Huts, as the length of her shell is 8" and the width is 6", funny to think that when she was bought 8 yrs ago she was only the size of a 50p piece. I have just had a new tank made for her and it is 5ft by 18". Do you think this is big enough, she swims about a lot and does not appear cramped at all. I use the Fluval 405 External Canister filter and am really happy with it, and didn't think about a aeration device though, as there is a lot of water movement and bubbles etc, from the pipe that puts the clean water back into the tank. Hoped that this would be sufficient because what with her light, filter and heater, I haven't got any more sockets to plug anything else into, in that particular corner of the room. I think I am going to give some real plants a go and see what happens. Don't really mind if she makes a bit of a mess with them, because her tank gets sieved out and tidied every night, as I can't let it get bad because my neck and left shoulder is badly injured at the mo, and I have to rely on my partner for doing water changes etc, as I can't do any lifting of buckets etc. I get him to take 3 buckets out on a wed and sun and top back up with clean water, do you think this is keeping her water clean enough or should it be done a lot more. Any advice you have will be much appreciated.

[Turtle Rescue UK]

I also have Exo Terra Riverbed Sand, my turtles can easily digest it, if it is swallowed. Although i must admit it is not a good plant substrate because all the nutrients can't sink through the sand to the roots of the plants. But excellent for turtles/terrapins, because gravel can get stuck.

Here is a recent video, please click on the link below and scroll to the bottom of the page. Have a look at the Zoo Med Turtle Hut, I missed one of the turtles swimming out of it.

www.turtlesquad.co.uk/page4.html


I do buy 5 elodea densa plants every couple of weeks for them to munch on, Live plants are part of their natural diet i think.

Before i do a water change i move the sand around to make sure there are no leftovers and debris underneath. i do a 25% water change each week and clean the plastic plants under running water. I have sydeco plastic plants, these are a bit more expensive than some but are smooth. Each time i carry out a water change i clean the impeller and filter sponges in my Fluval 305, otherwise it tends to get clogged up.

Instead of using buckets i splashed out on a 'Python Clean & No Spill Kit'. You attach one end to your tap, put the other end in your tank, turn the tap on and it starts. You can drain and fill your tank up the easy way and no mess. It is really a gravel cleaner that empties it down your sink.

Dan

[myrtle999]

Your tank looks absolutely amazing, and I am going to see if there is a turtle hut big enough for Myrtle. Myrtle has the same basking platform as well. What a brilliant idea about the clean and no spill kit, I shall certainly look into that as going to be some months before I'm fully mobile again. Think I'll try Myrtle with the plants that you buy, as the only greens she eats is spinach and cucumber, and I'm sure she would eat more in the wild. Thanks for the info.

[turtlegirl]

For cheap natural plants, try growing duckweed in buckets. Very easy to grow, multiplies rapidly and is considered a pest in ponds. Turtles love it when I put a handfull in their tank.
My turtles also eat lettuce and that crinkled Savoy cabbage.

[leewild]

if anybody wants any duck weed in the north west i have lots for the taking

[tezd]

i would love some duck weed for my turtle i live in leeds.dont suppose u r anywere near leeds??i could pick it up if its not too far out of way..