Pet Turtle : Plants

A must have for all turtle habitats, after all even your turtle prefers a little bit of greenery! And the pleasure of plants swaying in clear water is an immensely relaxing experience. If you have fish in your tank ensure that you have leafy plants along the corners of the tank for them to hide from the turtle.

Turtles have a tendency to attempt eating everything inside their tank, including plants. So you need to be careful that the plants introduced into the habitat are not harmful if consumed. Eitherways, live plants rarely survive long in a turtle tank, before they are eaten. Therefore, to maintain a green tank it is advisable to use artificial plants that are easily available with your pet store. After initially attempting to eat them the turtles would eventually let them be. While buying artificial plants ensure that they are not very delicate or have sharp edges.

We recommend a mix of real and artificial plants in your turtle habitat. Real plants are quite cheap, so even if your turtle eats one every couple of weeks, it doesn't hurt either the turtle or the pocket. On the contrary it serves as an emergency meal or an in-between snack that the turtle can source at its own discretion.

One safe plant that the turtle doesn't eat is the 'sword plant'. They don't eat it because its leaves are bitter.

Maintenance

Real plants need no maintenance except trimming of dying/rotting leaves once a week. Artificial plants need to be cleaned every 7-10 days. They should be collected from the tank, cleaned and returned to the tank only after the water has also been changed and not before.

The best way to clean artificial plants is to rinse it thoroughly under high-pressure water stream. A gentle 'digitization' (rubbing between the tip of the thumb and the first finger) of the of leaves should also be done in case of leafy plants. The main stem can scrubbed gently using an old toothbrush.

If the plant surface is slimy to touch, it requires a thorough cleaning. If you maintain your tank well, this would be required only once in 3-4 months. Follow the cleaning instructions provided by your pet store or the manufacturer as they can vary based on the material used. Whatever method you follow rinse well and soak in clean water for an hour, before putting it back into the tank.

Plants of varying kinds and colors are easily (and cheaply) available with pet stores, so choose well.