Hi all,

can anybody tell me if any of the japanese euonymus plants are safe to have in my tort enclosure, they are not in there at this moment but im trying to find ways of brightening up twiglets outdoor run ready for summer,

thanks for any advice recieved

sharon xxxxxx

Hi Sharon,

Unfortunately, the fruit and flowers of euonymus are toxic, and other parts of the plant have been known to cause vomiting and also mild dermatitis in humans, so I would avoid it for torts. Shame, though -- pretty plant. If you want to brighten up the enclosure, the dwarf hebes can be very pretty -- some of them have lovely coloured leaves (almost purple) and the flowers are nice too. They are safe, but I think I'm right in thinking that most torts won't eat them, so they are good for decoration and shelter.

Nina

Most torts don't eat hebes but as you say they are safe, because some torts do eat them (speaking from experience here).  If you decide on the hebe if you have enough room go for the medium sized ones and then if your tortoise does take a nibble your shrub will still remain and also it will make a really nice natural shelter for your tortoise too.

Helen

Thanks ladies it looks like its hebe time, xxxxx