Can Tortoises Eat Money Plant? Depends Which Plant

It depends entirely on which plant is meant, because at least three different species go by that name. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), often sold as money plant in South Asia, contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals and should never be fed. Jade plant (Crassula ovata), called money plant or money tree in much of the West, is widely listed as low-risk and is eaten by some tortoises without harm. Pachira aquatica, the braided money tree, is also generally considered non-toxic but is not a food plant.

Pothos is a trailing vine with heart-shaped leaves, often variegated cream or yellow, and it climbs or hangs. Jade is an upright succulent with thick, fleshy, oval leaves on woody stems. Pachira has long-stalked leaves divided into five to seven leaflets like fingers, usually on a braided trunk. If it trails and the leaves are heart-shaped, treat it as pothos and keep it away from the enclosure.

The crystals are needle-shaped and cause immediate mechanical irritation to the mouth, tongue and throat — drooling, pawing at the mouth, swelling and reluctance to eat. In quantity they can cause more serious swelling that interferes with breathing. It is not usually fatal in small amounts, but it is painful, and it is entirely avoidable since the plant has no nutritional value to a tortoise anyway.

No, as a general rule. Houseplants are selected for appearance, many common ones are toxic, and tortoises browse opportunistically without discriminating well. A tortoise with free roam of a room will try things. The safe approach is to treat indoor plants as off-limits entirely and provide a separate planted area or dish of known-safe weeds.

Weeds and wild greens, which is what Mediterranean species evolved on: dandelion, plantain, sow thistle, hawkbit, clover, mallow, bramble leaf and hibiscus leaf and flower. These are high in fibre and calcium, low in protein and sugar, and they grow readily in a corner of a garden. A planted browse area is cheaper and better than anything bought.

Rinse the mouth gently with water if the tortoise will tolerate it, offer drinking water, and watch for drooling, oral swelling, pawing at the face or refusal to eat. Call an exotics vet if any of those appear or if a large amount was eaten — swelling that affects breathing is the serious outcome. Take a piece of the plant with you so the species can be confirmed.