ukphd, I have use hemp before it works fine. and I kept my laying area moist as the dirt needs to hold together but not be drippy wet. Moisture is needed, I mixed water into the substrate to keep it dampend. I found spraying the top only kept the top damp and when my female dug the dirt just fell back into the hole and she didn't lay. When I moisend all of the dirt. She dug her hole and Bingo Eggs.
Crazy1 Wrote:ukphd, I have use hemp before it works fine. and I kept my laying area moist as the dirt needs to hold together but not be drippy wet. Moisture is needed, I mixed water into the substrate to keep it dampend. I found spraying the top only kept the top damp and when my female dug the dirt just fell back into the hole and she didn't lay. When I moisend all of the dirt. She dug her hole and Bingo Eggs.
Ah ok - so, sorry to sound stupid, but does that mean you regularly mix the dirt around whilst spraying or do you mean you do that before you put it in and then spray the top to keep it moist? or neither!
I personally mixed it with the water after I placed it in the nesting area. I mixed the dirt and play sand then added water to it and mixed it, like a cake mix, until it was all damp. Then I would mist the top, every 4 or 5 days I would use a trowel (hand shovel) or a large spoon and check it a few inches down to make sure it’s still damp. Continually misting just the top will after a while allow the rest to dry out. Just remember when she digs down that dirt has to be damp too and able to hold up and not cave in or crumble into her laying hole.
And Ukphd, no question ever made anyone look or sound stupid. It is the way we learn. Keep those questions coming, and we will all keep learning.
Crazy1 Wrote:I personally mixed it with the water after I placed it in the nesting area. I mixed the dirt and play sand then added water to it and mixed it, like a cake mix, until it was all damp. Then I would mist the top, every 4 or 5 days I would use a trowel (hand shovel) or a large spoon and check it a few inches down to make sure it’s still damp. Continually misting just the top will after a while allow the rest to dry out. Just remember when she digs down that dirt has to be damp too and able to hold up and not cave in or crumble into her laying hole.
And Ukphd, no question ever made anyone look or sound stupid. It is the way we learn. Keep those questions coming, and we will all keep learning.
Thanks!
I have all the stuff ready now and this weekend I'm going to set up her new table. I'm going to do it bit by bit though. I don't want to stress her out with a totally new enclosure all at once so will start with the laying area and add a bit of aspen to the rest of the enclosure and then gradually replace all the old substrate with aspen. I need to increase the sides of the table too to make sure I can get the right depth - it's going to be a tortoise-filled weekend
can't wait!
What brand of soil do you guys recommend? And is there any certain way you should blend it? Thanks!
