# Substrate



## Tom (Mar 28, 2010)

I've been using a lot of this stuff lately. Daisy has been on it for around a year now. I also use it for my other reptiles. It seems to be a soil/orchid bark mix. I love it. Its cheap, clean, easy and holds moisture well.

Retails for $4.38 at LOWES for one of these big bags. Its around ten bucks for a tiny little bag of this kind of stuff at the chain pet stores. One of those ten dollar bags wouldn't be enough for my tarantula cage!

I bought a few.


----------



## DonaTello's-Mom (Mar 28, 2010)

I'm so glad you posted this Tom. I've been looking for orchid bark. None at our Home depot or Walmart. And yes it's very pricey at Petco for a little bag. How big (or small) are the bark pieces?


----------



## Tom (Mar 28, 2010)

DonaTello said:


> I'm so glad you posted this Tom. I've been looking for orchid bark. None at our Home depot or Walmart. And yes it's very pricey at Petco for a little bag. How big (or small) are the bark pieces?



They are nice and small. Here it is in Daisy's enclosure. Its very wet in this pic.


----------



## DonaTello's-Mom (Mar 28, 2010)

Ok you sold me on this! Thanks Tom for sharing this with us. As you know animals can be very expensive and anything to help save a little money I'm for. Or maybe help with my electricity bill...Lol

LOWES is a 30 minute drive for me but well worth it at this price. I could stock up!


----------



## Tom (Mar 28, 2010)

DonaTello said:


> Ok you sold me on this! Thanks Tom for sharing this with us. As you know animals can be very expensive and anything to help save a little money I'm for. Or maybe help with my electricity bill...Lol
> 
> LOWES is a 30 minute drive for me but well worth it at this price. I could stock up!



I feel your pain on the electric bill. I always use the lowest wattage bulbs possible. 50 watts for small torts and 75 for bigger ones. I use spot bulbs and move them close enough to give me the desired temps. This works if you give them sunshine several times a week for UV. You are in SoCal aren't you? Maybe you should pick up some bulbs while you are at Lowes.


----------



## DonaTello's-Mom (Mar 28, 2010)

I live in Lompoc, central coast. And NO I'm not buying new bulbs because I spent an arm and 2 legs for the ones I have now! Yes the darn 'pet chain' stores screwed me (pun intended) on these because I wanted them NOW instead of getting them online. Imagine my face twisted in pain when I read a post here saying they got 3 of my bulbs (MVB) for the price I paid for one, errrrr. And don't get me started on my CHE, same sad story. LOl Anyhow it's been so warm here I haven't needed my MVB for a few days now......Hello springtime!!!!

I'm gonna started a thread on elect bills, curious about others bill.


----------



## webskipper (Mar 28, 2010)

Tom said:


> Retails for $4.38 at LOWES for one of these big bags. Its around ten bucks for a tiny little bag of this kind of stuff at the chain pet stores. One of those ten dollar bags wouldn't be enough for my tarantula cage!



Wish I saw this yesterday. I bought 2 big bags of Forest Floor cypress mulch for $26 each total because I was done with the messy coconut husk/cypress mulch mix. Wow what a difference all cypress makes.

The kids can hardly be coaxed out of their new fluffy environment. Sleeping good after their bath. Maybe tomorrow the little piggies will come out for some muchies.


----------



## DonaTello's-Mom (Mar 28, 2010)

See all the "good' you do for us Tom? Your the 'Man' !!


And yes I added a 'point' to your reputation rating. (hint for other members to follow suit)


----------



## Yvonne G (Mar 28, 2010)

Tom: Does the bag say what kinds of bark is in the mixture?


----------



## Tom (Mar 28, 2010)

emysemys said:


> Tom: Does the bag say what kinds of bark is in the mixture?



I don't remember. I'll check tomorrow for you. I've been using this exact stuff, from this company, in this same bag, for several years now, with no problems whatsoever.
I'm positive its safe. The company that makes it is called Western Organics.

On the front of the bag it says, "Forrest Products". I'll check the bag carefully in the morning and see if it lists it somewhere else.


----------



## ChiKat (Mar 29, 2010)

Hmm would this be a suitable substrate for a Russian? Maybe I'll use it for Nelson...
I'm currently using plain coir but I was planning on mixing organic soil into it this weekend.


----------



## moswen (Apr 2, 2010)

i love it. this is not available at my lowe's. does anyone know if i can have it shipped to my lowes but not pay shipping?


----------



## Stephanie Logan (Apr 2, 2010)

I'll bet the Lowe's employees can answer that question if you call and ask. Of course, these days it pays to write down said employee's name in case they give you misinformation (to go off topic, even my BANK has been doing this a lot lately--it's very worrisome!) 

I love the cypress "Forest Floor" I get from Petco. Taco stays clean and has firm footing, and with the coir and sphagnum moss mixed in it holds moisture pretty well. 

Tom, you should write a book for Sulcata beginners. I love how you always put your "subjects" into the frame.


----------



## Tom (Apr 2, 2010)

Stephanie Logan said:


> I'll bet the Lowe's employees can answer that question if you call and ask. Of course, these days it pays to write down said employee's name in case they give you misinformation (to go off topic, even my BANK has been doing this a lot lately--it's very worrisome!)
> 
> I love the cypress "Forest Floor" I get from Petco. Taco stays clean and has firm footing, and with the coir and sphagnum moss mixed in it holds moisture pretty well.
> 
> Tom, you should write a book for Sulcata beginners. I love how you always put your "subjects" into the frame.



I took a bunch of plain old label pics, but Scooter just HAD to check out what I was doing. I thought since you could still see the label just fine, why not post the pic with the tortoise in it on the tortoise forum?

By the way, don't know exactly what's in it. Looks like orchid bark and soil. No fertilizers or chemicals of any kind.


----------



## TortoisesRock! (Apr 2, 2010)

would this be good for any tort? Also how do you all feel about the clean/unclean debate? Some say stick with the substrate at the pet store because it has been cleaned and checked for any lil bugs, others say any good ol' fashion garden supplies would be great.


----------



## Tom (Apr 2, 2010)

I don't know all tort species well enough to make such a blanket statement, but it would work well for any of the ones I'm familiar with. Great for a Russian. I don't think an adult Russian needs a whole lot of humidity. They are very adaptable. You can let this stuff dry out, keep it wet, or anything in between.

The pet store suppliers get their products from the same source as the garden center/hardware stores. You are just paying more for marketing and packaging. I worked in the retail pet industry for 8 years. Its the same stuff from the same source. Nobody is cleaning it or checking it for bugs. They just take it out of a big bag, like the one pictured, and put it in to a little bag with their label on it. They pay the same price for the big bags as we do.


----------



## Crazybirds (Apr 10, 2010)

I like the looks of the soil/ orchard Bark!! I went to Lowes last night and got 3 cubic feet of Cypress mulch for $3.78!!! It is a huge bag...hubby has to lug it around for me I can't lift it. I did notice Lowe's has quite a few different types of gardening supplies that would make great substrate for our Torties!! Great prices. I advise all to check Lowe's garden center and check these out especially if you're on a budget! And their Mosser Lee Spagnum moss is under $4.00 also...smaller little bale of it at petco is $14.99!!


----------



## Tom (Apr 10, 2010)

Where in the country are you that Lowes carries cypress mulch?!


----------



## alfiethetortoise (Apr 11, 2010)

We dont have any lowes in the UK, but from the pictures it looks a lot like what we would call 'ornamental bark' which i use for my flower beds. It is fairly inexpensive here from garen centers, but not as cheap as you say.

Maybe ill try some of my left over bark for alfie in her summer house


----------



## Crazybirds (Apr 11, 2010)

I Live in Pennsylvania.


----------



## TortieLuver (Apr 29, 2010)

I haven't even thought to use orchard bark. Thanks for the idea.


----------



## franeich (May 1, 2010)

I cant find this stuff on the lowes web site


----------



## PeanutbuttER (May 2, 2010)

I was able to find this stuff at home depot. It looks basically the same as what Tom's using, but the fact that it's not worries me. Do you guys think this would be safe? Is it possible that this is just a newer/different bag but the same stuff inside?

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053


----------



## Yvonne G (May 2, 2010)

Nope. If you read further on down in the ad, it tells you its made from Ponderosa pine and fir bark. Pine is a no-no with turtles and tortoises.


----------



## franeich (Jul 23, 2010)

Tom, What lowes do you get this at. You are in california right.


----------



## Tom (Jul 23, 2010)

franeich said:


> Tom, What lowes do you get this at. You are in california right.



Santa Clarita.


----------



## franeich (Jul 23, 2010)

Which one Golden valley rd or boquet canyon

Do you think this is the same stuff


----------



## Tom (Jul 23, 2010)

I can't tell, but its definitely a different brand and bag.

Bouquet Cyn. I didn't know there was another one over there.


----------



## mwindman (Aug 2, 2010)

I have a sulcata and his indoor enclosure has coconut husk that you soak for 1/2 hour and makes about 1 gallon of substrate and comes in blocks of 3; I just a cat litter scooper and it cleans his enclosure nicely


----------



## Fernando (Jan 19, 2011)

I have a 2 month old Sulcata...is this okay for him?


----------



## Balboa (Jan 19, 2011)

Found the manufacturer site for Tom's brand of mulch.

http://www.gro-well.com/lawnandgarden/list-ground-covers-garden-time.html

Both the pathway bark and the small western decorative are made with both pine and fir, so what's the difference between the two? Dunno, it doesn't really say.

I'm going to guess that the pathway is basically extra-small with even more fines (for better compaction for good footing as a walkway).

That would leave me to believe that if Tom's had no trouble from the pine in the walkway stuff, the small stuff SHOULD be fine for you Peanut.

For those that are wondering "if Pine is evil, why has Tom had no trouble?" 

IMHO it has to do with the degraded nature of the mulch. In the pictures Tom's stuff looks at least partially decomposed (A true mulch) and not chopped up fresh (green) pine. The toxins will all tend to be washed away and broken down. SHOULD be harmless.


----------



## Fernando (Jan 20, 2011)

Balboa said:


> Found the manufacturer site for Tom's brand of mulch.
> 
> http://www.gro-well.com/lawnandgarden/list-ground-covers-garden-time.html
> 
> ...




Thank you for help & research! I'll see if we have that available in my local Home Depot (whittier, Ca)


----------



## Bronson (May 12, 2011)

Hey everybody,

If anyone can tell me where I can get some of this stuff it would be greatly appreciated! I live in Wichita Kansas Thanks!

Bronson


----------



## Fernando (May 12, 2011)

Bronson said:


> Hey everybody,
> 
> If anyone can tell me where I can get some of this stuff it would be greatly appreciated! I live in Wichita Kansas Thanks!
> 
> Bronson



I found it at my local Home Depot.


----------



## Bronson (May 13, 2011)

I've checked home depot, lowes, and even the local johnson's garden center I don't know what the deal is.


----------



## Tom (May 13, 2011)

Sorry to hear that. It might be seasonal or they might have discontinued it. That sort of thing happens all the time in my experience. That's why I bought so many bags of it. Wish I knew how to help.


----------



## Jacob (May 13, 2011)

Great & Cheap, I Bought My Bag Of Bark From petsmart On Sale!
Its A Big Bag For $5.58


----------



## Fernando (May 13, 2011)

I would probably just suggest that you go to those stores and look around. Take some pictures of what they have or at least the names and do a little research online. Let us know what you find and we should be able to let you know if it's safe or not.


----------



## Bronson (May 13, 2011)

Well I gave up on that idea! lol Thanks everyone but it seems everything in the world I like they stop making. I picked up a big ol bag of cypress mulch at lowes for $1.98!

Thanks for everyones help!
Bronson


----------



## Fernando (May 13, 2011)

Bronson said:


> Well I gave up on that idea! lol Thanks everyone but it seems everything in the world I like they stop making. I picked up a big ol bag of cypress mulch at lowes for $1.98!
> 
> Thanks for everyones help!
> Bronson



That's an awesome deal!


----------

