# Is there such a thing as a perfect substrate?



## Tracy Gould (Oct 8, 2010)

I have had my Tort for 6 months now and i am still trying to find it. I have used Aspen which was fairly clean it only got in the food or water if she was wet and it then stuck to her but made it hard to control humidity. I have also tried Bark chunks which we ok but she struggled to walk on this. I have just tried Coconut Humus and hate it it sticks to her when she is wet gets traped it her folds and around her neck. 

I know she does not need alot of humidity but i want to find something that holds humidity is clean and does not get in her water and food. I know all substrates have pros and cons but i was wondering if there is a good safe sub that will not drive me mad, so i have started this thread i know everyone as there own ideas on the Perfect Sub so i put it in the Debatable topics


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## Yvonne G (Oct 8, 2010)

That's why I like either cypress mulch or orchid bark. If you can find orchid bark in the "fine" grade, its a great medium for the tortoise to walk on. Very small chunks of fir...clean and sweet-smelling, and doesn't sour when you keep it moist. The cypress mulch is also pieces of bark. The pieces are a little larger than the orchid bark, but it works out ok. Those are my two very favorite substrates. I try the other things, but always come back to my old stand bys.


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## Tracy Gould (Oct 8, 2010)

Is there an wood in the Orchid bark i need to avoid i know about Pine and Cedar but is there any fruit trees i need to know about?

ignore the last post i read ur post wrong i thought it said Orchard in stead of orchid lol.


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## terryo (Oct 8, 2010)

I only have forest dwelling turts, and tortoises, so I use a mix of soil and peat moss. I usually plant lots of ground cover...creeping jenny, or sedum, so they can't dig or mess it up. Around the water dish I put flat pieces of slate or frog moss so they can't dirty the water. For the species that I have, this works for me.


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## Tracy Gould (Oct 8, 2010)

i have tried puting moss around the water she manages to drag that in there too, I am starting to thinks shes doing it on purpose as she watches me clean it then marches over as soon as i put it back lol


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## alfiethetortoise (Oct 8, 2010)

I use playsand and organic soil 50/50 mix about 1" in summer 1.5-2" in winter. Over the hide i use Aspen bedding about 1" in winter as this is where she sleeps. Alfie usually gets soil/sand in her water dish, but i change it every day anyway as she will often drink from it or just get in for a soak  Soil and sand mix gets sprayed with water every other day so it doesn't dry out too much!


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## Maggie Cummings (Oct 8, 2010)

I use cypress mulch and have a tort table with box turtles in it that is 4 years old and all I have done is pick out the visible poop. It doesn't smell and hasn't molded. I have several other containers in the house with cypress mulch in them but they aren't as old as the box turtle table. I have used cypress mulch or orchid bark for years and have tried all the other stuff but those 2 have worked the best in my opinion...


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## Tracy Gould (Oct 8, 2010)

maggie3fan said:


> I use cypress mulch and have a tort table with box turtles in it that is 4 years old and all I have done is pick out the visible poop. It doesn't smell and hasn't molded. I have several other containers in the house with cypress mulch in them but they aren't as old as the box turtle table. I have used cypress mulch or orchid bark for years and have tried all the other stuff but those 2 have worked the best in my opinion...



I think I am going to try either Cypress or orchid this time i am going on the hunt tomorrow to see which one i can find. So i will proberly have a sulking Tort for a few days as she does not like change.


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## Tracy Gould (Oct 9, 2010)

Ok i got some Orchid bark today and a new tub to replace her table as the old one kept letting Sub out, I used the coconut humus and the aspen in there but put the Bark over the Humus to create a 4in deep area its great it so much cleaner i love it, and Shelby seems to like it too she as not sulked once, she now as a deep area to dig down in if she wants, and a dryer area . I think i have finally found the perfect Sub its taken 6 months but i have got there ,


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## PeanutbuttER (Oct 9, 2010)

I've heard good things about Mark's bioactive substrate. I'm on the fence myself about giving it a shot in my hatchling enclosure instead of replacing the moss with cypress mulch when she's old enough.

Though, I'm not sure if the bioactive substrate is just for redfoots or if it's good for all species.


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## Tracy Gould (Oct 9, 2010)

PeanutbuttER said:


> I've heard good things about Mark's bioactive substrate. I'm on the fence myself about giving it a shot in my hatchling enclosure instead of replacing the moss with cypress mulch when she's old enough.
> 
> Though, I'm not sure if the bioactive substrate is just for redfoots or if it's good for all species.



I do not think i have seen that thread yet, but so far i love the Orchid bark, Shelby is only two and this stuff is just the right size for her to walk with no problems it is damp but not two damp it does not smell nasty and Shelby is not getting covered in dirt, so far so good.


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## PeanutbuttER (Oct 9, 2010)

Here's a couple threads/links:

https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/the-work-shop/substrates

http://tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Bioactive-Substrate-Update

The first explains what it is, how to set it up and the 2nd talks about what kind of success he's had with it. I think I'm going to try it on the hatchling enclosure next and if it works then I'll change the big tortoise table to it as well.


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## Tracy Gould (Oct 9, 2010)

PeanutbuttER said:


> Here's a couple threads/links:
> 
> https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/the-work-shop/substrates
> 
> ...



Thanks for the Link it sound intresting the only thing that boths me is She is in a Table I have had Woodlice coming into the house and they are a pain i am a bit worried about putting them in Shelbys table and them escaping and crawling all over the room!


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## PeanutbuttER (Oct 9, 2010)

Haha, true. I don't think they're gross though so I wouldn't care if they got out. Plus, if they keep eating other bugs eggs elsewhere in the house too, then they'll soon become my best friends


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