# Which wood chip brand safe for box turtle?



## sunshade (May 24, 2011)

Hello! Thank you always for sharing helpful information

I have a gulf coast box turtle, and I'm a bit concerned about the wood chip that I used on my flower bed-- where the turtle lives. The brand I used is Nature Scapes wood chip from Scotts (the link below) The package and their web site show that it's made of 'natural forest compost,' and it doesn't explain whether or not it is made of pine or cedar. It says it's all natural and color coated. 

Q.
I understand pine or cedar mulch can be toxic to turtles. Is there anyone who knows if this brand is safe for box turtles? If it's not safe, which brand/product would you recommend?

Scotts Nature ScapeS
http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/p...prod10400002&itemId=cat70024&icid=hp1_mm_p_sm


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## bikerchicspain (May 24, 2011)

I personally don't use Mulch, I had a reptile that got an impactation with mulch a couple of years back,
although a lot of forum members do use it.
Yvonne will be able to tell you all that you need to know,


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## terryo (May 25, 2011)

I just sprinkle some Cypruss mulch over the soil. I can't get it from home depot, where it would be much cheaper, so I use Forest Floor by Zoo Med. I also like to use ground covers and I scatter some pieces of slate around to put food on. Can you post some pictures of your enclosure and your boxie? I just got a little Golf Coast.


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## Terry Allan Hall (May 26, 2011)

Cypress mulch...got a big bag (35+ #) for a couple bucks at Lowes or Home Depot...good stuff!



terryo said:


> I just sprinkle some Cypruss mulch over the soil. I can't get it from home depot, where it would be much cheaper, so I use Forest Floor by Zoo Med. I also like to use ground covers and I scatter some pieces of slate around to put food on. Can you post some pictures of your enclosure and your boxie? I just got a little Golf Coast.



No chain hardware stores near you? What about a Garden supply place?


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## terryo (May 26, 2011)

Terry Allan Hall said:


> Cypress mulch...got a big bag (35+ #) for a couple bucks at Lowes or Home Depot...good stuff!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



There are plenty of nurseries here and we have home depot and lowes, but no one sells the pure cypruss mulch, except for Petco, and you can only get a small bag...AND....it is about 8$. That's why I only sprinkle it on the top of the soil where there is no ground cover. By the next few weeks they'll be so much ground cover, I'll be pulling some out. When my Cherries are inside I do the same thing.....just sprinkle in on the top of the substrate.
OT...We have a house in Florida, and my husband hounds me to move there, because it's so expensive to live here, but I like my change of seasons here in NY.


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## sunshade (May 26, 2011)

Thank you everyone for all the information. It is very helpful! I have searched Lowes, Home Depot, and K mart inside out, but I couldn't find plain soil but the organic ones. The local K mart told me that they dont carry any garden soil any more. So I guess, for the soil, I will get one of those organic ones - I hope it doesn't smell too bad! 

As for the mulch, as so many of you recommended Cypress, I went to Lowes/h. Depot/K mart, but I couldn't find it. So I checked my first bag of mulch I bought from a local pet shop a long time ago and realized that small bag, which I only use for outdoor enclosure is the Cypress.  Yes, it comes in small bags only, and that's why I started looking for something at nurseries. As Terryo recommended, I think will use the Cypress for a few spots only. So far, the turtle seems ok with the Nature Scapes. 

Thank you so much for your help again!! I still have so much to learn. 



sunshade said:


> Hello! Thank you always for sharing helpful information
> 
> I have a gulf coast box turtle, and I'm a bit concerned about the wood chip that I used on my flower bed-- where the turtle lives. The brand I used is Nature Scapes wood chip from Scotts (the link below) The package and their web site show that it's made of 'natural forest compost,' and it doesn't explain whether or not it is made of pine or cedar. It says it's all natural and color coated.
> 
> ...





terryo said:


> I just sprinkle some Cypruss mulch over the soil. I can't get it from home depot, where it would be much cheaper, so I use Forest Floor by Zoo Med. I also like to use ground covers and I scatter some pieces of slate around to put food on. Can you post some pictures of your enclosure and your boxie? I just got a little Golf Coast.


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## sunshade (May 26, 2011)

terryo said:


> I just sprinkle some Cypruss mulch over the soil. I can't get it from home depot, where it would be much cheaper, so I use Forest Floor by Zoo Med. I also like to use ground covers and I scatter some pieces of slate around to put food on. Can you post some pictures of your enclosure and your boxie? I just got a little Golf Coast.



(I posted my reply, but for some reason, it was embedded in my previous posting. Here is me reply again. It's so nice to meet someone with gulf coast! )

What color is your gulf coast? Mine has a light brown shell and lives in my backyard. We don't have any indoor enclosure but a small outdoor enclosure - more of a shelter, which the turtle hardly uses, . I'm a bit concerned the weather here in S. California maybe too dry for him, and sometimes I'm not sure if I need to bring him inside when it's chilly. Should I bring him in if it goes below 50 maybe?


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