# What kind of substrate should I use for my Russian Tortoise?



## kirbybirby (Nov 13, 2011)

I'll be getting a Russian Tortoise very soon and I wanted to know what kind of substrate to you. Would play sand and organic soil be okay? I live in Pennsylvania. It will be an inside habitat. Also, do these guys smell? The habitat I mean. If so, is there a certain substrate/cleaning technique I should use?


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## Yvonne G (Nov 13, 2011)

For Russian tortoises (Agrionemys horsfieldii) I prefer to use cypress mulch. And I don't change it but maybe once a year. I spot clean on a daily basis, and pick up any un-eaten food at the end of the day. My indoor habitats don't smell, however, tortoise poop and pee DOES smell. You just have to keep it cleaned up.


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## kirbybirby (Nov 13, 2011)

emysemys said:


> For Russian tortoises (Agrionemys horsfieldii) I prefer to use cypress mulch. And I don't change it but maybe once a year. I spot clean on a daily basis, and pick up any un-eaten food at the end of the day. My indoor habitats don't smell, however, tortoise poop and pee DOES smell. You just have to keep it cleaned up.



Mulch? .-. confused again. There are so many variations with Russian Tortoise habitats it seems.... 

If I spot clean it, like you said, I only have to empty out the mulch once a year? not monthly?


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## Jacqui (Nov 13, 2011)

You will indeed be finding out that each of us have our own preferences for what to use. I like the coir/play sand and then do usually add a patch of the cypress mulch. I just don't like using all mulch as to me it's too hunky and not as conducive for digging into.

I think there is a natural soil type smell in my house because of the tortoises. An outdoorsy walk in the forest I guess. 

I spot clean and change out once maybe twice a year depending on how many are in the space and if it starts looking dirty.


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## kirbybirby (Nov 13, 2011)

Jacqui said:


> You will indeed be finding out that each of us have our own preferences for what to use. I like the coir/play sand and then do usually add a patch of the cypress mulch. I just don't like using all mulch as to me it's too hunky and not as conducive for digging into.
> 
> I think there is a natural soil type smell in my house because of the tortoises. An outdoorsy walk in the forest I guess.
> 
> I spot clean and change out once maybe twice a year depending on how many are in the space and if it starts looking dirty.



I'll only be getting one. So, just to clarify, I only need to clean the whole thing out _once_ a year? That seems like a long time. Won't bugs and stuff start living in there if it's not fully cleaned out? :|


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## Jacqui (Nov 13, 2011)

Normally, no they don't. Just be sure to keep up with the spot cleanings. Remember the stools are normally like tootsie rolls and often they actually do their bowel movements in their water dishes. Remove all the food, which is easy to do too. You can also spot clean sections of the enclosures, replacing only the substrate from that area.


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## lynnedit (Nov 13, 2011)

Yep, you will get a lot of different opinions. I think it depends on where you live (ambient humidity), etc.
Options
*Cypress mulch. In the east, you can often get this in Home Improvement stores in the garden section. 
*Mix of playsand and organic topsoil or coir (Eco Earth, Bed A Beast, loose or as bricks that you add water too). You will see varying advice about the ratio of sand to other product. Some say 50/50. Many prefer less sand, and mix 75% other to 25% sand. 
*And still others hate sand due to history of eye irritation, etc.
Yes, if you 'spot clean', and the enclosure stays amazingly clean for months.
Many of us use a mix in our enclosure. I use fine Orchid bark (almost like soil) in one area (found at a garden supply store), with some large rocks in a row to act as sort of a wall. You could also use a piece of 2x4 wood as well. Then Cypress mulch in the middle, including around the water dish as it is not quite as messy. 
Both substrates can be kept moist, by adding water from a sprinkler or teapot 1-2x per week.Stir the substrate up to loosen it before you add the water. In their sleep/cooler areas, I use Aspen, which is drier and they seem to like to burrow in at night. 
That works for me. Start with a plan that sounds good to you, based on what products you can find in your state, and I can assure you that you will change it up about 50 times!


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## kirbybirby (Nov 13, 2011)

lynnedit said:


> Yep, you will get a lot of different opinions. I think it depends on where you live (ambient humidity), etc.
> Options
> *Cypress mulch. In the east, you can often get this in Home Improvement stores in the garden section.
> *Mix of playsand and organic topsoil or coir (Eco Earth, Bed A Beast, loose or as bricks that you add water too). You will see varying advice about the ratio of sand to other product. Some say 50/50. Many prefer less sand, and mix 75% other to 25% sand.
> ...



haha. Okay. I think I might try either the organic soil/play sand thing or cypress mulch. Although, I would think the soil and sand would get really messy... but the mulch seems a little harsh and would probably be hard for the turtle to dig in... Oh well. I'll post a picture on here whenever I set it all up! 



Jacqui said:


> Normally, no they don't. Just be sure to keep up with the spot cleanings. Remember the stools are normally like tootsie rolls and often they actually do their bowel movements in their water dishes. Remove all the food, which is easy to do too. You can also spot clean sections of the enclosures, replacing only the substrate from that area.



So I take that as I should replace the water every day?


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## lynnedit (Nov 13, 2011)

If they poo in it, yes. Otherwise every few days.


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## kirbybirby (Nov 13, 2011)

lynnedit said:


> If they poo in it, yes. Otherwise every few days.



Oh. Well just to be sure, ill replace the water every day.


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## lynnedit (Nov 14, 2011)

If the water is clean, you can just tip it over into the enclosure and refill.


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