# Newspaper the best substrates?



## Sammy (Nov 21, 2011)

My vet told me the best substrate is newspaper, please advise?


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## Yvonne G (Nov 21, 2011)

Unless they keep tortoises themselves, vets don't usually understand the best husbandry practices. Yes, in the vet's office, newspaper is the best and cleanest and easiest substrate. But for a tortoise to live his life on, he needs something he can dig into. Something that will give him some traction as he walk. My preference is cypress mulch, but even clean dirt from the yard is better than newspaper.


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## dmmj (Nov 21, 2011)

It is good to use for tortoises who are healing, easier to keep clean, but for a permanent type of substrate I would have to say no.


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## dmarcus (Nov 21, 2011)

I agree not for a permanent substrate but it can be good while your tortoise is healing from some minor problem..


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## Redstrike (Nov 21, 2011)

Mine said the same. I think it works well as a temporary substrate when your tortoise is sick, otherwise I'd say it's not the panacea of substrates as some veterinarians would like to claim. It's good for noticing feces and keeping a tortoise relatively dry, that's why it may serve our torts well when sick. I've heard (not experienced) that some tortoises shred it and eat it. The ink is non-toxic and the paper equates to fiber, but I'm not sure this is the best thing for your tort to be consuming on a regular basis. Further, it doesn't provide great traction, especially if you have your animal in an aquarium or similar setting.


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## GBtortoises (Nov 21, 2011)

Quite a while back I used newspaper for many years as a substrate for tortoises. I can confidently say from experience that it _definitely is not_ a good substrate choice for regular use. The exception being as The Captain points out-for a recovery situation.

While newspaper may be more sanitary than other choices in terms of easy clean up, It is absolutely too dry, too smooth and can actually become very unsanitary if soiled by urine and feces. Some tortoises may also develop a constant habit of eating it too. Even with rocks in the enclosure for footing and nail trimming tortoises constantly on paper will develop splayed legs and elongated, often twisted toenails. 

Newspaper as a substrate provides no means for substrate moisture, burrowing, digging and worst of all no solid footing in developing tortoises. 

I used to recommend it for it's sanitary qualities and ease of cleaning and replacement. I absolutely no longer due after having used it myself for quite some time.


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## Mgridgaway (Nov 22, 2011)

It's only the best if you give them the funny sections... 

I can see where newspaper would have its uses, but a longterm living environment? I'll stick with cypress and spagnum.


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## JoesMum (Nov 22, 2011)

I am using newspaper in Joe's winter accomodation which is 25 square feet in area. In terms of hygiene it is the only sensible option. Joe is a big tortoise and when he empties his bladder or bowels, there is A LOT to clean up.

He does have house bricks throughout for him to scramble over and he goes outside for at least a couple of hours every day regardless of the weather.; this is on the vet's advice too help prevent him going stir-crazy.

The vet (a fully qualified Zoo Vet reptile specialist) has seen my 'tortoise table' and told me it's great.

I'm not denying there are better substrates to use, especially with smaller torts and those that never go out. I'm just saying that there is definitely a place for newspaper.


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## terribrown71 (Nov 22, 2011)

Sammy said:


> My vet told me the best substrate is newspaper, please advise?


I personally like the aspen...arthur likes it too because he can burrow and its dust and chemical free. Absorbs odors well too. Newspaper doesn't work for him because he eats everything he isn't supposed to except the aspen. I only use it to line the bottom of his tort table before i pile the aspen in. Thats just me though.


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## JoesMum (Nov 22, 2011)

terribrown71 said:


> ...Newspaper doesn't work for him because he eats everything he isn't supposed to ...



Hehe! 

Joe only tried newspaper when there were red circles printed on it. He had a cherry fixation at the time thanks to a neighbour's tree!


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## tortoise-kid (Nov 23, 2011)

I would say no, because I wouldnt imagine news paper holding moisture very well and they cant dig in it.


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## JoesMum (Nov 23, 2011)

Newspaper absorbs moisture beatifully (well British ones do anyway). Not that I leave it in for long when it is soaked. It's cleared out, disinfected and replaced as soon as possible.

You are right about digging, but I find Joe doesn't want to dig unless he's cold... and he's not cold in his table.


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## Madkins007 (Nov 23, 2011)

I think there are pros and cons to every substrate, and that you can overcome the cons with a little thinking. Newspaper is cleaner, more hygienic, cheap, and so forth.

We can overcome the humidity issue with a small humidifier or other option, digging can happen in a pile of shredded paper or other options, traction is a bigger issue but some of that can be dealt with by crumpling the paper a lot and so forth.

On the other hand, there is the issue of enrichment and naturalistic habitat. Keeping a tortoise engaged and stimulated on newspaper would take a little thought- although serving a 'messier' meal would be one option since the mess would be cleaned up by just changing the paper.


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## Tom (Nov 23, 2011)

There is no place for newspaper in any of my enclosures.


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## Madkins007 (Nov 24, 2011)

LOL! I edited out the sentence where I said 'but I don't use it.' Yeesh.


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