# Substrate for brumation ?



## swatsx (Sep 30, 2016)

I plan on burmating my Russian tortoise in my basement fridge this winter, I plan on doing a decent size cooler enough he can move around in and it's deep, what is a good substrate? Cocoa coir ? I'm getting my fridge to 42 degrees on the bottom shelf I have two thermometers and I'm doing a cooler incase of mild temp fluctuations I think it'll be more stable. 

I'm doing this because we are doing major renovations to the basement and that's where she usually stays in the winter I don't want her to get sick from the chemicals or paint or dust. 

Also last year I burmated sp? Her for 6 weeks but not in the fridge just in basement floor at 60 degrees

I know she needs to be void of all foods prior 

I know there is risk

No no one can take or or put her in another part of the house


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## Tom (Sep 30, 2016)

Glad you are going to a fridge as 60 is much too warm…

I don't like coco coir for hibernation because it is too messy. I like my hibernation substrate to be relatively dry, and coir is very dusty and messy when dry. It will get in your tortoises nose and eyes. Blechh.

I prefer to use fine grade orchid bark. They can dig into it and it relatively clean and dust free. I keep it ever so slightly damp, but not damp at all. Just not completely bone dry. Some people prefer newspaper, but I prefer something they can dig into better.


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## Yvonne G (Sep 30, 2016)

I keep them in shredded newspaper.


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## Maria Ohlson (Oct 4, 2016)

When I hibernate my tortoise in a fridge I have them in plasticboxes were there is sand-soil and I put leaves ontop of the tortoise. Sometimes they bury themselves in the sand-soil and sometimes they dont.


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