# grass as a substrate?



## jobeanator (Aug 28, 2009)

ive always wondered if grass would be a good substrate for sullys or leos? would it be good for them or not? i dont know how grass would be good for humidity, since humidity is vital, but my sullys and leos love the grass when i put them in there pen outside. would this be a good substrate to use or no?


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## Meg90 (Aug 28, 2009)

Are you talking like, going out in the yard and ripping up a section of grass?

I think the Sullys would like it, I don't think it would last very long. It wouldn't grow under such a hot light (MVB), you would just dry it. And eventually, I should think, the remaining soil would loose nutrients and it would all die...since you cant put fertilizers on it.


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## Yvonne G (Aug 28, 2009)

If you mean to use grass clippings, then, no, it wouldn't be a good substrate. It would be the same thing as using hay. Eventually it would mold.

Yvonne


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## Greg T (Aug 28, 2009)

It is difficult to grow indoors, plus it does dry out the substrate. I would think the torts woudl kill it by constantly walking around the same path.


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## DoctorCosmonaut (Aug 28, 2009)

They need chiapet reptile grass


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## tortoisenerd (Aug 29, 2009)

DoctorCosmonaut said:


> They need chiapet reptile grass



What are you referring to?


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## Yvonne G (Aug 29, 2009)

Its the kind of grass you buy at the pet store and grow for reptiles. I think there should have been a space...Chia Pet...you know, buy the ceramic form, spread on the seeds, water and voila!

Yvonne


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## Maggie Cummings (Aug 29, 2009)

emysemys said:


> Its the kind of grass you buy at the pet store and grow for reptiles. I think there should have been a space...Chia Pet...you know, buy the ceramic form, spread on the seeds, water and voila!
> 
> Yvonne



the stuff I've grown on a Chia Pet is baby tears

the grass I've bought for my cat from Petco is wheatgrass...


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## tortoisenerd (Aug 30, 2009)

Doesn't the Chia Pet come with Chia seeds (safe food for torts)? Or, are both kinds sold? Wheat grass is also available at health food stores and supermarkets for cheaper than Petco (organic and fresher too).


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## dmmj (Aug 30, 2009)

the chia pet comes with a package of seeds, and they also sell packets that you can buy when your chia seeds plants die, so you can grow more.


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## stells (Aug 31, 2009)

Grass wouldn't be safe... it starts to ferment really quickly way before it would go mouldy....

Its not to hard to grow indoors... just get some big seed trays and plant it up.... use them one at a time... swapping as they get eaten down... keeping the eaten one which will grow back while a fresh one is in the enclosure...


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## DAC8671 (Aug 31, 2009)

Ralph, my sully, is outdoor 24/7. The majority of his enclosure is grass. So if you're talking about an outdoor enclosure, I think grass would be the best. Inside his dogloo, though, is timothy hay.


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