Let me just start by saying that I live in Canada and it seems really hard to raise tortoises here!
I've read the care sheet multiple times and I'm trying really hard to make a suitable environment for my little tort. He/She will be a year old in Oct and I've upgraded his enclosure majorly. I have a 6x2 enclosure (biggest that will fit in my room, it literally spans from wall to wall). But my biggest issue is freaking substrate!!
Right now I have him in topsoil mixed with eco-earth coconut coir. I need a LOT more substrate to fill this big tank and I'm drawing a blank. I bought some black topsoil (only one I could find without additives) and on the bag it says keep away from pets. I'm a little freaked out because I didn't notice it before and Beans has been living in it since I got him.
I literally cannot find any other topsoil here without additives of some sort and it's driving me crazy. I don't want to do a tank entirely of eco earth and I can't because it's $33 a freaking bag (24 qt)! It would take like 10 bags to fill this thing deep enough for him to burrow and he loves to burrow down. That's how he sleeps.
I also can't go dig up my yard and get dirt from there. My parents would have a fit. I've called the greenhouses and nurseries around here and nobody has what I need.
What's a person to do? I don't have $300+ to spend on coconut coir and I really need to get him transferred over. His enclosure right now is way too small
I've read the care sheet multiple times and I'm trying really hard to make a suitable environment for my little tort. He/She will be a year old in Oct and I've upgraded his enclosure majorly. I have a 6x2 enclosure (biggest that will fit in my room, it literally spans from wall to wall). But my biggest issue is freaking substrate!!
Right now I have him in topsoil mixed with eco-earth coconut coir. I need a LOT more substrate to fill this big tank and I'm drawing a blank. I bought some black topsoil (only one I could find without additives) and on the bag it says keep away from pets. I'm a little freaked out because I didn't notice it before and Beans has been living in it since I got him.
I literally cannot find any other topsoil here without additives of some sort and it's driving me crazy. I don't want to do a tank entirely of eco earth and I can't because it's $33 a freaking bag (24 qt)! It would take like 10 bags to fill this thing deep enough for him to burrow and he loves to burrow down. That's how he sleeps.
I also can't go dig up my yard and get dirt from there. My parents would have a fit. I've called the greenhouses and nurseries around here and nobody has what I need.
What's a person to do? I don't have $300+ to spend on coconut coir and I really need to get him transferred over. His enclosure right now is way too small