Leopard tortoise substrate

[Desiré_tortoise_mom]

Hello everyone! I have kept my tort on sand with some bark around the food and water bowl. I literally realised today (thanks to threads on here about it) that sand is not a good substrate and that it can be dangerous. I am going to change this immediately. I want the best for my tort and I feel horrible that I have unknowingly been housing her on the wrong substrate.
Can I use normal top soil (free of any harmful substances like fertilizers) mixed with repti bark? Will this be okay? Or should I rather only use bark?
Thank you for your help.
@Tom

 

[Tom]

Hello everyone! I have kept my tort on sand with some bark around the food and water bowl. I literally realised today (thanks to threads on here about it) that sand is not a good substrate and that it can be dangerous. I am going to change this immediately. I want the best for my tort and I feel horrible that I have unknowingly been housing her on the wrong substrate.
Can I use normal top soil (free of any harmful substances like fertilizers) mixed with repti bark? Will this be okay? Or should I rather only use bark?
Thank you for your help.
@Tom

No sand and no soil. Plain repti-bark is best.