Is this soil ok to use for my russian torotise enclosure??

Dov

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I'm thinking of getting soil and mixing it with coco coir for my new russian tort enclosure. I was wondering if this soil was ok to use.
 

DoubleD1996!

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I'm thinking of getting soil and mixing it with coco coir for my new russian tort enclosure. I was wondering if this soil was ok to use.
As long as it doesn't contain any pesticides i don't see why not.
 
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Noelluene

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I have used coco coir before so I'm gonna give you a heads up: It will get quite messy. Sometimes tortoises don't like it, others are fine. Generally it's a safe substrate to use but just note that it might get quite messy.
 

DoubleD1996!

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Dov

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It says avoid breathing in dust on the back of the back, so i can't imagine that'd be too safe for your tort. Do you have cypress mulch there?
I don't know If I want to use cypress mulch, would she be able to burrow? I dont want to just use mulch by itself(I'd like to have maybe soil or something else underneath) and I want the substrate to be quite deep so she could burrow properly.

I don't know if there is cypress mulch near me I'll have to check, but there is orchid bark.
 

DoubleD1996!

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I don't know If I want to use cypress mulch, would she be able to burrow? I dont want to just use mulch by itself(I'd like to have maybe soil or something else underneath) and I want the substrate to be quite deep so she could burrow properly.

I don't know if there is cypress mulch near me I'll have to check, but there is orchid bark.
A fine orchid bark or fine(they don't just come in the big bark like pieces)cypress mulch could work. You could also mix peat moss with the eco earth.
 

Rstalder

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I have used coco coir before so I'm gonna give you a heads up: It will get quite messy. Sometimes tortoises don't like it, others are fine. Generally it's a safe substrate to use but just note that it might get quite messy.
parasites..take to vet..Mine had diaharra then 7 days of med..fine...Years later I havent had an issue
 

Tom

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I'm thinking of getting soil and mixing it with coco coir for my new russian tort enclosure. I was wondering if this soil was ok to use.
Soil should never be used for tortoise substrate. It is made from composted yard waste and there is no way to know what is in it. The manufactures do not intend for anything to be living on it in a small enclosure. Doesn't matter if it is "sterile" or "organic". Rattlesnake venom is 100% organic. So is oleander.

Peat moss should never be used either. The long fiber stuff will be eaten and can cause impaction. The dirt like stuff can burn their carapace, and I've seen this first hand.

Coco coir is fine but it must be used correctly. You need a thick layer, and it must be firmly hand packed and kept damp. Its too messy otherwise and will get too dusty if dry. I prefer coco coir for baby Russians.

Once a Russian gets to about 3-4 inches, I switch them on to fine grade orchid bar. Its safe and works great. They can dig into it just fine.

All this and more is explained here:
 

Dov

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Soil should never be used for tortoise substrate. It is made from composted yard waste and there is no way to know what is in it. The manufactures do not intend for anything to be living on it in a small enclosure. Doesn't matter if it is "sterile" or "organic". Rattlesnake venom is 100% organic. So is oleander.

Peat moss should never be used either. The long fiber stuff will be eaten and can cause impaction. The dirt like stuff can burn their carapace, and I've seen this first hand.

Coco coir is fine but it must be used correctly. You need a thick layer, and it must be firmly hand packed and kept damp. Its too messy otherwise and will get too dusty if dry. I prefer coco coir for baby Russians.

Once a Russian gets to about 3-4 inches, I switch them on to fine grade orchid bar. Its safe and works great. They can dig into it just fine.

All this and more is explained here:
So just orchid bark, nothing else?
 

Dov

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Yes. You will want the fine grade, not the big yard chunks.
Yeah I'm currently using orchid bark as a top layer on top of the coco coir. I have caught my torotise trying to eat the bark a few times.
 

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Yeah I'm currently using orchid bark as a top layer on top of the coco coir. I have caught my torotise trying to eat the bark a few times.
Most torts will sample anything new and novel with their mouth at first. When I take new hatchlings out of their brooder boxes and move them into their first enclosure with orchid bark as a substrate, they almost immediately try to nibble on the bark. What I do is place all sorts of their favorite foods all about the enclosure. They can't take two steps without running into some green food. Mulberry and grape vine branches work well for this and also offer great cover and concealment for the babies, but if those aren't available, I will leaf out a whole head of endive or escarole in my 48x30 inch baby enclosures. They are less likely to nibble on unpalatable substrate when there is an abundance of good familiar food all around them. This problem usually disappears within minutes or hours on the first day when done the way I do it.

If this problem persists, it could indicate a mineral imbalance or lack of fiber in the diet. Grocery store green by themselves do not meet the nutritional requirements of tortoises. Over time, some torts will start eating substrate, bark, rocks, and other inappropriate things in a futile effort to balance out their perceived imbalance. Read the care sheet for proper diet info to prevent this problem, or correct it.
 
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