Mulch

[tortoise Resort]

Hello!
Usually fine grade (small pieces) orchid (fir) bark is used for the most tortoise species. It doesn't mold and hold humidity well enough. If buying from a garden center or nursery - make sure it doesn't have colorants or fertilizers. If it's made of pine bark - it should not have strong smell of a fresh pine, should smell more like a damp soil. Reptibark is one of the examples.
Next good option is cypress mulch, it holds moisture better than bark. However, a bit more messy, so I think, it's less suitable for hatchlings (it easily can get in food and water).
Third one is coco coir. It's the most messy of all and top layer gets dusty when dry.

Mixing substrates is not worth it. And if you want to put live plants in the enclosure better to put them in pots or trays.

As for cypress mulch, is it the mulch that any Carpenter has?

 

[tortoise Resort]

If I may ... It is at building or landscaping supply stores and some big chain stores. Usually outside. Large bags. Not expensive.

Do you know how much it costs ?and from where I can buy it ?,because I live in Morocco and there are no animal shops selling turtoise supplies 🫤

 

[ZEROPILOT]

As for cypress mulch, is it the mulch that any Carpenter has?

Carpenters may have something like pine shavings.
Those are OK for mammals bedding. Hamsters. Guinea pigs. Rabbits and the like. But not for a tortoise

 

[tortoise Resort]

Carpenters may have something like pine shavings.
Those are OK for mammals bedding. Hamsters. Guinea pigs. Rabbits and the like. But not for a tortoise

Thanks for the clarification, do you know where I can get it? because I don't live in usa

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Do you know how much it costs ?and from where I can buy it ?,because I live in Morocco and there are no animal shops selling turtoise supplies 🫤

I think, you have more chances to find orchid bark or coco coir in bricks in the gardening shops. Prices may differ from country to country. I think it should be around 20-25 USD for 100 liters of ready to use bedding.

Cypress mulch is not widely available in EU, for example (only ZooMed Forest Floor in pet shops and it's rather expensive). There are chances, that plant nurseries have it (companies and gardens, where you can buy young trees, e.g. fruit trees), and they might have bark as well.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Oh! See if you can locate coconut coir on the Internet. I pay $7 for a smallish bag, but when its soaked in water it swells. Mix that with plain dirt (not potting soil) and you're set.

Yes, brick of coconut coir should cost 2-7USD depending on where you buy it (shop and country). Yet I would not recommend to mix it with soil.

P.S. - we are going off-topic from Sheldo and his enclosure, let's continue in other thread.

 

[SuzanneZ]

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Yes, brick of coconut coir should cost 2-7USD depending on where you buy it (shop and country). Yet I would not recommend to mix it with soil.

P.S. - we are going off-topic from Sheldo and his enclosure, let's continue in other thread.

Checking first to see if this is private.

 

[wellington]

NO, it's not. Alex contact me.

I separated you all from original poster. A couple post off track is okay, otherwise you are hijacking someone else's thread and that's when a new thread should be started.

 

[tortoise Resort]

I think, you have more chances to find orchid bark or coco coir in bricks in the gardening shops. Prices may differ from country to country. I think it should be around 20-25 USD for 100 liters of ready to use bedding.

Cypress mulch is not widely available in EU, for example (only ZooMed Forest Floor in pet shops and it's rather expensive). There are chances, that plant nurseries have it (companies and gardens, where you can buy young trees, e.g. fruit trees), and they might have bark as well.

Thanks for this valuable information, tomorrow I will go to a large gardening store and buy it if available + can I put that bark on a floor free pesticide consisting of agricultural soil and sand .

 

[SuzanneZ]

Hope I'm not the hijacker. Certainly didn't mean to be.

I separated you all from original poster. A couple post off track is okay, otherwise you are hijacking someone else's thread and that's when a new thread should be started.

 

[tortoise Resort]

Oh! See if you can locate coconut coir on the Internet. I pay $7 for a smallish bag, but when its soaked in water it swells. Mix that with plain dirt (not potting soil) and you're set.

But I have a plastic container consisting of a clay pot for drinking inside which are river rocks from the turtoise's native environment, sand +agricultural soil and a small wooden house for sleeping inside, so I can't use coconut, I think Orchid bark is better. Is this place good? Or should I change something about it My turtoise ?
Also my tortoise graze outside and sleep in the container at night

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Bark is better to use alone, without mixing with anything.
It's better not to use sand at all - it's okay for plant to keep roots aerated, but not for tortoises.

Mixing coco coir with soil - is something that some owners do, but I think it's not a good idea either. Soil is rich in nutrion for plants and microorganisms, especially when it's rich in organics. And in warm moist conditions we might get mold, bacteria spread and so on. Which defeats the purpose of using proper substrate.

 

[tortoise Resort]

Bark is better to use alone, without mixing with anything.
It's better not to use sand at all - it's okay for plant to keep roots aerated, but not for tortoises.

Mixing coco coir with soil - is something that some owners do, but I think it's not a good idea either. Soil is rich in nutrion for plants and microorganisms, especially when it's rich in organics. And in warm moist conditions we might get mold, bacteria spread and so on. Which defeats the purpose of using proper substrate.

I don't put plants in the container, someone who raise turtoise told me that the soil should be mixed with sand so that the turtoise can dig in the soil and lay their eggs, does this mean getting rid of the soil and sand and putting the orchid bark alone 😐?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

But I have a plastic container consisting of a clay pot for drinking inside which are river rocks from the turtoise's native environment, sand +agricultural soil and a small wooden house for sleeping inside, so I can't use coconut, I think Orchid bark is better. Is this place good? Or should I change something about it My turtoise ?
Also my tortoise graze outside and sleep in the container at night

So you have a hide and proper water dish for your tortoise, that's good. You can use bark or coir there, both are fine, I would not use soil or sand. I prefer bark because it doesn't mess with food and water.
What is the size of the container? If your tortoise spend some days inside, it should be a large one.

And you might need correct lightning and heating , but this depends on climate. For example you probaly don't need a UVB lamp if your tortoise can graze outside 3-4 hours a week during whole winter.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

I don't put plants in the container, someone who raise turtoise told me that the soil should be mixed with sand so that the turtoise can dig in the soil and lay their eggs, does this mean getting rid of the soil and sand and putting the orchid bark alone 😐?

Yes, remove the soil and sand and use only bark.
Tortoises are just fine at digging and burrowing in bark. Also, since it has access to the outside it can lay eggs there.

Using soil and sand seems logical (that's where tortoises live in the wild). However small enclosure is very different from the wild nature and that's why we need to set up things differently.

 

[Sarah2020]

In Morroco your supplies will be very different. We have pine trees and the bark is cut off and we use that called orchid bark. In hot desert countries you have palm trees / coconut trees and that may provide you with what we know as coir which may be good for substrate. I suggest you try to find a reptile shop and check what they use.

Coir

Coir - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[tortoise Resort]

So you have a hide and proper water dish for your tortoise, that's good. You can use bark or coir there, both are fine, I would not use soil or sand. I prefer bark because it doesn't mess with food and water.
What is the size of the container? If your tortoise spend some days inside, it should be a large one.

And you might need correct lightning and heating , but this depends on climate. For example you probaly don't need a UVB lamp if your tortoise can graze outside 3-4 hours a week during whole winter.

40cm×20cm , size of my tortoise is 9,4cm ,it also spends most of its time outside and when the sun goes down I put her in the container because it is still relatively young . So I have to get rid of that soil and put the bark as a substrate without putting anything with it, will it warm my Greek tortoise as it should? Do I get rid of the hay that is inside the Little House?.

 

[tortoise Resort]

In Morroco your supplies will be very different. We have pine trees and the bark is cut off and we use that called orchid bark. In hot desert countries you have palm trees / coconut trees and that may provide you with what we know as coir which may be good for substrate. I suggest you try to find a reptile shop and check what they use.

Coir

Coir - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

There is no reptile shop in Morocco except a shop in Rabat but it only has decorations for turtoise 😥

 

[wellington]

Hope I'm not the hijacker. Certainly didn't mean to be.

No, it's fine, that's why I started this thread.

 

[tortoise Resort]

Yes, remove the soil and sand and use only bark.
Tortoises are just fine at digging and burrowing in bark. Also, since it has access to the outside it can lay eggs there.

Using soil and sand seems logical (that's where tortoises live in the wild). However small enclosure is very different from the wild nature and that's why we need to set up things differently.

Ok I will remove it .For winter, will I need heat lamps?, although we are not facing a drop in temperature like the one in USA , and the sun is there daily, but in some cases it is almost covered with clouds.