Orchid bark

jso · Mar 16, 2019

My first post on here...

Something that's been bothering me (well, one of many): If the much-praised and recommended "orchid bark" (especially for redfoots) is basically different grades of ground up fir bark, why is recommended as a substrate, when pine chippings are considered dangerous to use in heated enclosures?

Tom · Mar 16, 2019

Because "pine chippings" is not the same thing as orchid bark, aka fir bark.

And because decades of use by millions of people, under millions of reptiles, all over the world, have shown orchid bark to be safe and effective as a reptile substrate.

Welcome to the forum. It is customary for people to say hi and do an introductory post for their very first post here. We'd love to know more about who you are, what tortoises you've got, and why you are here.

aqualungs · Mar 16, 2019

Orchid bark will retain moisture better than pine shavings also. I get my orchid fir bark from Kellys Korner Orchid supply. Nice clean bark

Yvonne G · Mar 16, 2019

The fir doesn't contain harmful aromatic oils like pine does.

jso · Mar 17, 2019

Tom said:
Because "pine chippings" is not the same thing as orchid bark, aka fir bark.

And because decades of use by millions of people, under millions of reptiles, all over the world, have shown orchid bark to be safe and effective as a reptile substrate.

Welcome to the forum. It is customary for people to say hi and do an introductory post for their very first post here. We'd love to know more about who you are, what tortoises you've got, and why you are here.

Thanks for the welcome. I'll go over to introductions to say hi.

Thanks for the explanation re orchid bark, which I wasn't questioning, so much as wondering if I could use garden mulch-type products if they're derived from the same kind of trees. But presumably orchid bark doesn't come from pine trees, or there's a difference between the bark and the wood beneath it, which is also chipped up in wood-chip mulches, I think.

Wolfpackin · Mar 18, 2019

FYI: Fir and Pine are different species of trees.
As mentioned, fir trees do not ooze sap or oils like pine trees and fir wood is harder than pine.

RumWeatherReptiles · Mar 18, 2019

I use a mix of “Forrest Floor and Coconut Husk.

Orchid bark

jso

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Tom

The Dog Trainer

aqualungs

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Yvonne G

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jso

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Wolfpackin

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RumWeatherReptiles

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