substrate

  1. KDFJones

    New - Need Indoor Substrate HELP!

    Hey Guys, My husband & son brought home two torts last summer (not knowing any better) from a local park/pond area near our home. One a native Georgia Box Turtle but the other a small Sulcata (4”). They figured the Sulcata was a “freed pet” because of how different it looked from the other...
  2. ayrgrn

    Repti Bark/Orchid bark good for baby Hermann's?

    Hello, I'm considering changing my Coco coir and topsoil mix to either repti bark (or orchid bark if I can find any near me) but am concerned whether it is suitable for my baby Hermann's who is nearly 8 months old. The Coco coir and topsoil mix I have in my table right now is giving me a...
  3. Tanyabobanya

    Is this substrate too deep for babies?

    i just moved my 3 month old tortoises to their new temporary habitats which I now know are not adequate but it’s what I have for now. They seem to be having a very hard time walking in the substrate, Zoo Med Eco Earth coconut fiber substrate. I’ve read different things about how deep. This is...
  4. T

    Black Gold Orchid Bark?

    Has anyone used this brand before? https://www.acehardware.com/departments/lawn-and-garden/landscaping/mulch/7326655?x429=true&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvqDiBRDAARIsADWh5TfXCP75hfq80vFav8jO2Mfnb40Jk5GP-M3hUtcG0zFf-3Tkem88btAaAlilEALw_wcB I just inherited a yearling...
  5. Erinelle

    Adverse reaction to coco coir & topsoil mixture

    Hello, This is my very first post on the forum. So glad to have found it. Seems like people here are very helpful. Unlike many of the FB groups where people are brutally bluggoned for opinions and comments. (I’ve not personally had anyone be rude but have seen others bullied for asking newbie...
  6. Ezarate

    How to keep your Sulcata off the food!

    Tortellini is driving us insane. He wastes so much food. I put the food on a tray for him but he purposely crawls onto it covered in coco fiber and drags the food everywhere. Then he won't eat it because it's covered in coco fiber. We were thinking of covering less than half of his container...
  7. W

    Substrate for sulcta

    I've recently upgraded my guys habbit to roughly the aixs of a twin size bed. And I'm wondering what a good choice for a substitute would be. Buying the zoo med stuff is just to pricy. Especially for the size of his bed now. I would like there to be enough for him to be able to to burrow a little
  8. M

    New Baby Dalmatian Hermann's

    Hello, I am new here and am getting a baby dalmatian tortoise. I have a few questions with things I am uncertain about and have not been able to find the answer to anywhere else. I live in an urban area, so most of the food for the tortoise will be bought from the grocery store or pet store. Is...
  9. Magicmoon

    Substrate opinions?

    I have my Russian tortoise in plain soil and it seems to irritate his eyes, so I am thinking about switching to coco coir. Is there any difference between what I can get at a garden store and petco? At petco they have zoo med eco earth coconut fiber substrate, would that be better or...
  10. CandyAss

    Excavator clay, soapstone, and Desert Tortoises

    I have 3 hatchling Mojave Desert Tortoises that I'm trying to keep entertained and awake through the winter. I have them on a mixture of coco coir, reptibark, and on the basking end Zoo Med Excavator Clay. They really love the clay, but it seems like it might be drying them out. Perhaps I...
  11. tort_us

    Sneezing Russian Tortoise but no Respiratory Infection

    I need advice on why my tortoise keeps sneezing/what to do about it. I first noticed he sneezed a lot after a few months of owning him. I brought him to the vet, concerned that he might have a respiratory infection. Vet said he showed no signs, but we gave him a series of antibiotic injections...
  12. TortMom6

    Bedding/Substrate Query

    This may sound ignorant but bear with me a minute here. It is true that being outside is best for tortoises, then it follows to reason that the ground (dirt/grass/outside stuff) is the best bedding/substrate. Right? If the above statement is true then would the best bedding/substrate for an...
  13. D

    New Leopard Tortoise! Don't know if she is healthy!

    HEALTH ISSUES: I recently got a beautiful leopard tortoise hatchling on August 26, 2018. She seemed pretty active at the pet store and quite healthy. I knew that when I brought her home she would take a few days to adjust to her new life and new enclosure. However, I didn't see her exploring...
  14. S

    Enclosure help for elongated

    Hello everyone, I have two elongated tortoises and I am having problems with understanding what indoor inclosure and substrate is best for them. I understand that they like darkness and humidity but I am not sure whether they should be kept in a vivarium or tortoise table. Please can someone...
  15. S

    ELONGATED TORTOISE - ENCLOSURE HELP

    Hello everyone, I have two elongated tortoises and I am having problems with understanding what indoor inclosure and substrate is best for them. I understand that they like darkness and humidity but I am not sure whether they should be kept in a vivarium or tortoise table. Please can someone...
  16. Sarahjayne1991

    Russian/horsefield

    Hi there, A while ago I posted here for help regarding A baby tortoise I rescued. In that thread I was told his substrate should be damp. I've now has lots of conflicting information saying that damp substrate will cause respiratory infections and I'm terrified! So I just want to check whether...
  17. Baldy Aeschylus

    ReptiChip Substrate

    I took a chance on the ReptiChip Substrate from Amazon: http://a.co/acsmB73 This product was fascinating as it came in a 10 inch cube but claimed to be 2.5 cuft. It's large chunks of coconut husks that absorb water and keep my open top tortoise table much more humid. Prior to using this...
  18. Neris

    Enclosure cleanup

    Hello all! I'm looking for some advice on cleaning my RF enclosure. We have a glass enclosure with doors that open on the front. We've had the same substrate since we got Leo back in November, and I'm planning on throwing out all the substrate, cleaning everything up and replace it with new...
  19. T

    Guess it's time to update

    So I built my enclosure based upon to Greek tortoise care sheet in this forum but now I'm panicking since there was a recommendation of 50/50 topsoil and play sand. Thus, I'm probably going to be replacing all the substrate as soon as possible, buying and burying more plants and the testudo...
  20. A

    Preparing for a possible adult Russian

    Hello all! I just signed up today. I have been trying to research as much as I can before committing to taking an adult Russian home. When researching, I've been trying to read as many articles and watch as many YouTube videos to help me determine what is a true consensus across the board. I...
Top