Cherry Head Substrate?

[ryanromaine]

I recently acquired two baby cherry head red foots. Currently I have them in an Exo-Terra Turtle Terrarium (18"x18"). The substrate I'm using is cypress mulch (zoo med forest floor). Now, i'm planning on moving them into a tub later this week until I acquire my Reptology Tortoise Palace. What do you think I should do as far as substrate? Should I also keep them in a tub for a little while to grow them before moving them into the Tortoise Palace?

Reasons I'm not going to use the turtle terrarium anymore (if anyone is wondering)
1. It doesn't hold enough humidity.
2. It doesn't hold enough heat.
3. No top, so I can't leave the door of the room open because of my cat.
4. I have mixed opinions on putting tortoises into a glass cage.

As far as lighting, I have:
Zoo Med 18" 10.0 UVB
Currently I have a basking night light on them (within the week i will be getting a Power Sun [mercury vapor bulb.])

Any recommendations will help.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi ryanromaine:

I think most of your questions will be answered if you read about the redfooted tortoises in the Tortoise Library

After you've done your "home work," if you still have questions, we're happy to help you.

 

[ryanromaine]

Hi ryanromaine:

I think most of your questions will be answered if you read about the redfooted tortoises in the Tortoise Library

After you've done your "home work," if you still have questions, we're happy to help you.

Thanks, never been on that page before. It was an impulse buy, meanwhile I hate when people buy animals without doing homework.

 

[Madkins007]

If you can get big bags of cheap landscape cypress at your local garden center or big box store, you'll save a lot of money.

 

[abclements]

I recently acquired two baby cherry head red foots. Currently I have them in an Exo-Terra Turtle Terrarium (18"x18"). The substrate I'm using is cypress mulch (zoo med forest floor). Now, i'm planning on moving them into a tub later this week until I acquire my Reptology Tortoise Palace. What do you think I should do as far as substrate? Should I also keep them in a tub for a little while to grow them before moving them into the Tortoise Palace?

Substrate: Cypress Mulch is just fine, I use coco coir but both work equally well for humidity.

As far as the tub, I would use the tub until they grow out of it. I wouldn't spend 350 bucks on that tortoise palace (Unless i'm looking at the wrong one) because your cherries will definitely outgrow that as well. I plan on making a tort table once mine outgrows his 4.5' X 2.5' enclosure. It's a ton cheaper and much bigger/customizeable to what I need.

 

[ryanromaine]

I recently acquired two baby cherry head red foots. Currently I have them in an Exo-Terra Turtle Terrarium (18"x18"). The substrate I'm using is cypress mulch (zoo med forest floor). Now, i'm planning on moving them into a tub later this week until I acquire my Reptology Tortoise Palace. What do you think I should do as far as substrate? Should I also keep them in a tub for a little while to grow them before moving them into the Tortoise Palace?

Substrate: Cypress Mulch is just fine, I use coco coir but both work equally well for humidity.

As far as the tub, I would use the tub until they grow out of it. I wouldn't spend 350 bucks on that tortoise palace (Unless i'm looking at the wrong one) because your cherries will definitely outgrow that as well. I plan on making a tort table once mine outgrows his 4.5' X 2.5' enclosure. It's a ton cheaper and much bigger/customizeable to what I need.

My boss is buying out a large stock of Reptology prices so I'd be receiving it at a much lower price. Also, would you recommend coco-fibers over the mulch? I'm worried about them eating it.

 

[MikeCow1]

I use a 2-3 inches of coco coir with an inch or so of cypress mulch covering it.

 

[FLINTUS]

I use soil, leaflitter and moss

 

[Madkins007]

The substrate that works best for you is actually usually the result of a little experimentation. There are a lot of GOOD mulches, but issues like local availability and cost, local humidity and the ability to maintain a decent habitat humidity, size and design of the habitat, whether plants are uses or not, how you heat and humidify everything, and more all make a difference.

My two personal favorites are cypress mulch and the bioactive substrate system (details in the substrate page of the Library, linked below.) I like cypress because it is cheap and lightweight- an important element in something like a large tortoise table. Water can collect at the bottom and keep the top layers dry, then by heating the water a little, it rises up as warmth and humidity.

The bioactive substrate helps fight pests and actually 'digests' some of the food and fecal wastes. It has no odor when running, is great for plants, and offers a very natural situation. It is not as good for small spaces, and is heavy in larger ones.

Beyond these, however, are a lot of other good choices.