"cleanest" substrate to use?

[cheloniac]

What has everyone found to be the best indoor substrate to use? I used Eco Earth at first, but it made such a mess in the water dish because so much of it stuck to them and then washed off in their dish. I am currently using plain rabbit pellets that I read about online somewhere, but am not happy with the results (strong smell, poor humidity, etc). What does everyone else use/recommend?

 

[katelyn0974]

RE: "cleanest" substrate to use?

I use moss and my turtles love it! I put a soft green carpet underneath the moss for comfort. I live in Florida so it doesn't get that cold, but for more warmth I have heard hay on the top of the bedding works. I tried coco earth too and it was a huge mess as well.

 

[yagyujubei]

I use dirt with a little coir mixed in.

 

[turtlemann2]

rabbit pellets are terrible...... as in it dries them out far to much.... i use a mix of peat moss and plain top soil from the garden center at walmart home depot etc. i also mix in leaves and straw my water stays pretty clen unless i have recently ,,fluffed,, the soil

 

[cheloniac]

katelyn0974, How hard is it to clean the carpet? I saw the kinds you can get at the pet store, or do you mean regular carpet?

 

[Ann Thompson]

I use a product called Forest Floor. Seems to be working well for me the turtle likes to tunnel in it and the plants are doing well in it. Says its 100% cypress mulch its tan in color and is shredded up particals. I don't find it in the water to much as it doesn't stick to the turtle to bad that I have seen. Easy to keep moist and I don't find it to have an oder other then a earthy smell but it says replace ever six months or if it get a oder to it.

 

[lisa127]

I use long fibered new zealand spahgnum moss in my box turtle enclosure. Nothing else, just the sphagnum moss. He is still a juvenile though, so his enclosure is still on the smaller side (1.5 feet x 3 feet). By next year he will need his adult size enclosure and I'm thinking I may mix something else in then just to cut down on the cost. I've been happy with the sphagnum moss though.

 

[cheloniac]

Thanks, everyone!! I picked up some Sphagnum Moss today. I figure I'll cover the bottom with the Eco Earth I have left, then cover with the moss and see how that goes for now.

 

[katelyn0974]

RE: "cleanest" substrate to use?

katelyn0974, How hard is it to clean the carpet? I saw the kinds you can get at the pet store, or do you mean regular carpet?

The one from the pet store. It's super easy. I wash it down with dawn soap, rinse it really well then throw it in the dryer for a bit and it's brand new. I love it

 

[theTurtleRoom]

I've done a lot of work with one of my buddy's collections. He keeps 4 species of box turtles. We use a blend of top soil and peat moss as the substrate.

If you head to http://www.neherpetoculture.com/bugs.htm and look at the live spring tails, they are a great addition to a dirt-based sustrate that makes keeping it clean and stink-free pretty easy. Our breeder Anthony uses these in his tortoise setups.

 

[LuckysGirl007]

RE: "cleanest" substrate to use?

I've done a lot of work with one of my buddy's collections. He keeps 4 species of box turtles. We use a blend of top soil and peat moss as the substrate.

If you head to http://www.neherpetoculture.com/bugs.htm and look at the live spring tails, they are a great addition to a dirt-based sustrate that makes keeping it clean and stink-free pretty easy. Our breeder Anthony uses these in his tortoise setups.

Ugh! I have so many of those right now. I'm trying to get rid of them. They have started to venture outside of the indoor enclosure. They certainly have been doing a good job though...but they reproduce VERY quickly!

 

[theTurtleRoom]

RE: "cleanest" substrate to use?

I've done a lot of work with one of my buddy's collections. He keeps 4 species of box turtles. We use a blend of top soil and peat moss as the substrate.

If you head to http://www.neherpetoculture.com/bugs.htm and look at the live spring tails, they are a great addition to a dirt-based sustrate that makes keeping it clean and stink-free pretty easy. Our breeder Anthony uses these in his tortoise setups.

Ugh! I have so many of those right now. I'm trying to get rid of them. They have started to venture outside of the indoor enclosure. They certainly have been doing a good job though...but they reproduce VERY quickly!

Simple solution...buy more turtles and tortoises so you have more setups to put the extras in!