Coco coir all over

[Torkoal#1]

So I use coco coir as a substrate and it's all super fine. After a soak torkoal gets dryed off in a paper towel but still gets covered in coco coir. And this is the results after he tramples his food (picture below). He poops daily in his soaks except after he gets his calcium and vitamins it seems he poops the next day or early morning and he eats it possibly. Anyways dose anyone eles have a month old cherry head hachling you keep on coco coir substrate?

 

[dd33]

So I use coco coir as a substrate and it's all super fine. After a soak torkoal gets dryed off in a paper towel but still gets covered in coco coir. And this is the results after he tramples his food (picture below). He poops daily in his soaks except after he gets his calcium and vitamins it seems he poops the next day or early morning and he eats it possibly. Anyways dose anyone eles have a month old cherry head hachling you keep on coco coir substrate?

I use coco coir for other tortoises and you are right, it makes a mess. Keeping it wetter helps with that. Try putting a layer of orchid bark on top of it, that’s what I do and it should solve your problem.

 

[zovick]

So I use coco coir as a substrate and it's all super fine. After a soak torkoal gets dryed off in a paper towel but still gets covered in coco coir. And this is the results after he tramples his food (picture below). He poops daily in his soaks except after he gets his calcium and vitamins it seems he poops the next day or early morning and he eats it possibly. Anyways dose anyone eles have a month old cherry head hachling you keep on coco coir substrate?

You are not keeping the coco coir wet enough. When it is wet enough, it will not make fine dust like what you have in your enclosure. It will look much darker than what yours does when it is adequately dampened if that helps you to determine when it is damp enough. Think dark brown rather than light brown.

 

[Tom]

So I use coco coir as a substrate and it's all super fine. After a soak torkoal gets dryed off in a paper towel but still gets covered in coco coir. And this is the results after he tramples his food (picture below). He poops daily in his soaks except after he gets his calcium and vitamins it seems he poops the next day or early morning and he eats it possibly. Anyways dose anyone eles have a month old cherry head hachling you keep on coco coir substrate?

If you are going to use coco coir, it must be kept damp as Zovick explained. You must also firmly hand pack it down to reduce the mess.

This is one reason why coco coir is not a good substrate for a CH. They need high humidity, but dry substrate to reduce the chances of shell rot (fungal infection) on the plastron. You can't keep coir dry or it is too messy and dusty. You can't keep coir damp because it will give your tortoise shell rot. A 3-4 inch layer of fine grade orchid bark works much better for them. You can dump water into the substrate to keep the lower levels damp and the upper layers can remain somewhat dry. It works perfectly this way for any species, but it is especially important for a RF/CH.

 

[Torkoal#1]

You are not keeping the coco coir wet enough. When it is wet enough, it will not make fine dust like what you have in your enclosure. It will look much darker than what yours does when it is adequately dampened if that helps you to determine when it is damp enough. Think dark brown rather than light brown.

If it stays wet shell rot will sit in sense its all coco coir.. but I will keep it a bit more moist and see if it helps.

 

[Torkoal#1]

They won't get spliters or poked in the eye trying to burrow. Also do they eat it all all? I figured some dry leaved on top will help keep the coco coir off of him

If you are going to use coco coir, it must be kept damp as Zovick explained. You must also firmly hand pack it down to reduce the mess.

This is one reason why coco coir is not a good substrate for a CH. They need high humidity, but dry substrate to reduce the chances of shell rot (fungal infection) on the plastron. You can't keep coir dry or it is too messy and dusty. You can't keep coir damp because it will give your tortoise shell rot. A 3-4 inch layer of fine grade orchid bark works much better for them. You can dump water into the substrate to keep the lower levels damp and the upper layers can remain somewhat dry. It works perfectly this way for any species, but it is especially important for a RF/CH.

 

[Tom]

They won't get spliters or poked in the eye trying to burrow. Also do they eat it all all? I figured some dry leaved on top will help keep the coco coir off of him

No. Ive been raising baby tortoises of many species on O bark for decades. Thousands of them. They have never gotten splinters of poked in the eye.

Dry leaves will rot and mold.

 

[Torkoal#1]

No. Ive been raising baby tortoises of many species on O bark for decades. Thousands of them. They have never gotten splinters of poked in the eye.

Dry leaves will rot and mold.

Is cypress much okay to use? I have a bag of it already, it's a reptile 100% cypress much but it's offly fine chips like little spears lol.... also would coconut husk chips work aswell, they look more squared and less pointy.

 

[Torkoal#1]

If you are going to use coco coir, it must be kept damp as Zovick explained. You must also firmly hand pack it down to reduce the mess.

This is one reason why coco coir is not a good substrate for a CH. They need high humidity, but dry substrate to reduce the chances of shell rot (fungal infection) on the plastron. You can't keep coir dry or it is too messy and dusty. You can't keep coir damp because it will give your tortoise shell rot. A 3-4 inch layer of fine grade orchid bark works much better for them. You can dump water into the substrate to keep the lower levels damp and the upper layers can remain somewhat dry. It works perfectly this way for any species, but it is especially important for a RF/CH.

With orchid bark, 1/2 3/4 or smaller

 

[Tom]

Is cypress much okay to use? I have a bag of it already, it's a reptile 100% cypress much but it's offly fine chips like little spears lol.... also would coconut husk chips work aswell, they look more squared and less pointy.

Cypress mulch can work, but it wicks up more moisture in my experience with it. I haven't used it a lot, so I'll defer to anyone who has more first hand experience with it.

Coco chips don't work well because its hard for them to walk on. I like coco chips for some of my lizards and snakes that like to nuzzle around in the substrate.

Fine grade orchid bark works best. Its also called "Repti-Bark", and fir bark.

 

[Blackdog1714]

I use cypress mulch as the under layer about 3" thick then cover with Reptibark (Fine Fir Bark). This is the cheapest way to get the best performance. The cypress stays moist if used in a closed chamber

 

[Torkoal#1]

I use cypress mulch as the under layer about 3" thick then cover with Reptibark (Fine Fir Bark). This is the cheapest way to get the best performance. The cypress stays moist if used in a closed chamber

How do your hachlings burrow in it?? My little guy just recently stopped completely covering himself when burrowing and now he leaved the top half exposed.

 

[Torkoal#1]

Do the hachlings not try to eat the small bark peices??

 

[Tom]

Do the hachlings not try to eat the small bark peices??

No.

On day one when I remove the brand new hatchlings from their brooder boxes and move them into their first enclosures, they will often look at the new and novel substrate and nibble at it. They will do this with ANY substrate. Coir, chips, Cyprus, and inappropriate substrates that people use too, like sand or soil. None have ever eaten it though. For day one and day two, I simply lay a ton of good familiar foods all around the enclosure for them. As they walk around and explore their new area, they continually run right into familiar foods. After two days, this just isn't an issue and the food goes into a couple of terra cotta saucers for them and they walk over to it to eat.

If your tortoise is not a brand new hatchling going into its very first enclosure with substrate, you should have any problem.

 

[Blackdog1714]

How do your hachlings burrow in it?? My little guy just recently stopped completely covering himself when burrowing and now he leaved the top half exposed.

My leopard does not burrow, he stomps around all day. The Fine fir bark handles this like a champ and looks very nice too. For burrowing I would do all fine fir bark and what do you provide for hides? My leopard loves the pothos to hide under

 

[Torkoal#1]

My leopard does not burrow, he stomps around all day. The Fine fir bark handles this like a champ and looks very nice too. For burrowing I would do all fine fir bark and what do you provide for hides? My leopard loves the pothos to hide under

I don't have any hides at the moment, I can use a clay pot and burry it so half of it is up like a little hide. Other than that just a spider plant in there with paper towel over it to block some light so it's partial light not full light

 

[Blackdog1714]

I don't have any hides at the moment, I can use a clay pot and burry it so half of it is up like a little hide. Other than that just a spider plant in there with paper towel over it to block some light so it's partial light not full light

Toss in some plants in pots -it helps to slow the munch down effect. Add some hides with a tote or even sewer pipes-6" diameter check the scrap bin at a construction site for lots of free possibilities. Torts love cover and for a perfect example I present a leopard that is almost invisible in a hosta patch. He does not eat them and spends 50% of his day outside under them

 

[Torkoal#1]

No.

On day one when I remove the brand new hatchlings from their brooder boxes and move them into their first enclosures, they will often look at the new and novel substrate and nibble at it. They will do this with ANY substrate. Coir, chips, Cyprus, and inappropriate substrates that people use too, like sand or soil. None have ever eaten it though. For day one and day two, I simply lay a ton of good familiar foods all around the enclosure for them. As they walk around and explore their new area, they continually run right into familiar foods. After two days, this just isn't an issue and the food goes into a couple of terra cotta saucers for them and they walk over to it to eat.

If your tortoise is not a brand new hatchling going into its very first enclosure with substrate, you should have any problem.

The orchid bark I got says it is pine wood chips.... is that ok??

 

[Torkoal#1]

 

[Tom]

The orchid bark I got says it is pine wood chips.... is that ok??

Can you show us the actual product. It should be fir bark, not pine, but fir is arguably a type of pine... Confusing, I know...