Coconut coir and loose coconut fiber same thing?

[KimandKarasi]

I need quick help from anyone who knows, I was told to get coconut coir, but here at the store they only have loose coconut fiber... Is that the same thing? or which is better?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Pretty much, yeah.

 

[KimandKarasi]

I'm hearing cypress is better than coconut... But the cypress looks all splintery, should I strain out the little splinters before adding it to my tank? Or shoul I stick with coconut?

 

[Jacob]

You can do a Mixture, Or put the cypress on the bottom, with the comfy coir on top?

 

[Mordy]

I'm hearing cypress is better than coconut... But the cypress looks all splintery, should I strain out the little splinters before adding it to my tank? Or shoul I stick with coconut?

i use cypress, and since you have to add water anyways thats not an issue.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

I use coco coir for hatchlings because they can burrow in it easier. I use cypress and topsoil for larger animals.

 

[KimandKarasi]

Keeping it moist = spraying water I'n the tank every now and then? I was mostly confused because another site says humidity causes respiratory problems in sulcatas....

 

[Mordy]

Keeping it moist = spraying water I'n the tank every now and then? I was mostly confused because another site says humidity causes respiratory problems in sulcatas....

thats pretty outdated info. most of the info ive gathered says that humidity is essential for sulcatas. prevents pyramiding and keeps them healthy. whenever my cypress looks dry i add water.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Keeping it moist = spraying water I'n the tank every now and then? I was mostly confused because another site says humidity causes respiratory problems in sulcatas....

thats pretty outdated info. most of the info ive gathered says that humidity is essential for sulcatas. prevents pyramiding and keeps them healthy. whenever my cypress looks dry i add water.

Ditto. It mostly stems from the general misconception that since sulcatas don't live in a rainforest or North American, they MUST live in a desert. Deserts are dry = low humidity.

In reality, it stems from an abundant lack of understanding of what a desert actually is, what humidity actually is and how it works, and the natural behavior of sulcata tortoises (the latter of which we admittedly know very little about, yet everyone has an opinion on the "right" way to care for them...lol).

What little information we DO know about wild sulcatas is that they do NOT live in deserts, they are very secretive, and until recently, babies have never really been encountered. The only ones that have were found in....(wait for it)...a marsh. Go figure!

 

[jason g.]

Rodney loves his substrate mix. Dirty little guy. Lol

That's my mix approximately 75% cocoa core, 15% cypress mulch, 10 calcium sand. I came up with that mix basically I was told to buy all 3 different substrates the cocoa core by itself was OK but I was told the calcium sand wouldnt hurt her and if she accidentally ingested it it would desolve and give him extra calcium. And the cypress just seems to keep the cocoa core from sticking to him.

There's what rod call home isn't much but he seems to like it. Lol

 

[KimandKarasi]

Keeping it moist = spraying water I'n the tank every now and then? I was mostly confused because another site says humidity causes respiratory problems in sulcatas....

thats pretty outdated info. most of the info ive gathered says that humidity is essential for sulcatas. prevents pyramiding and keeps them healthy. whenever my cypress looks dry i add water.

Ditto. It mostly stems from the general misconception that since sulcatas don't live in a rainforest or North American, they MUST live in a desert. Deserts are dry = low humidity.

In reality, it stems from an abundant lack of understanding of what a desert actually is, what humidity actually is and how it works, and the natural behavior of sulcata tortoises (the latter of which we admittedly know very little about, yet everyone has an opinion on the "right" way to care for them...lol).

What little information we DO know about wild sulcatas is that they do NOT live in deserts, they are very secretive, and until recently, babies have never really been encountered. The only ones that have were found in....(wait for it)...a marsh. Go figure!

When I went to the petstore to get cypress, they asked me what kind of tortoise I had... I told them sulcata and they actually wouldn't sell me the cypress!! "no this is more for rainforest types... I think you're looking for alfalfa pellets or sand..." and I just thought to myself, "so this just shows their lack of professionalism and knowledge..." lol! But it was, in a way, a blessing in disguise. I left there (11 liters for $6.) and went to Lowes, getting a whopping 85 liters for only 4 bucks!!! I was PLEASANTLY surprised!! Lol! but for some reason no one I spoke to knew what coconut coir even is... Not the garden centers (they didnt have anything coconut...) or pet stores, all they had was the loose coconut fiber (which I purchased.)

 

[Tyrtle]

The only place I could find coco coir besides the pet stores was at a better garden center. Not HD or Lowe's. I got a huge block of it for $13.

 

[EricIvins]

Cypress Mulch is an outdated substrate. Coco mulch is much better at holding moisture and better for the animals. Not only that, but the Cypress Swamps where this mulch comes from are being harvested at an exponential rate, with no way of being sustainable...........Once they're gone, it takes centuries for these Forests to come back........

Google Element 6" mulch brick and go from there........Coir is a fine ground version of Coconut Mulch.......

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Cypress Mulch is an outdated substrate. Coco mulch is much better at holding moisture and better for the animals. Not only that, but the Cypress Swamps where this mulch comes from are being harvested at an exponential rate, with no way of being sustainable...........Once they're gone, it takes centuries for these Forests to come back........

Google Element 6" mulch brick and go from there........Coir is a fine ground version of Coconut Mulch.......

^^Agreed.

 

[KimandKarasi]

I have contacted every nursery and lawn store I'n my area and further and everyone keeps saying "we have the liner, but no mulch..." and others just straight up tell me they've never heard of that before... I live in Houston Texas, so if anyone HAS bought coconut mulch close to there please let me know.. And when I googled it, everywhere it brought up said such and such place had it in 2006 and 2008, but nothing else comes up any later than that...

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I have contacted every nursery and lawn store I'n my area and further and everyone keeps saying "we have the liner, but no mulch..." and others just straight up tell me they've never heard of that before... I live in Houston Texas, so if anyone HAS bought coconut mulch close to there please let me know.. And when I googled it, everywhere it brought up said such and such place had it in 2006 and 2008, but nothing else comes up any later than that...

You can just order coconut coir on-line then.

 

[EricIvins]

I have contacted every nursery and lawn store I'n my area and further and everyone keeps saying "we have the liner, but no mulch..." and others just straight up tell me they've never heard of that before... I live in Houston Texas, so if anyone HAS bought coconut mulch close to there please let me know.. And when I googled it, everywhere it brought up said such and such place had it in 2006 and 2008, but nothing else comes up any later than that...

You can order it online for $7.......

 

[KimandKarasi]

I drove about an hour north, but I finally got it. I would've done it online (and I will from now on...) but I needed it pronto, my new enclosure is set up and I wanted to get my little girl out of the rabbit food asap...

 

[jason g.]

I drove about an hour north, but I finally got it. I would've done it online (and I will from now on...) but I needed it pronto, my new enclosure is set up and I wanted to get my little girl out of the rabbit food asap...

I understand that, I was told calcium sand, to start with then cypress mulch, then cocoa core. I didn't know what to think. Then Tom directed me to a link where he did some tests on pyramiding and vital shell and tort in moisture. Soon as I find it I'll post it. Unless someone beats me to it.

 

[KimandKarasi]

I drove about an hour north, but I finally got it. I would've done it online (and I will from now on...) but I needed it pronto, my new enclosure is set up and I wanted to get my little girl out of the rabbit food asap...

I understand that, I was told calcium sand, to start with then cypress mulch, then cocoa core. I didn't know what to think. Then Tom directed me to a link where he did some tests on pyramiding and vital shell and tort in moisture. Soon as I find it I'll post it. Unless someone beats me to it.

Thank you I really appreciate all this help, sometimes I feel like a complete idiot, but I was only doing what I was told. Granted it was faulty info....