Crushed walnut shells?

sheilae04

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I just received my first tortoise! His bedding is cocoa coir/repti bark. It seems like it would be very hard to clean. I have a friend whose tortoise had a bedding of crushed walnut shells and she loves it. She can easily scoop out debris right away and keep it clean. She has straw for burrowing. Would it be awful to slowly switch over to that bedding? I realize the repti bark is recommended for moisture.
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

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I just received my first tortoise! His bedding is cocoa coir/repti bark. It seems like it would be very hard to clean. I have a friend whose tortoise had a bedding of crushed walnut shells and she loves it. She can easily scoop out debris right away and keep it clean. She has straw for burrowing. Would it be awful to slowly switch over to that bedding? I realize the repti bark is recommended for moisture.
So are you saying you want to raise your tort dry and bumpy? Your to help your friend to raise a tort with no bumps . And as far as walnut shells take your shoes off and try to walk on it , you would like it . But I've said enough about this . You'll be happier and so will your friends tort if you help your friend with advice , but your getting great advice here .
 

sheilae04

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There really is no need to be mean. I was just asking a question. Was looking for a way to monitor odor and cleanliness. But I do care about the health and happiness of my new tort, so I will stick with the bark.
 

Anyfoot

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There really is no need to be mean. I was just asking a question. Was looking for a way to monitor odor and cleanliness. But I do care about the health and happiness of my new tort, so I will stick with the bark.
Hi there. What species did you get?
 

sheilae04

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A russian. I'll post pictures when he gets acclimated and unburrows:) He's been very well-cared for and healthy. Yay!
 

Pearly

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Welcome to TFO! I love the idea of "bioactive substrate", mine has Reptibark on the bottom, thick layer of coco coir mixed with little soil in the middle and different mosses covering the top. Earthworms, soil centipedes and pillbugs are my "cleanup crew". This works great gor me and my babiesImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1453138599.010898.jpg the picture is dark but you get the general idea, LOTS of moss! Trying to make things for them to feel like in nature, on the edge of the forest floor:) and goal is not to have to change the substrate at all, just spot clean
 

Tom

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Walnut is not good because it can cause impactions and it can't be kept damp.

I find plain coco coir works best for baby russians and then I switch them to plain orchid bark when they get to about 3-4 inches.

I remove any uneaten food daily and I soak them often enough that they seldom poop in the enclosure.
 

Prairie Mom

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I have a different species and mine is a poop and pee monster, BUT she's also a CLEAN FREAK and avoids places with her own feces.

It helps me to keep my indoor enclosure clean if the substrate is applied deeper than you'd think necessary, and I scoop messes every single day no matter what, just like I scoop my cat's litterbox daily too. I too soak often as Tom said and provide a tray for my big girl to self-soak and use the bathroom in herself. I also simply pour warm water into my substrate for humidity as needed and stir around the wood chips, which I imagine helps with the large amounts of urine my bigger tortoise is capable of producing. Hope this gives you some ideas:)
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

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There really is no need to be mean. I was just asking a question. Was looking for a way to monitor odor and cleanliness. But I do care about the health and happiness of my new tort, so I will stick with the bark.
I'm sorry you think I was mean , but I didn't say anything mean in my thoughts , but if you think it was mean I'm sorry .
Please tell me how you would say it nicely . Waiting for your thoughts
 

MPRC

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Walnut is crap. My bearded dragon was still pooping it out weeks after I got him and moved him to shelf liner.
Go with something that you can keep moist to keep the humidity up. I have cypress mulch, cocoa coir and spagnum moss for my little Ruby.
Ruby usually poops when she soaks and I scoop out food bit s each morning.
Her enclosure has a moist earthy smell, like the forest after a rain shower.
 

sheilae04

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20160118_112940.jpg 20160118_112940.jpg 20160118_112940.jpg Thank you everyone for your advice. I will definitely stay away from the walnuts. So far, I've only had to clean up once because he hasn't really eaten. I know he's just getting used to his surroundings. Here's a few photos so far.
 

Pearly

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