cypress mulch only

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Nimbledoe

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Can I use just cypress mulch as my only substrate?

Right now I have it mixed with the coconut coir about 70% coir and 30% Zoo Med cypress mulch. Problem is when Oakley digs down in her hide to go to sleep she apparently gets the coir dust up her nose. It just seems to be dusty.

I spray the top a little every day with water to help. I just seems straight mulch would be less dusty.

Thanks for any insite.
 

CtTortoiseMom

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I only use cypress in all three of my indoor enclosure and it works for me:)
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Keep your substrate more moist. If there's dust your substrate is too dry. I pour water over my substrate every other day or so. I prefer cypress mulch.
 

Jacqui

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You need to keep more then just the surface moist, as Russians love to dig down. I am not a fan of the mulch, as I don't like the sharpness it has, plus I find it harder to keep at the right level of moistness. It's not so bad, when used for big tortoises, but for smaller ones I really personally dislike it.
 

Nimbledoe

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CtTortoiseMom said:
I only use cypress in all three of my indoor enclosure and it works for me:)

Thanks, that is encouraging.


maggie3fan said:
Keep your substrate more moist. If there's dust your substrate is too dry. I pour water over my substrate every other day or so. I prefer cypress mulch.

Newbe question; Isn't hard to keep the temps up if you wet the substrate? Wouldn't walking on the moist substrate make the tort colder?


Jacqui said:
You need to keep more then just the surface moist, as Russians love to dig down. I am not a fan of the mulch, as I don't like the sharpness it has, plus I find it harder to keep at the right level of moistness. It's not so bad, when used for big tortoises, but for smaller ones I really personally dislike it.

Same question I asked Maggie. If the substrate is moist all the way to the bottom, 4" deep. Wont that keep the tort too cold. It takes a very short time for the top 1/2 in. to be totally dry.
 
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