Getting sick of dust. Any good countermeasures?

[thecrawlingchaos]

I've switched substrates 3 times in my indoor leopard tortoise enclosure. I've tried coir, cypress mulch, and a mulch/soil mix. All create dust in the long run, and I'm seemingly in a perpetual state of cleaning surfaces in my reptile room. This is nasty and probably unhealthy.

Does anyone have a good idea to prevent dust accumulation? Is my only recourse closing the enclosure? I spray it down with water every morning, but it's deep enough that the tortoise stirs up dust whenever he walks around. I'm open to whatever. I feel like less a tortoise keeper and more a housekeeper.

 

[leigti]

I use coconut Coir. I don't think just spraying the top of that is sufficient you need to pour water on top of it and then mix around with your hands so the moisture goes all the way through it. It shouldn't be wet enough that it is dripping but damp enough that bthere's no dust. I think it also depends on how old your tortoises as to how much dampness you want. Are your heat lamps very close and drying it out? Can you put a cover over part of it to help holding some of the humidity? Just some suggestions

 

[thecrawlingchaos]

The tortoise is a little over 3 years old.

I'll give pouring water in a shot. I am seriously considering closing the enclosure of somehow, but it's pretty big and will soon be doubling in size as well.

 

[leigti]

I add water and stir it around about once a week, my enclosure is 2' x 6' and open topped.

 

[WillTort2]

Increase the humidity would be a good start. Adding water to half of the substrate each day would be good. That way your tortoise can choose the dryer side or the more moist side. Never get it soggy.

I use a mix of top soil and coco coir.

Good luck.

 

[Tom]

Water is the solution to your problem. All of those substrate are meant to be used damp. Leaving them dry, whether closed or not, is going to create dust that is not good for your tortoise. It doesn't have to be soggy and wet, just slightly damp. Dump water in there and mix it all up. Everyone's enclosure is different. You might need 2 grams a day or 2 gallons. Time will tell.

NOTE: Make SURE it does not get cool at night with a damp substrate. I keep it no lower than 80 for leopards at night.

 

[thecrawlingchaos]

Got it. I'm going to add some coir today, as it is getting low, so that will be a decent amount of water added. If it's not enough, I'll just add more.

Thanks for the advice, Tom. I never let it get that ow anyway. I always switch on my big CHE when it starts to cool off. It's an upstairs room, so it stays pretty warm anyway.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

If you want to keep your hands clean, stir it with a child's sand rake. Definitely follow the suggestion of so many others: dump the water in and stir. I use a watering can. With a damp bottom layer, you'll find that the top doesn't dry out as fast.