Help, substrate is TOO wet

Geng

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Jun 22, 2015
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Hi guys,

Today I was refreshing the bedding with fresh coco coir, but it didn't go as planned. It's way too wet. Water drips out when I squeeze hard in it. I was in a hurry for work and I wanted to refresh the substrate before work, because I would've been too tired when I got home. The top layer is moist (although a bit wetter than normal) but the lower layer is just too wet (not swampy though).

Anyway, I took some substrate and squeezed out the water. Poured the substrate back in so that my tortoise can sleep on moist substrate part tonight.

Now I'm wondering what I should do with the substrate. Should I just have patient and let it dry, or must I spend my time in squeezing out the water of all the substrate? Is there perhaps any method to dry the substrate faster?

Help please!
 

Yvonne G

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This is a Russian tortoise, right? Hopefully your lights will dry it out in a day or so. If there's a whole bunch of water, you can put something under one end of the container so it tilts, then pull the substrate away from the edge on the lower end and blot the excess water out with paper towels.
 

Geng

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Jun 22, 2015
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This is a Russian tortoise, right? Hopefully your lights will dry it out in a day or so. If there's a whole bunch of water, you can put something under one end of the container so it tilts, then pull the substrate away from the edge on the lower end and blot the excess water out with paper towels.

Thanks for the fast reply!

Yes, its an russian tortoise. I lowered the basking light close to the bedding to dry out the substrate quicker, but it didn't seem to be a good idea because the substrate started smoking! Your idea sounds great, but luckily my substrate isn't that extreme. I think I'm gonna scoop out all the substrate and put it in a container outside to let it dry in the sun tomorrow.

Also, I know that very dampy substrate isn't healthy for a russian tortoise, but how much harm can it do? Will it already cause health affect in few days?
 

Yvonne G

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No, it shouldn't be a problem. It will dry out quickly.
 

Thomas Nott

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Jul 28, 2015
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Why not take it out in stages and placed it in a colander then place it in the sink. It will drain a lot easier, I do this with all my bedding that I wet down.
 

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