I am sad

[Mina Adel]

How can I do nesting substrate ?
Which is better 5 cm or 15 cm in depth? sand substrate.!

 

[JoesMum]

Not sand! It is too easily eaten and impacts in the gut.

Coco coir, orchid bark, cypress mulch or clean topsoil. Not sand.

 

[Mina Adel]

Can I use mainly oyster shell plus little coco coir ?

 

[JoesMum]

Better to use just coco coir. The coir holds water which will help to raise humidity.

 

[Mina Adel]

What depth ? 5 cm is enough ...
Or 15 cm ...

 

[JoesMum]

15cm

 

[WithLisa]

Moist coco coir sounds quite unnatural to me.
I don't keep kleinmanni, but I've seen a breeder who uses loamy/sandy soil with lots of plants to raise the humidity.

I guess in Egypt you should be able to find the perfect substrate for Egyptian tortoises outside.

 

[Mina Adel]

Lol .. we don't have Egyptian tortoises. .. we import them from libnan ... They are expensive here. .

 

[Yvonne G]

Can I use mainly oyster shell plus little coco coir ?

This is an excerpt from an article by Ed Pirog, a very experienced tortoise-keeper:

"Substrate can be anything from a sand/soil mixture to sand or soil by itself. Some keepers have had good success using crushed oyster shell or aspen bedding. The tortoises do not burrow, so 2 to 3 inches of substrate is enough. Deeper substrate, around 5 inches, should be provided for nesting adults."

And this is an excerpt from an article written by Dr. Chris Tabaka:

"As a substrate, the dry portion of the environment should consist of a mixture of sand and clean topsoil. Some keepers use a combination of topsoil and chicken grit (crushed coarse limestone) as a substrate. As an alternative to these substrates grass hay serves admirably and is preferred by the authors."

And according to Richard Fife:

" I maintain my adult tortoises on a substrate of crushed oyster shell (available at most feed stores), or outside on suitable days."

So, the theme running through all these articles is crushed oyster shell or limestone. And it needs to be deep enough to encourage the female to dig a nest.

 

[Yvonne G]

Better to use just coco coir. The coir holds water which will help to raise humidity.

Everything I've read says to keep them dry, no humidity. According to Dr. Lafeber: The Egyptian tortoise is native to an arid climate and cannot tolerate damp conditions. Strive for an ambient relative humidity between 20% and 30%. A shallow water bowl should be offered and changed regularly.

 

[JoesMum]

Everything I've read says to keep them dry, no humidity. According to Dr. Lafeber: The Egyptian tortoise is native to an arid climate and cannot tolerate damp conditions. Strive for an ambient relative humidity between 20% and 30%. A shallow water bowl should be offered and changed regularly.

@hermannicheis may know

 

[JoesMum]

Or even @HermanniChris may know about care