Indoor substrate for MEE

TimR

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It's about time to move my 2 year old Brown Mountain Tortoise indoors for the winter. We live in Virginia and the MEE stays outdoors in our fenced backyard all summer. Over previous winters, I have kept it in a large plastic storage container (which it has outgrown).

This year, I am building an enclosure in the basement, under the stairs, in the furnace room. The area will be a little over 50 sf, so I need to buy a bulk substrate. Can anyone recommend a bulk mulch or combination that would be appropiate or anything specific to avoid?
- Hardwood Mulch
- Pine Mulch
- Cedar Mulch
- Cyprus Mulch
- Straw

Thanks, I will try to post pictures as I progress.

Tim
 

Millerlite

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I always use soil plain nothing added to it, peat moss mix. You can get them in big bags and its cheap. I would avoid Straw as it molds, Cyprus mulch I would say is the most common. Not sure on pine and cedar. My guys always just lived on soil/peat moss mix with string moss on top. They live outdoors all year round now though.

Kyle
 

Kapidolo Farms

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Hardwood or cypress mulch with a straw dressing would be great. Cedar and pine have resins that many people find unacceptable and potentially toxic.

You can also get Aspen shaving in large compressed bags, it's a 'soft' hardwood and hygienic. I don't know how ell it it will work if it gets too wet.
 

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