Is this substrate that I bought at Home Depot safe for my Sulcata and Leopard tortoises.

[Tortoise Man]

I also have rocks that I will rinse with a hose and then put them in half of the enclosure and make a path and so on.

Thanks for your help!!

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Peat moss and coco husk are great... What concerns me is the "Miracle-Gro" label.

Typically they add a chemical which would be a potential threat to the tortoises.

 

[leigti]

I would be cautious about the miracle grow also. My Home Depot sells a brand that is supposed to be pet and kids safe and has absolutely no chemicals or compost or fertilizers in it at all. I cannot remember the brand of coarse. it was a white bag with red or black stripes on it. Very plain.

 

[Tortoise Man]

I have already had a live chat with a miracle gro worker and he claims that it should be safe for any pet including tortoises to live or wander in. I felt like I should check with some people on the forum first though. Thanks for the help

 

[Tom]

I'd like to see the ingredients list on one of the bags.

Why are you using "substrate" in an outdoor enclosure? Do you not like plain old dirt?

I also wouldn't use those rocks. I would not want to walk on those. I remove rocks like those from my pens constantly. I drop them down the holes in my slumpstone block or chuck them over the fence.

 

[leigti]

I have already had a live chat with a miracle gro worker and he claims that it should be safe for any pet including tortoises to live or wander in. I felt like I should check with some people on the forum first though. Thanks for the help

But what about in just seen it? And what about eating plants that come out of it? The general public knows practically nothing about tortoises. So I personally wouldn't use it.

 

[Tortoise Man]

Ok well I may not use those rocks and what should I use as substrate because there is no dirt in the enclosure. It is plain clay. It is literally clay.

 

[Tortoise Man]

these are the ingredients

 

[leigti]

I think that could work. Also, how big are the rocks? You don't want anything small enough for the tortoise to swallow. Smoother river rocks work well. I am very lucky, my house was built on a river bed and all I have is rock I actually have to bring dirt in if I want to plant anything. Or build a tortoise enclosure. sort of feel bad for people who have to buy rock

 

[Tortoise Man]

I also have some smooth black/blue rocks that are in my opinion better but I do not have as many.

 

[leigti]

I would go with the smoother rocks and then maybe the biggest rocks of the other kind. They don't need very fancy as or very large ones. You can also use slabs of slate etc.

 

[Tortoise Man]

Ok so I am going to use the soil and the smooth rocks. Thanks for the help again!!

 

[A Carson]

I would love to see the end result!!

 

[johnsonnboswell]

What is the point of the rocks?

Start your compost pile now and grow your own soil.

 

[TacoTortoise]

I think it would be fine, just make sure there's no chemicals that could harm your tortoise. Another choice for substrate would be coconut coir.
Also make sure the rocks won't harm your tortoise.