Mold in my encloser

CGavron

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Feb 18, 2020
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West Mifflin, Pa
In my baby Sulcata's encloser I have a rounded wood hide like you would my in your local pet store. I understand that the hide should be a humid spot for Scooter to bed down. I have a pile of miss in there to help with the humidity but I keep getting green mold inside. I use habitat fresh to clean it with but it continues to come back. This can't be good for my little buddy but I don't know if anything is safe to use to clean it with. Does anybody have any tips or suggestions please?
 

Yvonne G

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What is "a pile of miss"? That may be your problem, but I don't know what that is. Mold grows on decaying matter. It could be that "miss" is something organic and is decaying???
 

Maro2Bear

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I’m going out on a limb here, but i’ll bet “miss” = “moss” .

We suggest here in the forum to not use moss. Best to use orchid bark or coco fiber or cypress mulch. These all maintain moisture well, don’t rot or mildew. Your tort won’t be tempted to eat it either.

Take a read here if you have yet to find the care sheet.


Specifically on Substrates & Hides

Humid Hide Boxes:
This offers the tortoise a more humid place to retreat to and sleep and can simulate some of the more damp micro-climates they might utilize in the wild. It is as simple as getting a $2 black dishwashing tub from Walmart, flipping it upside down and cutting out a small door hole. I keep the substrate under the tub more damp than the surrounding substrate and it works great. You can also use plastic shoe boxes. Some people like to put sphagnum moss in their hides or attach a sponge to the top. This is all fine, but I usually don't bother. This is a short paragraph, but this is a very important detail that should not be overlooked.

Substrate: I recommend coco coir, orchid bark, cypress mulch, plain additive free soil, or yard dirt if yours is suitable. All of these can be purchased in bulk at most hardware or garden center stores at a tremendous savings. I recommend against wood shavings or chips, ground walnut shell, corn cob bedding, rabbit pellets, compressed grass pellet bedding, newspaper pellets, hay, cedar, or any amount of sand.
 

CGavron

New Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2020
Messages
22
Location (City and/or State)
West Mifflin, Pa
I’m going out on a limb here, but i’ll bet “miss” = “moss” .

We suggest here in the forum to not use moss. Best to use orchid bark or coco fiber or cypress mulch. These all maintain moisture well, don’t rot or mildew. Your tort won’t be tempted to eat it either.

Take a read here if you have yet to find the care sheet.


Specifically on Substrates & Hides

Humid Hide Boxes:
This offers the tortoise a more humid place to retreat to and sleep and can simulate some of the more damp micro-climates they might utilize in the wild. It is as simple as getting a $2 black dishwashing tub from Walmart, flipping it upside down and cutting out a small door hole. I keep the substrate under the tub more damp than the surrounding substrate and it works great. You can also use plastic shoe boxes. Some people like to put sphagnum moss in their hides or attach a sponge to the top. This is all fine, but I usually don't bother. This is a short paragraph, but this is a very important detail that should not be overlooked.

Substrate: I recommend coco coir, orchid bark, cypress mulch, plain additive free soil, or yard dirt if yours is suitable. All of these can be purchased in bulk at most hardware or garden center stores at a tremendous savings. I recommend against wood shavings or chips, ground walnut shell, corn cob bedding, rabbit pellets, compressed grass pellet bedding, newspaper pellets, hay, cedar, or any amount of sand.
Thanks for the help, I have to change that for sure.
 
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