need help w/ a VERY DESERT environment and substrate..

[jmhoesch]

We're building an outdoor enclosure for our Greek Torti and confused as to what to have for the substrate.

We live in a VERY HOT,DRY climate outside of Tucson, AZ. We'll be digging out burrows for our little guy, have plenty of shady areas and plants for him to munch on and to hide in but not sure what to have for the bottom of the enclosure.

I know any type of sand is out. Maybe some type of a mulch/soil mix?

Also, when it rains do we bring him in? During Monsoon season, it can get kinda hairy around here w/ amount of rain and how quickly it falls. We're building the enclosure to include a drain off but is it ok for him to stay out there if he's in one of his hidey holes? Do we have at least ONE hidey spot that's above the ground w/ a ramp?

Thanks for the advice! I want him to have the happiest possible life out there.........

 

[thatrebecca]

I'm having good luck with a combo of orchid bark (smallest size) and some organic, pet friendly soil from Home Depot in my outdoor DT enclosure in the hot, dry San Fernando Valley of CA. I've got some tufts of native grasses growing in there that we water by pouring the torts' water and soaking dishes out on them, but otherwise leave alone.

I'll defer to others on monsoon season. I bring my torts in when it rains here -- but our rainfall comes when it's chilly and generally sticks around longer than a flash monsoon rain.