Need some advice regarding substrate

[patchesofink]

Hello all,

At the moment Toby is on soil (that's what his previous owner kept him on) and he's in a metal tortoise table. I ordered him a new tortoise table that is made of wood, which arrived today. I'm a little unsure what to do about his substrate and I've read so many different contradicting things that I don't know which is right or wrong. I'm worried that keeping him on soil would rot the wood of his new table. My local reptile stores keep their tortoises on wood chip and those pellet thingies. As a general rule with all my animals I tend to avoid these things but I do know that there can be exceptions (my chameleon for example has wood chip substrate but her food bowls are up high and I have a separate tank for feeding her live food so there's no concern of her accidentally ingesting wood chip). Will the damp from soil rot the wood of Toby's new table or am I worrying over nothing? If it is something that could cause a problem, what should I be using instead?

Thanks in advance from me and Toby.

 

[Jodie]

You should use soil, coco coir is my favorite, and keep it moist, depending on your tortoises humidity needs. Raw wood will rot. Seal the wood or line the bottom and up the sides with a shower curtain.

 

[patchesofink]

As a temporary measure, would I be able to line the table with newspaper or is the ink on newspapers bad for tortoises? I was just thinking that I use newspaper until I can get a proper liner it would soak up some of the moisture and it would make lifting the substrate out of the table a bit easier.

 

[crimson_lotus]

I lined the bottom of my wooden enclosure with pond liner. As pond liner can be a bit expensive, I know that some people on the forum also use shower curtains as well.

I wouldn't use newspaper as that can become easily wet and the water can just soak through.

 

[Jodie]

I don't think newspaper will help at all. A cheap shower curtain is going to be your best bet.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ, USA . I'd like to ask a very simple question , are we doing what is best for the tort or what's best for the wood enclosure ? Always put the tort first is best . Have a great tort day !

 

[johnsonnboswell]

As a temporary measure, would I be able to line the table with newspaper or is the ink on newspapers bad for tortoises? I was just thinking that I use newspaper until I can get a proper liner it would soak up some of the moisture and it would make lifting the substrate out of the table a bit easier.

Don't do it. If the substrate is properly damp enough, the paper will disintegrate. It will not help lift the substrate, it will become part of it. You'll have damp wood that must dry before you introduce any moisture barrier. Go to your local grocery store & get a plastic shower curtain. They cost $5 the last I checked. Or go to a fabric store for vinyl. Don't make more work by trying a stop gap measure.

 

[patchesofink]

Hello and welcome to the TFO from AZ, USA . I'd like to ask a very simple question , are we doing what is best for the tort or what's best for the wood enclosure ? Always put the tort first is best . Have a great tort day !

I was thinking more about Toby than the table. If the wood rots I can buy another, but I didn't think rotting wood would be any good for my little guy which is why I was asking.
I'm holding off on setting his new table up until I've lined it with a shower curtain or something which hopefully I'll be able to do this weekend.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings but I just wanted every body to think alittle . Now next question - soul is made up of rotting wood and grasses .