Orchid bark vs coco coir

Tom

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Ok thanks @Tom but does it really matter if it is styrofoam, becuase I'm going to Barry the whole pot and only the plant will be showing

You will find that despite your best intentions, your tortoise will bury and unbury things at will. The shell rubbing on the styrofoam will rub off particles which your tortoise is likely to try to eat on his/her next lap around. They always want to eat white flecks of stuff.

Better to use something safer and more durable.
 

spud's_mum

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I don't know what I'm doing differently than other people, but every tortoise I've ever had tries to eat sphagnum moss. I can't use it.
Spud also decided to eat it after I bought a rather expensive large bag if the stuff. o_O
 

Carol S

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I like cypess mulch mixed with coir for my tortoises that are over 1 year old. I find that it works better than the plain coir that I use for hatchlings up to 1 year of age. I am going to try the orchid bark mixed with coir the next time I change the substrate.
 

Tort1419

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@Tom sorry to bother you but I've been thinking about 50/50 coir and orchid bark, the problem I think with the orchid bark is that he might accidently eat a small piece and it will stay in him and cause impaction. Or he might choke on it.
 

Tom

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@Tom sorry to bother you but I've been thinking about 50/50 coir and orchid bark, the problem I think with the orchid bark is that he might accidently eat a small piece and it will stay in him and cause impaction. Or he might choke on it.

Anything is physically possible, but in 30 years of keeping literally hundreds of tortoises, and hundreds of snakes and lizards too, on orchid bark, this has never happened to me. Nor have I ever heard of one single case of this from all the other people using orchid bark. Yvonne has dozens of tortoises and has been using and recommending orchid bark for years too. Never heard of any problems from her either.

I'm not a fan of mixing substrates. Lots of people do it, but I don't see the advantage.
 

leigti

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I use 50/50 orchid bark and coconut coir for my indoor enclosure. But I'm thinking I will slowly transition back to just coconut coir. in my opinion it all comes down to personal preference. But I am starting to think mixing really isn't necessary either. So pick one and go with it.. If you don't like it try the other one.
 

Tom

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@Tom sorry to bother you but...

And you are not bothering me at all. If at any time I don't want to talk about tortoises, I don't have to come to this site...

That hasn't happened since before January 9th of 2010. :)

I don't anticipate it happening anytime soon either...
 

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