organic soil help?

[Kirin]

I not sure on what kind of organic soil to use, can anyone help? I will be putting into my Thor’s (sulcata) outside box. I was looking at Home Depot but everything looks to be just a mulch with manures in it. Help please!
Thank you

 

[wellington]

Plain black dirt is what I would get.

 

[Tom]

I have used the 3.0 cubic foot bag/blocks from Kelloggs for years. Its called "Garden soil". The bag is white with red stripes. It does have some guano and things mixed in, but that is fine. I put it in, water it a bunch, plant it, and then after a week or two start letting the tortoises in there.

You can also just use the dirt from your yard. That is what I use in all of my outdoor pens.

Be cautious. Your weather is similar to mine and it gets REALLY hot here. I recommend offering an underground retreat even for small ones. They sometimes won't use them until they are bigger, so make sure you offer lots of heavy shade and possibly misters or sprinklers.

Frankly, I wouldn't use an above ground box for summer in our area. Its just too hot. Build something down on the ground and save the above ground stuff for winter sunning. Here is what I like to do here for babies:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...table-but-safe-outdoor-baby-enclosures.30683/

 

[Kirin]

Thor is around 40lbs. and it is for him to sleep in at night. He does have places to go in the hot part of the day with access to water always( he has 2 water holes). I would love to use the dirt around my house but the previous owners used decorative lava rocks all over so all of the dirt has lava rocks in it. I want to just be able to put it into his night box so that he has something to snuggle into. Thanks

 

[Tom]

Ahh. I see. You can use orchid bark for that. They sell it at Lowe's for about $5 for a 2.0 cubic foot bag. They call it "Pathway Bark" or something similar.

 

[Kirin]

ok thanks ill look into that.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

You can also buy coco coir bricks cheap at garden stores. It's smaller and a little dusty when dry, so you might want not that

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Kirin, Home Depot sells a bag of plain top soil for $2.27/ sq ft. The brand is EarthGro Top Soil (not potting soil) and is a white bag with red labels and black lettering. I used this anytime I needed outdoor dirt. Cheap price but works great.

I've also used the pathway bark Tom is referring to but not inside of a hide/house. I use the bark for walkways in the enclosure and the dirt for hides.

Hope this helps

 

[Hix2008]

I have used the 3.0 cubic foot bag/blocks from Kelloggs for years. Its called "Garden soil". The bag is white with red stripes. It does have some guano and things mixed in, but that is fine. I put it in, water it a bunch, plant it, and then after a week or two start letting the tortoises in there.

You can also just use the dirt from your yard. That is what I use in all of my outdoor pens.

Be cautious. Your weather is similar to mine and it gets REALLY hot here. I recommend offering an underground retreat even for small ones. They sometimes won't use them until they are bigger, so make sure you offer lots of heavy shade and possibly misters or sprinklers.

Frankly, I wouldn't use an above ground box for summer in our area. Its just too hot. Build something down on the ground and save the above ground stuff for winter sunning. Here is what I like to do here for babies:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...table-but-safe-outdoor-baby-enclosures.30683/[/QUOT
They still sell that garden soil at Lowes I just bought some. Can I use this for indoors table?

 

[Reptilelove]

You should try coco coir, its really cheap and easy to use