quick question

[Jazenami]

Reptiles sand mixed with coconut coir yay or nay? Going to Petco to return the bad water dish and wondered if I should return this too or mix it in with the coir.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I say the repti sand is unneeded garbage. Take it back.

 

[Barista5261]

In the words of Tom, take the sand and throw it at whoever sold it to you.

....just kidding. But yes, return it if you can. Sand = very bad. If ingested, it can cause impactions. Coco coir by itself is just fine.

 

[featherator]

The sand is too dangerous. It's tiny rocks in the end. And it will end up being digested and can cause problems. Torts will either eat it intentionally for mineral or grit or curiosity. Others will accidentally eat it during their feeding. Even if you feed on a tile.

There are better substrate options, I will list a few that I have used.

I have used plain organic soil mixed with some zoo med forest floor (100% natural cypress mulch) I found it a little drying.

I added in coconut coir from bricks and removed some of the cypress mulch, and put moistened spaghum moss in and around hides, a small terra cotta pot hide, a plastic humid hide. And near the basking area there is a pile that i spray but it dries from UVB lamp, which is fine, reminds me of a dry bush. My leopard loves to burrow in all the different spaghum moss areas.

Coco coir is fine by itself and some of the other materials will do fine on their own. I prefer to mix because it gives the tort variety and looks great. Plus easier-to-maintain humidity.

One that I personally won't use is Fir Reptile Bark on it's own it is way too drying.

Not sure if your tortoise needs the same conditions as mine, but at least the photo will provide some examples.

 

[Jazenami]

Thanks so much everyone. I returned the reptiles sand and water dish and got a new UV light for him instead