Russian tort substrate..

[Tom]

I think you've got fir and cypress mixed up. Cypress smells like the swamp it came from. Fir just smells like a forrest. A clean forrest.

I love Home Depot, but they don't usually carry this stuff. Try your local nursery. People grow orchids all over the country. They are getting their o bark somewhere.

Maybe I should start buying it by the pallet and selling it in smaller quantities...

 

[DARKFIRE007]

No, not confused lol. Reptibark is pure fir, now granted I have only used that brand so far, but it stinks to me when wet. Cypress never really gave me trouble scent wise, my issue with cypress is it doesn't stay moist for long and I don't want a bone dry environment. I stopped using cypress after I saw a splinter horror story with a sulcata, only learned later on the chances Cypress can give a splinter are very small.

And yea, if you put a bag up for 20 bucks that would fill a 4x8 up to 4 inches? I would buy that fast lol.

I use fir when I leave them with family if I travel...they love to burrow in it and chill till I get home.

 

[MPappagallo]

How do you afford that? Just a rough guess on the repti brand is pushing a hundred bucks...coco coir is the only affordable substrate I can find. Lowes and Home Depot basically look at me like I'm speaking a different language when I ask for it.

try asking for Orchid Bark at Lowe's. Our Lowe's sells two products...Orchid Bark, and Orchid Planting Medium.....be sure to get the Bark. It is about $5.50 per bag and I used about 6 bags to fill my 3x7 indoor enclosure. It is super clean, aborbs water and holds it well for nice humidity levels....and you can literally use it forever. I read that some people recommend taking it out and rinsing it about once or twice per year....but that's it. I use it for my baby sulcatas, my mid-sized redfoot, and my juvenile russian....and they all do well with it.