Shredded paper?

[tiffany361]

Would this be a good idea for bedding? Has anybody else tried it?? Would there be any issues with this?

 

[wellington]

Shredded or sheets of paper is not a good substrate unless it is for a sick tortoise and then sometimes it's suggested. What kind of tortoise do you have?

 

[tiffany361]

I was just going to put it in his little house for extra warmth. I'm in scotland and worried it might get a bit cold at nights as I have noticed him sleeping a lot more. It's a hermann tortoise.

 

[wellington]

What are your temps in the enclosure? Do you have any heat for night time? Add more natural bedding, cypress mulch, coconut coir, leaf litter, orchid bark, not paper. If you give us the temp in the enclosure, day, night, basking, etc, we can help with the proper temps and if more or less is needed. Also a picture of the enclosure will help us to better help you.

 

[wellington]

@HermanniChris will be able to help you further after the info I requested is given.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Would this be a good idea for bedding?
No

Has anybody else tried it??
Some have but then change to better substrates or "bedding".

Would there be any issues with this?
Yes, ink rub off and mold come to mind. Besides, it's very unnatural.

You mention wanting to add the paper for warmth. Any substrate, shredded paper, blankets or even dirt, won't keep a cold blooded tortoise warm. They are the temperature of what's around them. That's why we need to provide heat.
Mammals are kept warm in blankets because it traps our own body heat but a tortoise isn't producing any.
So, if your tortoise is too cold, add heat with a light or CHE. That plus a nice earthy substrate will meet your tortoise needs.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I'd say no too. If it got wet, even in the slightest, it'd get very mushy... I'd just use plain substrate (what do you have?) in there. Makes for better walking/digging.

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Definitely no. Also you said you were going to add it for extra warmth. Tortoises are cold blooded animals that do not produce body heat so it wouldn't be beneficial anyways.

 

[tiffany361]

What are your temps in the enclosure? Do you have any heat for night time? Add more natural bedding, cypress mulch, coconut coir, leaf litter, orchid bark, not paper. If you give us the temp in the enclosure, day, night, basking, etc, we can help with the proper temps and if more or less is needed. Also a picture of the enclosure will help us to better help you.

The temperature when the lamp is on its around 35degress when that goes off the room temperature is around 10-15 degrees. I have the lamp on from 7 in the morning until 20.30. I don't have any heat for night.