Soil too dry

[THEADEMARCO]

I have about 80% of my substrate as orchid bark. However, I thought that some variety might be nice so on one end of the enclosure I have top soil. However, this top soil is under the basking bulb and dries out SO quickly. I need to put about 2 bottles of water into it every day for it to stop being so hard and flaky. All in all it is just not how soil should be and feel. Is there any way to stop this from drying out so quickly?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Perhaps, this is what soil should be under drying sun. It's unnecessary in enclosure, but if you really want it there (maybe to try growing plants) - would be better to move it to cold part of the enclosure. And to use plastic shallow container underneath, so the water you pour there would not leak under the bark part.
Also you can drop a thin layer of bark over soil (that's just how bark is used in gardening).

 

[THEADEMARCO]

Thank you very much. I will try the bark thing first but if it is still too dry then I will just move it to the other side of the enclosure. You're right in assuming that I am hoping to grow plants! It's funny because just yesterday I was doing my friend a favour and watering the plants in her massive garden when I came across a big pot full of bamboo sticks intertwined (truly no clue what it was) covered with bark. I was unsure whether to still water it but I did- which I am now glad about.

 

[Tom]

I have about 80% of my substrate as orchid bark. However, I thought that some variety might be nice so on one end of the enclosure I have top soil. However, this top soil is under the basking bulb and dries out SO quickly. I need to put about 2 bottles of water into it every day for it to stop being so hard and flaky. All in all it is just not how soil should be and feel. Is there any way to stop this from drying out so quickly?

This is one of the many reasons why soil should not be used as tortoise substrate. There is no way to know what is in that bag and it cold be something toxic or dangerous.

 

[THEADEMARCO]

Wow im surprised. The reason i bought it was because when I picked my tort up from the breeder she told me top soil would be good to add to my enclosure when i let her know i only had orchid bark. I have seen people on here saying to not trust breeders but i was naive i guess.
In this case, i will remove the soil and plant the food outdoors on my terrace.

 

[Tom]

Wow im surprised. The reason i bought it was because when I picked my tort up from the breeder she told me top soil would be good to add to my enclosure when i let her know i only had orchid bark. I have seen people on here saying to not trust breeders but i was naive i guess.
In this case, i will remove the soil and plant the food outdoors on my terrace.

This thread will explain what you've seen and give you the correct info:

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[THEADEMARCO]

Thank you i just posted some pics of my enclosure under a thread called 'tortoise first week'. Would you mind checking it out?

 

[Sarah2020]

Soil can be trodden on food and the water dish and injested which can cause stomach issues. I use 100% orchid bark and find it exceedingly convenient and my tortoise is very happy on it and burrowing in it. I use a flower water sprayer in the morning to lightly dampen the bark as I have a closed enclosure this build up humidity which helps smooth shell growth etc.....Adding 2 bottles of water sounds far to much and potentially making it too wet. Ask questions as needed.

 

[THEADEMARCO]

Thanks i am just so happy i found this out early on. The breeder actually said that my tortoise would burrow better in the soil but every night he burrows in the orchid bark. And yeah, i am very glad that i can just spray some water on instead of dumping so much water into the soil and scrubbing it in vigorously with soil covered hands.

 

[SuzanneZ]

Perhaps, this is what soil should be under drying sun. It's unnecessary in enclosure, but if you really want it there (maybe to try growing plants) - would be better to move it to cold part of the enclosure. And to use plastic shallow container underneath, so the water you pour there would not leak under the bark part.
Also you can drop a thin layer of bark over soil (that's just how bark is used in gardening).

Soil?