Stink

Huw

Active Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
97
Location (City and/or State)
Liverpool
Hello!

We have had beautiful Monty (7-year old Hermann) for nearly three weeks now and the last week or so his tortoise table home has really started to reek.

We have coco coir with a top layer of orchid bark.

We spot clean a couple of times a day, and Monty himself is lovely and clean.

Is it normal for substrate to stink after only a couple of weeks?
Might there be a less stinky substrate to use?

We have seen precious few poos, so unless he is eating it all, might he be burying it??
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
What does it stink like? Sour substrate? Poop? Rotten food?
 

Huw

Active Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
97
Location (City and/or State)
Liverpool
Hi Yvonne,

Its not old food cos he make sure we clear that.

I don't know what Torty poops or sour substrate smells like.

But maybe I'm finding out!
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Substrate that is too wet and never allowed to dry out will sour. It smells. But poop and pee smells like a barnyard (not an unpleasant smell to those of us who like horses and cows)
 

Huw

Active Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
97
Location (City and/or State)
Liverpool
Ok, well I'll get fresh substrate - but I thought it was better to keep it damp?!
 

Souptugo

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 21, 2016
Messages
166
Hi there what is your enclosure made of? I use coco coir as well and it doesn't smell. I also have plants in the enclosure which I handmix the substrate to turn over dead stuff on the surface.

It might be the enclosure material itself vs the substrate?
 

MPRC

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2015
Messages
3,102
Location (City and/or State)
Oregon
For what it's worth all of my tortoises pee as soon as they go to sleep and depending on what they eat it can have a pretty strong smell. - that could be soaking into the substrate and making a smell as well.
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,658
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
I also use coconut coir. My hatchling will be 2 in November and has been on the same substrate almost since hatching. I have a leopard and the substrate has never been dry. It does have a smell now, but not like anything bad or rotten and the humidity is high.
I have found though, that dry loose coir has a smell to it that smells like manure when the bag is first opened and then for about a week or so.
 

GingerLove

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
1,287
The poop smells literally horrendous, so you might just be smelling that. I spot clean the cage for poopies so that it won't smell so bad. Also, what are you feeding them? I discovered that asparagus makes a tortoises pee smell just like a humans. :eek: And something is making her cage smell worse lately, I think it's probably the turnip greens.
 

Huw

Active Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
97
Location (City and/or State)
Liverpool
The poop smells literally horrendous, so you might just be smelling that. I spot clean the cage for poopies so that it won't smell so bad. Also, what are you feeding them? QUOTE]
Hi there what is your enclosure made of?

It might be the enclosure material itself vs the substrate?

Upon cleaning out the old substrate I did find a few hidden poos. We feed him a mixture of weeds (dandelion, plaintain) and shop bought romaine, watercress and rocket. Tried to get him to eat Artichoke but it was too tough for him. He did a wee on the floor on Saturday and it didn't smell at all.

The enclosure is made of oak, I think. It does look rather stained. maybe we should treat it?
 
Top