substrate and impaction

[Joma]

Morning. Some quick advise please. This morning my Greek passed three fairly large pieces of his substrate from his indoor enclosure. Thank goodness he was able to get them out. However, obviously I need to change his substrate material quickly. I have been using a blend of cypress mulch and regular soil. Its the cypress that was the issue.

Can someone please give me a few options for substrate blends that he will be able to pass easily if he happens to ingest it again. Peat moss perhaps? Something I can easily get in a small town that does not have a pet supply store.

Thanks.

 

[Sleppo]

Morning. Some quick advise please. This morning my Greek passed three fairly large pieces of his substrate from his indoor enclosure. Thank goodness he was able to get them out. However, obviously I need to change his substrate material quickly. I have been using a blend of cypress mulch and regular soil. Its the cypress that was the issue.

Can someone please give me a few options for substrate blends that he will be able to pass easily if he happens to ingest it again. Peat moss perhaps? Something I can easily get in a small town that does not have a pet supply store.

Thanks.

I use Cypress mulch and have never had an issue with them eating it. Are you placing the food in a dish, bowl or piece of slate when you feed? I feed on large pieces of slate and make sure I sweep off any substrate with my hand before feeding.

 

[Ben02]

Morning. Some quick advise please. This morning my Greek passed three fairly large pieces of his substrate from his indoor enclosure. Thank goodness he was able to get them out. However, obviously I need to change his substrate material quickly. I have been using a blend of cypress mulch and regular soil. Its the cypress that was the issue.

Can someone please give me a few options for substrate blends that he will be able to pass easily if he happens to ingest it again. Peat moss perhaps? Something I can easily get in a small town that does not have a pet supply store.

Thanks.

Coco coir, you can order online. Almost all substrate can cause issues if eaten to much, I adopted a tort last month and her poop was stuffed full of bark, she’s ok now. Use a large slate for feeding so it reduces the amount of substrate on the food.

 

[Joma]

Food is on a fairly large slab of concrete shaped with a little dip to try to hold the food in place. However, he tends to drag the food off with his body. I do clean it off each day. I have some stone tiles that I will place under it in case food falls off the slab.

@Ben02 I think coco coir is just potting mix https://www.acehardware.com/departm...otZj8r6-hxvrvlLoAcMk7eEgZWfGyUeEaAjysEALw_wcB

Seems like I can get it at the local garden store

 

[Ben02]

Food is on a fairly large slab of concrete shaped with a little dip to try to hold the food in place. However, he tends to drag the food off with his body. I do clean it off each day. I have some stone tiles that I will place under it in case food falls off the slab.

@Ben02 I think coco coir is just potting mix https://www.acehardware.com/departm...otZj8r6-hxvrvlLoAcMk7eEgZWfGyUeEaAjysEALw_wcB

Seems like I can get it at the local garden store

Make sure it’s got no artificial substances in it.

 

[Tom]

Morning. Some quick advise please. This morning my Greek passed three fairly large pieces of his substrate from his indoor enclosure. Thank goodness he was able to get them out. However, obviously I need to change his substrate material quickly. I have been using a blend of cypress mulch and regular soil. Its the cypress that was the issue.

Can someone please give me a few options for substrate blends that he will be able to pass easily if he happens to ingest it again. Peat moss perhaps? Something I can easily get in a small town that does not have a pet supply store.

Thanks.

The best substrate is fine grade orchid bark. I get it in bulk at local garden centers. OSH has it too, if there is one near you.

Peat moss shouldn't be used. The long fibered type will be eaten and can cause impaction. The dirt type will cause shell rot, probably form the acidity.

I don't like cypress because it stinks like the swamp it came from, its dirty, the pieces aren't uniform enough, and I'd rather leave the cypress trees in the cypress swamps.

Bought-in-the-bag soil from the grocery store shouldn't be used because it usually has additives, and because you can't know what composted yard waste it is made of. Could be something toxic. No way to know. They don't intend for animals to live on it.

Coco coir is safe, but its messy and inconvenient for adult Testudo. My first choice for baby Testudo though.

I feed in a large terra cotta saucers sunk into the substrate. This keeps incidental substrate ingestion to a minimum.

 

[Joma]

The best substrate is fine grade orchid bark. I get it in bulk at local garden centers. OSH has it too, if there is one near you.

Peat moss shouldn't be used. The long fibered type will be eaten and can cause impaction. The dirt type will cause shell rot, probably form the acidity.

I don't like cypress because it stinks like the swamp it came from, its dirty, the pieces aren't uniform enough, and I'd rather leave the cypress trees in the cypress swamps.

Bought-in-the-bag soil from the grocery store shouldn't be used because it usually has additives, and because you can't know what composted yard waste it is made of. Could be something toxic. No way to know. They don't intend for animals to live on it.

Coco coir is safe, but its messy and inconvenient for adult Testudo. My first choice for baby Testudo though.

I feed in a large terra cotta saucers sunk into the substrate. This keeps incidental substrate ingestion to a minimum.

Thanks. I will try to find the bark. I may have to settle for coco c in the meantime because I have a feeling they won’t carry it at my local. I may change out the dish too I’ll see how the tiles under it work.

 

[Joma]

The best substrate is fine grade orchid bark. I get it in bulk at local garden centers. OSH has it too, if there is one near you.

Peat moss shouldn't be used. The long fibered type will be eaten and can cause impaction. The dirt type will cause shell rot, probably form the acidity.

I don't like cypress because it stinks like the swamp it came from, its dirty, the pieces aren't uniform enough, and I'd rather leave the cypress trees in the cypress swamps.

Bought-in-the-bag soil from the grocery store shouldn't be used because it usually has additives, and because you can't know what composted yard waste it is made of. Could be something toxic. No way to know. They don't intend for animals to live on it.

Coco coir is safe, but its messy and inconvenient for adult Testudo. My first choice for baby Testudo though.

I feed in a large terra cotta saucers sunk into the substrate. This keeps incidental substrate ingestion to a minimum.

I found orchid bark but it’s not organic. Didn’t buy it as I wanted to ask what type you use (organic or non)

 

[Tom]

I found orchid bark but it’s not organic. Didn’t buy it as I wanted to ask what type you use (organic or non)

I've never seen bark products labelled "Organic". Here is the bag that I get, but there are lots of others that are suitable: