substrate blocks, advice please :)

[johnandjade]

hi there, first off would like to commend you guys on this app! its been so useful and members are fantastic, just wish had found you guys before going on what the pet shop sold and advised us!

we are in the middle of 'renovating' our store bought table so our little guy has best possile home untill we can make him a bigger, propper one. we were advised on wood chip for substrate:/

... sooo, i've orderd co co coir and spaghnum moss bricks (will try add pics) , i have read to freeze for a few days to kill bugs, is this correct? also, best way to hydrate? is it as simple as fill a bucket and soak or is there a ratio rule?

advice for both moss and coir would be much appreciated please

 

[Alaskamike]

You should not need to freeze the bricks. The come clean. Just stick in the amount of water recommended on package and wait till absorbed. You can break brick up as it swells. This helps.

 

[johnandjade]

ausum, thank you! had read a post on here about the bugs getting out of hand and ending up on the owners bed! this is an issue i would like to avoid lol.

actully took delivery of the moss 5mins ago and instructions are clear, just doing my homework as orded online and sometimes packing and paperwork are questionable lol

 

[Yvonne G]

Take a large bucket, add the brick, then pour boiling water into the bucket. The hot water should kill any bugs or bug eggs that might be in the substrate, but, like Mike said, the coco coir bricks are clean to start with.

 

[johnandjade]

i'll do that Yvoone, its as well to use boiling water rather than cold to be sure! if theres a way to be certain its clean i'll take it lol, plan for the worst hope for the best, its all good that way!

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Take a large bucket, add the brick, then pour boiling water into the bucket. The hot water should kill any bugs or bug eggs that might be in the substrate, but, like Mike said, the coco coir bricks are clean to start with.

Hot water also hydrates the bricks much faster than cool water. Be sure to let it cool down before using.

 

[johnandjade]

its a win win then. i will do, still waiting on plexiglass to cover table so got enough time to make sure its all done correctly

 

[Tom]

Also, make a very thick layer and then hand pack it down to lessen the mess. It takes about two weeks for the coir to "settle in".

Those "bugs" come from the environment. What you are doing by making a healthy environment for your tortoise is making a healthy environment for bugs too. They will eventually come no matter what you do and they do not come from the clean dry compressed bricks. The only way to prevent them is to replace, bake, or boil your substrate every two weeks. I don't bother with that. Spot cleaning keeps them down to hardly noticeable numbers.


I wish my stuff was delivered by "Royal Mail". Sheesh. Mine just comes from the post office...

 

[johnandjade]

top advice guys thanks for the help. yes tom its ideal, posted right through the letterbox

 

[johnandjade]

so the coco bricks arrived to, wow its messy to hydrate lol. currently draining excess moisture out in the bath :0 , we live in a flat 4floors up so has to be done inside.

can already tell its far superior to what we have been using and hopefully will benefit our little fido.
thanks to everyone for the help and advice


... now to try clean bathroom before the girlfriend gets home lol

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Hey honey!
Great. I'm glad it worked out for you!