Substrate for 2 story Greek tortoise viv

Epicjake15

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I’m going to be making a viv for the greek tortoise I may be getting and I was thinking coco coir but I’ve heard stories of the dust affecting the tortoise so what substrate do I use. Do I still use coco coir? Also since it will be two stories I will be needing a ramp so I will just use ply wood painted with pet safe paint and it will be ribbed is this ok?And should I put substrate on the ramp?
 

Grace-Sophia

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I have two Hermann’s, I use repti bark and a reptile safe dirt (like eco earth) mix. It keeps humitity really well and makes the bark a bit softer to climb about on. It’s also less messy than eco earth, and doesn’t get all over them like eco earth does. It seems to work really well for me, and I also mix spagnum moss in as well.
 

Grace-Sophia

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Also what varnish should I use
As for varnish you want to use a water resistant mineral varnish, I used somthing simaler on my enclosures and it’s worked very well, you should stay away from the original/ common varnish because is is packed with chemicals, that is why I like using natural, mineral based varnish ;)
 

ManAlive85

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Also what varnish should I use

As far as I know, pretty much any type of varnish is safe once it’s fully cured. I’d always give it an extra couple of days to dry in addition to the directions on the tin, just to be sure all of the toxic vapours have disappeared.

It will need to be an oil based exterior varnish to deal with the constant humidity over a long period of time.

Yacht varnish is a particularly good option. It’s like painting with treacle and you have to leave it a long time between coats but after three layers you’ll have a thick, shiny, enamel-like coating on the inside of the viv to protect it against moisture.
 

Sarah2020

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Hi welcome. Please have a read of this care sheet as provides excellent breeder experience advise.


For substrate I use orchid bark available from swell reptiles online.
For an enclosure it depends on age hatching and juvenile benefit from having enclosed enclosure with some humidity to help with smooth shell growth. As they grow oldef open tables are options.
On this forum you can search enclosures as many ideas.
You mention a ramp they are prone to toppling so any ramp must be with a guard rail but grooves you mentioned will work no substrate on the ramp.
 
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