Substrate for my RT help

[Stacie]

I've seen coco coir is great to use, do you mix it with anything else and where do you get it? Also when using a plastic tote do you have to put a screen on top of it? Thanks!

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

welcome to the forum! coco coir, cypress mulch, and orchard bark are all good substrate, just keep them moist. what type of lights are you using? read this entire care sheet! http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/ very good information!

 

[WillTort2]

With a plastic enclosure, the only reason to use a screen would be to protect the tortoise from outside factors; dogs, cats, birds, children, etc.

You could use a wide spaced hard wire screen to support a heat lamp but in most enclosures this would place the basking lamp too close to the tortoise.

Finding coco coir: check online and pet stores, and garden shops.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Gillian M]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Yvonne G]

Look in the pet store for Bed-A-Beast. It is a compressed block about 8" square.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

Most Hardware/Garden stores usually sell bulk coir for 'planting' purposes.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Ecco earth is another brand.