Substrate help

[tarta4ever]

Hi, in order to have a good esthetic result I want to use a white sand of Sarah as substrate.
Could it cause problems?

 

[sopo]

Sand isn't good.... can cause impaction if they accidently digest some.

 

[wellington]

The goal should be the best and closest to what they would have in the wild. The best for young ones is coconut coir, high humidity and temps no lower then 80. Please read Toms threads below of proper housing of a leopard to raise it healthy and smooth. The sulcata threads apply to leopards. No sand. It causes impactions.

 

[zenoandthetortoise]

The goal should be the best and closest to what they would have in the wild. The best for young ones is coconut coir, high humidity and temps no lower then 80. Please read Toms threads below of proper housing of a leopard to raise it healthy and smooth. The sulcata threads apply to leopards. No sand. It causes impactions.

Actually, the goal should be 'optimal' conditions as "natural " conditions would also confer " natural" mortality rates. Plus, I am unaware of any place that leopards walk around on ground up coconut husks.

 

[tarta4ever]

thanks to everyone for the advice

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Better than native is right on. I do use coco coir, to keep my humidity level at 80 percent. Sand, bleh. Impactions are not fun and they are costly. Leopard tortoises in the wild are not in a stark sandy desert, they are in savannah like conditions.
Keep your baby hydrated. That is very key. Soaks are the bomb. Warm little spa ... aha!

Here are some images of leopards in Africa, below. Lotsa grasses, lots of humidity when they hide in those pallets.

https://www.google.com/search?q=leo...bih=576#q=leopard+tortoise+in+africa&tbm=isch

 

[wellington]

The goal should be the best and closest to what they would have in the wild. The best for young ones is coconut coir, high humidity and temps no lower then 80. Please read Toms threads below of proper housing of a leopard to raise it healthy and smooth. The sulcata threads apply to leopards. No sand. It causes impactions.

Actually, the goal should be 'optimal' conditions as "natural " conditions would also confer " natural" mortality rates. Plus, I am unaware of any place that leopards walk around on ground up coconut husks.

Really, splitting hairs. They don't walk on the ground, really, they sure don't fly. We can only do with what is available. The best available is coir, or dirt. It's sure not white sand.

 

[erica anne]

The goal should be the best and closest to what they would have in the wild. The best for young ones is coconut coir, high humidity and temps no lower then 80. Please read Toms threads below of proper housing of a leopard to raise it healthy and smooth. The sulcata threads apply to leopards. No sand. It causes impactions.

Actually, the goal should be 'optimal' conditions as "natural " conditions would also confer " natural" mortality rates. Plus, I am unaware of any place that leopards walk around on ground up coconut husks.

Really, splitting hairs. They don't walk on the ground, really, they sure don't fly. We can only do with what is available. The best available is coir, or dirt. It's sure not white sand.

Lol. Agreed.

 

[zenoandthetortoise]

Actually I wasn't splitting hairs, advocating sand or suggesting that tortoises fly (brilliant observation, by the way). I was correcting your misuse of the word 'natural' and supplying you with an appropriate word.
You're welcome

 

[wellington]

Oh, thank you, but I did mean what I said

 

[Yvonne G]

"...ground up coconut husks..." Wellington!!! Not "ground". LOL!!

Bottom line - sand = no good!

If a tortoise is well hydrated sand might not be such a problem, but we can't be sure a tortoise is drinking enough to be well hydrated, so its better to not use sand of any type. Even the calci-sands touted as being good for reptiles.