Hi, I’m looking for advice on what to use for a substrate. I currently use a mixture of coco fibre bars and some of the tortoise terrain with a layer of orchid bark on the top. I’ve read however that the tortoise terrain isn’t great as it encourages them to eat the substrate but I’m worried the coco fibre bars will be too damp on their own. I’ve read that a mixture of top soil and play sand is good and was wondering what other people would recommend
Substrate
- Thread starter SophieeG
- Start date
Golden Greek Tortoise 567
Well-Known Member
You were right about one thing, the tortoise terrain is a terrible substrate, get rid of it immediately. Top soil and play sand are also terrible substrates. Play sand causes impaction and top soil is just random things jumbled together that could be poisonous to a tortoise. I would recommend just using fine grade orchard bark, it keeps in humidity well and many members here will tell you it is the best substrate out there.
Golden Greek said it all.
Here is the care info, including a section on substrate:
tortoiseforum.org
Here is the care info, including a section on substrate:
The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...
tortoiseforum.org
Thank you guys so much for your advice! I have some left over orchid bark so I will switch it immediately. How deep would you recommend I have it? I currently have about 3 inches of substrate so that he can burrow. Is this okay?
Yes. 3-4 inches of orchid bark works perfectly.
