Sulcata Tortoise Substrate
- Thread starter Luvhp
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Re: Sulcate Tortoise Substrate
I use coco coir and cypress mulch.
I use coco coir and cypress mulch.
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2013
- Messages
- 112
Sulcate Tortoise Substrate
Well for hatchlings , its best to use alfalfa pellets because they dont get dirty . Only use this for the first month or two . When your ready to switch , there is all sorts of substrate to use ! There's coconut coir , cypress mulch , coconut fiber , coconut husk , organic top soil , Repti Bark , do a little more research online to find out exactly what you think is best for you and your tort !
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Well for hatchlings , its best to use alfalfa pellets because they dont get dirty . Only use this for the first month or two . When your ready to switch , there is all sorts of substrate to use ! There's coconut coir , cypress mulch , coconut fiber , coconut husk , organic top soil , Repti Bark , do a little more research online to find out exactly what you think is best for you and your tort !
[TURTLE]
RE: Sulcate Tortoise Substrate
never use pellets. They will mold, they dont hold humidity which is crucial for new babies, your torts will not be able to comfortably walk on them, and they are a dry substrate.
never use pellets. They will mold, they dont hold humidity which is crucial for new babies, your torts will not be able to comfortably walk on them, and they are a dry substrate.
Sulcate Tortoise Substrate
I'm sorry Ashley, but I must strongly disagree with you here. Alfalfa pellets are a terrible substrate to use for a tortoise of any age!!!!! Old school of thought was its fine because if they ingest it, it's edible and it clumps for easy cleaning. This works out fine if what you are after is, “tortoise jerky" but not so well if you want a healthy tortoise.
What is needed is a substrate that will hold moisture and not mold. I find what works best for me, is a 50/50 mix by volume of organic top soil,(or clean yard dirt) and organic peat moss. This mixture, kept damp, as we as warm, will provide a healthy, TRIVING, tortoise. Please read Tom's threads on the subject. Tom has taken the time to share his knowledge clearly to give us all healthy tortoises.
Ashley_Sheldon said:Well for hatchlings , its best to use alfalfa pellets because they dont get dirty . Only use this for the first month or two . When your ready to switch , there is all sorts of substrate to use ! There's coconut coir , cypress mulch , coconut fiber , coconut husk , organic top soil , Repti Bark , do a little more research online to find out exactly what you think is best for you and your tort !
I'm sorry Ashley, but I must strongly disagree with you here. Alfalfa pellets are a terrible substrate to use for a tortoise of any age!!!!! Old school of thought was its fine because if they ingest it, it's edible and it clumps for easy cleaning. This works out fine if what you are after is, “tortoise jerky" but not so well if you want a healthy tortoise.
What is needed is a substrate that will hold moisture and not mold. I find what works best for me, is a 50/50 mix by volume of organic top soil,(or clean yard dirt) and organic peat moss. This mixture, kept damp, as we as warm, will provide a healthy, TRIVING, tortoise. Please read Tom's threads on the subject. Tom has taken the time to share his knowledge clearly to give us all healthy tortoises.
RE: Sulcate Tortoise Substrate
Sorry to shoot you down, Ashley, but pellets for substrate is very old school! and one of the reasons we see so many pyramidid tortoises around. The best thing you can do for babies is find a substrate that you can moisten.
Hi Lvhp:
For your little sulcata, its best to find a substrate that you can moisten because a moist substrate helps them to grow smoothly. Quite a few of our members use coco coir (Bed-A-Beast). It comes in a compressed brick. You put it in a bucket of water until it falls apart, then drain off all the water and squeeze most of it out. If you want, you can mix it with a little clean soil. My personal preference is either small orchid bark or cypress mulch.
Ashley_Sheldon said:Well for hatchlings , its best to use alfalfa pellets because they dont get dirty . Only use this for the first month or two . When your ready to switch , there is all sorts of substrate to use ! There's coconut coir , cypress mulch , coconut fiber , coconut husk , organic top soil , Repti Bark , do a little more research online to find out exactly what you think is best for you and your tort !
Sorry to shoot you down, Ashley, but pellets for substrate is very old school! and one of the reasons we see so many pyramidid tortoises around. The best thing you can do for babies is find a substrate that you can moisten.
Hi Lvhp:
For your little sulcata, its best to find a substrate that you can moisten because a moist substrate helps them to grow smoothly. Quite a few of our members use coco coir (Bed-A-Beast). It comes in a compressed brick. You put it in a bucket of water until it falls apart, then drain off all the water and squeeze most of it out. If you want, you can mix it with a little clean soil. My personal preference is either small orchid bark or cypress mulch.
RE: Sulcate Tortoise Substrate
Please read this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html
And this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html
And when you are done with those, please click the links in my signature and read those too.
Ashley_Sheldon, you should read it too.
Luvhp said:
Please read this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html
And this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html
And when you are done with those, please click the links in my signature and read those too.
Ashley_Sheldon, you should read it too.
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2013
- Messages
- 112
Sulcate Tortoise Substrate
Well actually i use coconut fiber which i wet down with a spray bottle and his humidity is in the 80s which is perfectly good . I only used alfalfa pellets for a few weeks until I did some research on the topic and it's ok that you "shot me down" ;D
Well thanks cowboy_ken ! I actually used alfalfa pellets for my tort for a week or two then i did more research.and switched to coconut fiber as its healthier , keeps in humidity , and he can burrow in it ! but when I got him , we went to a pet shop after and the guy have us false information and talked us into getting a whole bag of alfalfa pellets ! I immediately switched when I found out the dangers a week later and now hes as happy as can be !
Yvonne G said:Ashley_Sheldon said:Well for hatchlings , its best to use alfalfa pellets because they dont get dirty . Only use this for the first month or two . When your ready to switch , there is all sorts of substrate to use ! There's coconut coir , cypress mulch , coconut fiber , coconut husk , organic top soil , Repti Bark , do a little more research online to find out exactly what you think is best for you and your tort !
Sorry to shoot you down, Ashley, but pellets for substrate is very old school! and one of the reasons we see so many pyramidid tortoises around. The best thing you can do for babies is find a substrate that you can moisten.
Hi Lvhp:
For your little sulcata, its best to find a substrate that you can moisten because a moist substrate helps them to grow smoothly. Quite a few of our members use coco coir (Bed-A-Beast). It comes in a compressed brick. You put it in a bucket of water until it falls apart, then drain off all the water and squeeze most of it out. If you want, you can mix it with a little clean soil. My personal preference is either small orchid bark or cypress mulch.
Well actually i use coconut fiber which i wet down with a spray bottle and his humidity is in the 80s which is perfectly good . I only used alfalfa pellets for a few weeks until I did some research on the topic and it's ok that you "shot me down" ;D
Cowboy_Ken said:Ashley_Sheldon said:Well for hatchlings , its best to use alfalfa pellets because they dont get dirty . Only use this for the first month or two . When your ready to switch , there is all sorts of substrate to use ! There's coconut coir , cypress mulch , coconut fiber , coconut husk , organic top soil , Repti Bark , do a little more research online to find out exactly what you think is best for you and your tort !
I'm sorry Ashley, but I must strongly disagree with you here. Alfalfa pellets are a terrible substrate to use for a tortoise of any age!!!!! Old school of thought was its fine because if they ingest it, it's edible and it clumps for easy cleaning. This works out fine if what you are after is, “tortoise jerky" but not so well if you want a healthy tortoise.
What is needed is a substrate that will hold moisture and not mold. I find what works best for me, is a 50/50 mix by volume of organic top soil,(or clean yard dirt) and organic peat moss. This mixture, kept damp, as we as warm, will provide a healthy, TRIVING, tortoise. Please read Tom's threads on the subject. Tom has taken the time to share his knowledge clearly to give us all healthy tortoises.
Well thanks cowboy_ken ! I actually used alfalfa pellets for my tort for a week or two then i did more research.and switched to coconut fiber as its healthier , keeps in humidity , and he can burrow in it !
but when I got him , we went to a pet shop after and the guy have us false information and talked us into getting a whole bag of alfalfa pellets ! I immediately switched when I found out the dangers a week later and now hes as happy as can be !
