Summarizing my substrate option

[beginner]

Hi Newbie here.

Went to a pet shop under child pressure bought Russians ,aptly named Ken & Barbie.

Smell of the substrate advised by store is horrible. Wife threatening to through them out.

So planning to go for Top Soil. I have gone through a lot of threads in this forum and others over the internet. So here is what I am thinking of doing:

1. Use the liner at the bottom save my wooden structure.
2. fill with Top Soil about 2 inches (non fertilized & Organic).
3. Somehow get the suitable microorganisms in the Viv. (Help which ones).
4. moisture monitoring.

Some basic info:
2 * 6 months old hatchlings.
36*18*18 inch Viv
0 experience of tortoises.

Now few questions, If I may please:
1. will i need to replace top soil? if yes, how often?
2. Which insects/ worms to buy, will prefer non-wiggles?

Thank you all in advance.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi "Beginner":

Welcome to the Forum!!

You can use clean top soil if that's what you want. You can then put down some small pieces of fir bark around the waterer and the feeder to keep the tortoises from tracking dirt into the food and water.

Make sure you have the habitat warm. Babies should be kept at about 80F degrees.

If you spot clean you won't need to change out the substrate. Just mix it up with your hand when you add water.

I wouldn't worry about purchasing any bugs. Top soil usually comes with enough bugs on its own, and it seems like bug eggs probably come in with the food too, because they eventually, magically appear.

We have a nice care sheet for baby Russian tortoises at the top of the Russian section in the "Important Threads."

 

[Tom]

Here is that care sheet that Yvonne mentioned: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-80698.html

Coco coir works much better than soil in my opinion, and its less smelly and less messy. You can get it cheaply in bulk at any garden store. They usually don't have it at HD or Loews type places. You can also get it at pet store, but its more expensive that way. I spot clean mine daily and never change it unless a new tortoise is going to live in that enclosure. If you are soaking daily, which you should, they will usually poop in the soaking water, and the enclosure will stay nice and clean.

You don't need bugs. They eat broadleaf weeds.

Tortoises should not be kept in pairs. They generally don't like each other. Russians in particular can be very combative. I would either set up another separate enclosure or take one tortoise back and let the store know they need to learn a bit more.

Its also unusual to see 6 month old russians for sale in a pet shop. Can you post a pic?

 

[Yvonne G]

(Tom: Think "UK")

 

[beginner]

Thank you Yvonne and Tom.

Yes Yvonne is correct, I am based in UK.

Well, I am trying to keep calm about the pet shop where I got the setup and Tortoises from. To put it mildly.

Thank you for care-sheet. I have already printed that. I wish I knew before about them being unhappy when kept together. He even suggested 2 more for my setup. Now having doing research, I know better. They will not take it back, unless something is wrong with one of them. I wish not. I will separate them in few months.

Tom,

If I was to use Coco Choir, do i need to use anything else?

I just gave them a nice soak today. Also realized the substrate I am using is horrible as the humidity has gone as low as 25% and am trying to bring it up.

Thank you both once again.

Saturday is going to be a busy day and aim to have all planned before that.

I will post a Pic soon.

 

[beginner]

Thank you Tom & Yvonne for your advice.

I have changed the substrate and my Terrarium looks, smells and feels fantastic.

Unfortunately, I could not get Coco Choir on its own, but got Eco plantation Soil substrate, which has coco choir as one of the ingredients. Ken & Barbie love it. I will get their picture once they decide to come out of it together. LOL

Yes I have made it a bit more wet than was suggested on packaging so the terrarium is more humid then required. Busy dehumidifying it. LOL

I wanted to attach the picture of the substrate brand, but don't know how. please advise.

Thanks once again.