Thebiodude substrates

Redfootguy123

New Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2021
Messages
16
Location (City and/or State)
South Carolina
Hey y’all, I posted here a while ago talking about turning my viv Bioactive, & I’m finally getting around to doing it. I don’t have the time or wherewithal to crate a soil that I am confident is safe myself & I use thebiodude’s terra Sahara for my bearded dragon which has been great (& for any of y’all that are in the same position with having a bearded dragon and not wanting to make it yourself, I highly suggest. Seen his activity level skyrocket he seems much happier/digs all the time) so I’m thinking I could just use one of his for my baby redfoot, but I’m not sure which of his substrates to use.

They suggest the terra Firma (https://www.thebiodude.com/collections/bioactive-substrates/products/terra-firma-6-qt-bag) but I think it might not be as ideal when considering the humidity level required. Should I go for the terra Firma, or should I get the fauna (https://www.thebiodude.com/collections/bioactive-substrates/products/terra-fauna-6-qt-bag). I also considered the terra flora (https://www.thebiodude.com/collections/bioactive-substrates/products/terra-flora-6-qt-bag) but I think it’s for more swamp-like environments like if I were to keep a dart frog.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I'm just not Familiar enough with any of these products to offer any advice. And it seems I'm not alone.
I've only used Orchid bark and some coco coir for my Redfoot. And not for very long because my tortoises all live outdoors now. But it seems to me that if you wanted to drop in a few Isopods in there for a mini cleaning crew, I see no harm.
The thing is that Orchid bark is long lasting with a little spot cleaning here and there and doesn't grow mold. A full on indoors bio system might be overkill or at least an unnecessary complexity.
My reccomendation is to use pure Orchid bark in a closed chamber enclosure and keep it simple.
But as long as you keep your target temperature of 80 to 84 and your humidity of at least 70%, how you achieve that is up to you.
 

Redfootguy123

New Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2021
Messages
16
Location (City and/or State)
South Carolina
I'm just not Familiar enough with any of these products to offer any advice. And it seems I'm not alone.
I've only used Orchid bark and some coco coir for my Redfoot. And not for very long because my tortoises all live outdoors now. But it seems to me that if you wanted to drop in a few Isopods in there for a mini cleaning crew, I see no harm.
The thing is that Orchid bark is long lasting with a little spot cleaning here and there and doesn't grow mold. A full on indoors bio system might be overkill or at least an unnecessary complexity.
My reccomendation is to use pure Orchid bark in a closed chamber enclosure and keep it simple.
But as long as you keep your target temperature of 80 to 84 and your humidity of at least 70%, how you achieve that is up to you.
Thanks for the advice! I’m used to spoiling my animals so I go a little overkill sometimes with what to get them/put in their enclosure when another option is just as good lol
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Thanks for the advice! I’m used to spoiling my animals so I go a little overkill sometimes with what to get them/put in their enclosure when another option is just as good lol
I also keep old world Chameleons.
Their care is more involved than a hospital intensive care unit.
I totally understand
 

aericson02

New Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2022
Messages
2
Location (City and/or State)
Columbus, GA
I've used biodude substrate before and it is pretty nice…. That being said, in my opinion, it is quite expensive for a relatively small amount. I used some for my Uromastyx enclosure a few years ago and it worked well for a while. His substrates have small amounts of charcoal in the mixture and I personally really dislike when there is charcoal in any of my substrates. I found it much easier, cheaper, and safer to mix my own. That way I know exactly what I'm exposing my babies to. It's also just much more financially friendly to make your own. For instance, I can spend less than $20 (US) and end up with a fairly large amount of quality substrate.
Hope this helps! 🙂
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
+1 for just making your own. You could probably get away with coconut coir, sphagnum moss, orchid bark, and charcoal if you desire it. I am going to be controversial and say that a small amount of sand would make this mix better for plants, but you would not want a significant or noticeable amount. Sand is an impaction risk and can irritate skin and eyes, so you would really want to make sure your tortoise is not eating the substrate and that the ratio of sand to everything else is very low, and that’s if you wanted to risk it. I’ve made bioactive mixes on a smaller scale without sand that worked fine for the amount of time I had them.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
Moderator
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
28,938
Location (City and/or State)
South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
I've used biodude substrate before and it is pretty nice…. That being said, in my opinion, it is quite expensive for a relatively small amount. I used some for my Uromastyx enclosure a few years ago and it worked well for a while. His substrates have small amounts of charcoal in the mixture and I personally really dislike when there is charcoal in any of my substrates. I found it much easier, cheaper, and safer to mix my own. That way I know exactly what I'm exposing my babies to. It's also just much more financially friendly to make your own. For instance, I can spend less than $20 (US) and end up with a fairly large amount of quality substrate.
Hope this helps! 🙂
My Uromastyx lived on sand in a super hot, super dry enclosure. With buried PVC tunnels.
What substrate have you settled on?
 

aericson02

New Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2022
Messages
2
Location (City and/or State)
Columbus, GA
My Uromastyx lived on sand in a super hot, super dry enclosure. With buried PVC tunnels.
What substrate have you settled on?

My Uromastyx lived on sand in a super hot, super dry enclosure. With buried PVC tunnels.
What substrate have you settled on?
I use blankets made of material that won't snag on my Mali’s nails or tail. I made him a dig box that stays in his enclosure to provide him with a place to fulfill his digging and burrowing needs. I make my own substrate using washed play sand, I did use eco-earth when it wasn't insanely expensive… but lately, I have switched to good old organic topsoil. Then I add organic peat moss. I put slate or tile for basking and occasionally a handful of large pieces of gravel. I also keep some large pieces of Mopani wood for climbing and for him to rub against for shedding and femoral pore cleaning. I've learned to kind of play around with the mixture and see what works best for him. He is approximately 15 years old so I have to adjust his environment periodically depending on his specific needs since he's an old man now. Haha
Anyway, the short answer to the question is topsoil, washed play sand, and organic peat moss mixed. Be sure to always sterilize any substrate before introducing it into your pet's environment
 

New Posts

Top