Tips to keep substrate out of food dish?

[mommybeegs]

I use coco coir (organic) subsrate and I am having an issue with keeping it out of his food and water dish (which he does drink out of to my surprise) are there and tricks to keep it out? Or do I just need to feed and "water" him multiple times a day outside of his house? I feed him ten minutes in the morning an ten in the evening but I always make sure he has water.

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Also is this substrate harmful if ingested?

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

I stopped using coir because it was always in the water and food dish and stained my tortoises. I use cypress and it definitely does not hold the humidity like the coco coir but is much neater and easier to spot clean.

 

[mommybeegs]

Okay what if I maybe mixed the two? And I've heard cypress is not good for them? Also, will either substrate harm my tortoise If he ingests it?

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*not necessarily mix the two but put the cypress around the food and water area to minimize the amount that gets into the dishes

 

[biochemnerd808]

I put river rocks around the area where the food rock is. That way the tortoises have to walk across the river rocks first, and most of the coir gets knocked off of their messy little feed.

I also use a dollar-store wide paintbrush to sweep off the basking rock and the food rock. That might be a good job for kids, too...

Okay what if I maybe mixed the two? And I've heard cypress is not good for them? Also, will either substrate harm my tortoise If he ingests it?

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*not necessarily mix the two but put the cypress around the food and water area to minimize the amount that gets into the dishes

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[mommybeegs]

Great idea thanks!!!

 

[Spn785]

Okay what if I maybe mixed the two? And I've heard cypress is not good for them? Also, will either substrate harm my tortoise If he ingests it?

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*not necessarily mix the two but put the cypress around the food and water area to minimize the amount that gets into the dishes

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Cypress is a good substrate, it is Cedar that is bad. But I probably wouldn't use cypress either since they can't dig into that as well as coco coir or dirt.

 

[mommybeegs]

Just found the solution!!! If I put the coco coir UNDER the cypress, his home will still hold the humidity but it won't get everywhere unless he digs to it! So I'm gonna try that next week. Just ordered some cypress! Thanks everyone!