Using Soil instead of cypess?

[TortoiseAddict]

Here is a pic of my current habitat and jenny really likes to cuddle up under the rose of sharon and bein the soil i was wondering if she would like this more then cypress so she could dig and such? what do you guys think also i wouldn't need the plant to stay in its pot anymore...

my habitat doesnt have that bucket anymore it has like a little burrow

 

[coreyc]

Maybe you could put organic soil in a 1/4 of enclosure give her some thing to dig in

 

[Fernando]

Yeah like Corey suggested. Or you can always just do half and half. If you notice she likes the soil more, you can put all soil in the future. Either way just use what works best for you and your Jenny

 

[Len B]

If you want to do away with the pot, you could soil the whole thing and mulch heavy over the soil on a portion of the habitat,leaving enough soil area for jenny to enjoy. If the bare soil doesn't work out you could mulch the whole thing. Len

 

[Candy]

I have Dale, Ruby and Little Eddie on soil with actually no mulch and they do fine with that. I'm with the others, if you'd like to do part of the enclosure then your tortoise can decide and let you know what she likes.

 

[TortoiseAddict]

great idea thanks for the area that is just past the plant on the right side ill prob try that side with the soil and see what she likes

 

[Madkins007]

Here are my thoughts and experience with soil...

It is really dirty, most of the time. It is heavier and harder to keep properly damp/humid without being muddy. It also always seems to pick up a scent more rapidly. The tortoise also tends to compact it quite a bit- sort of negating the digging-in part.

HOWEVER, if you go with a 'bioactive substrate', you can overcome many of these elements. By using a sandy mix of soils and mulches and a few cups of old garden soil, you can create an ecosystem where microorganisms will thrive and help digest wastes, fight pests, and change the characteristics of the soil to make it less muddy and sticky. The microorganisms colonize the sand. You can then add rolly pollys (pill bugs, sow bugs, or isopods) and worms to provide more benefits. It still compacts, so you need to stir it every month or so. There is more info on the Substrates Page of the Tortoise Library (linked in my sig.)

 

[Weldd]

I agree with Mark. I have used topsoil/cypress mulch mix with essentially all of my non-arid tortoises for many years. The additional of any sort of "living" substrate will make the overall mix "alive" in a way. I have used a compost from grass clippings/fallen leaves in the past. Just a shovel full or so. I also turn over the substrate several times a year to keep things fresh so-to-speak.

I very rarely (never) do total substrate changes in enclosures.