Tortoise Substrate?

Question

I am currently using coconut mulch for a substrate but i am unhappy with it. What has worked best for you?

I have also seen some tortoise owners using a dirt and sand mixture for substrate. Do you think this would be good?

Answer 1

Reptile carpet.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752642&cp=2767037.2769277&fbn=Taxonomy|Substrate&fbc=1&clickid=topnav_dropdown5_link6&parentPage=family&keepsr=1

It comes in a roll for larger cages.
It's washable, and can't be swallowed. The only thing is that it doesn't hold humidity as well as some of the other substrates. To solve this, get some moss from the pet store, and use a plant mister to keep it moist, I've never had a problem. A large handful is all you need for humidity purposes, but it needs to be replaced every 2-3 weeks or so.

Answer 2

What kind of tortoise?

For young Red-foots, I use shredded long-fiber sphagnum moss (not peat) that has been well-moistened.

For my bigger indoor habitat, I use a mix. I combine clean playground sand with an equal weight of coconut coir (Bed-a-Beast) that is well-soaked. Then, I cover the sand mix with soft shredded tropical barks (Repti-Bark, or whatever I can get on sale).

This gives me a soil mix that stays nice and damp for humidity, but offers a dry surface for the tortoises to walk on.

If I was aiming for a dryer habitat, or a bigger pen, I would use a different mix.

Try http://www.tortoisetrust.org for other ideas.

Answer 3

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it tells you how to learn a method to see what your animal wants to eat.....