Aspen for Bedding? Baby Tort... :)

[Lady Thompson]

Hi, I'm having some difficulties finding a good substrate for my 3 month old Tortoise. The coco coir has caused eye problems and he is temporary on paper towels. Is Aspen ok?

I am just wondering if anyone likes it or uses it, etc? Thank you

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Can it get moist and stay moist to create the needed humidity? Can you find orchid bark at a local nursery?

 

[Lady Thompson]

Orchid bark??? Do you mean what they plant orchid's in? Yes I"m sure I can. But I was housing him on coco coir and keeping it nice and moist. So much that it stuck to his eyes and got grit in them. I'm afraid to use it now. So I don't want to buy something that holds that much moisture. If that makes sense?

 

[Lady Thompson]

do you have a link of the orchid bark... thanks
I want to make sure I pick up the correct kind. I am scared of getting one with fertilizers. we went all over before we started using coco coir to find topsoil and could NOT find one soil without fertilizers or perilite in it. so frustrating.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I have never heard of coir causing any eye problems. Tortoises live in/on dirst. It is boubd to get in their eyes at times. I have been keeping tortoises and turtles on orchid bark for a lot of years. My family has been in turtle and tortoise rescue for 35 years or so, at first we used rabbit pellets, then found out that that was wrong so have been using orchid bark since then. I keep Sulcata, desert type tortoises and 1 Hermanni and they are all kept on moist orchid bark. I also keep 3 sub-species of box turtles all on WET orchid bark, here again not ever a problem. I have a female adult T. ornata and a hatchling Eastern box turtle and both bury themselves completely in the wet orchid bark and again, never a problem. So I personally swear by the stuff...
I realize I am not a Vet, but I am somewhat experienced and I believe your eye problems were caused by the spiral bulb, not the coir. Just my experience...

 

[lynnedit]

Orchids are very sensitive, so Orchid bark has to be fairly pure. Get the fine orchid bark, not chunks. It is very similar to dirt.
Whitney farms is a good brand, but I am sure there are others.

Maggie's suggestion is good; the coil bulb is a more likely cause.
Aspen is OK in a small section of an enclosure, but I think it is just too dry as the main substrate.

 

[Yvonne G]

If you want to follow your vet's suggestion, use the aspen , but use moistened sphagnum moss inside the hiding place. Quite a few tortoise-keepers use aspen bedding for the Greek and hermanns tortoises. (I swear by orchid bark)

 

[Lady Thompson]

Sounds good! Thank you. I will try to find some tomorrow.