Coconut Fiber - Messy, Sticking, Tortoise Struggling

[iluvtorts]

I love the coco coir but you do need to be generous with the water at first, throw that sucker into the bucket generous. The cool thing, one of our experts shared this on another thread, is that you can wash and wear. Yep, every few months, I think he said he does it every 6, he throws it in a bucket and pours boiling water, waits until the water is cool and then strains/drains. Good as new, and cleaned up.

What I did also, to have less coffee grounds, was to put in terra cotta saucers and that makes little patios: one for water, one to use for foods, one upside down under the basking area to have a warm clay saucer underneath while they "sun" and another one upside down just to have more coco coir covered. It gives my babies some exercise too, going up and down the saucers and also files their nails a little, I think. You can also use pieces of slate. While not perfect, it helps cut down on the marsh effect that one can get with the keeping it wet for the necessary humidity. Has worked well for me and the saucers are easy peasy to rinse clean.

The pellet food I agree, Mazuri would be better, but maybe use what you have there by wetting your greens and sprinkling it on top. It will stick to the greens and some will get eaten. As an amendment, can't hurt.

BurlingtonDarwin, you are a newbie, so hello and welcome. : ) You came to a great place to learn so your baby will thrive. And I believe you have a little leopard ... here is a fun link I think you will like:

http://www.pinterest.com/pietersmith/leopard-tortoise-edible-plants/

I use coconut coir mixed with cypress mulch for my red foots. im lucky. home depot sells large (about 30 lb) bags here in NM. the regular price is around $6.00. in the fall they mark it down to around $2.75. I then go in and buy as many bags as I can , so I have more than a 2 yr supply. I use the coconut coir bricks and soak in a bucket of hot water. I use about 3 bricks per bag of cypress. My redfoot table also has a misting system on a timer. the mist comes on from 3to 6 times a day depending on temperatures and humidity. My tortoise table is 3 feet wide and 19 feet long. it goes around 2 sides of a room. the substrate lasts a long time time if you pick out uneaten food and poo. I also have sow bugs and they eat waste.

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

BurlingtonDarwin, these are good suggestions ... I like iluvtorts method above ... hope they help you out! : )