Cypress mulch

[sarah w.]

is there a certain brand or type of cypress mulch recommended for red foot tortoise enclosures? I was thinking doing half top soil and half cypress mulch but I was wondering if I need certain types of either?

Thanks!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Outdoor enclosure?
I frankly buy whatever is on sale. I used to be super worried about the colored ones being dyed,etc. but I've found that it all works pretty well.
Indoors, however, I use ORCHID BARK. Indoors would be a more confined area and I like the low odor and smaller chunks.
Outdoors, mulch and soil.(Not play sand) work very well for me.

 

[sarah w.]

It's an indoor enclosure. So you recommend orchid bark.

Any certain one?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

It's an indoor enclosure. So you recommend orchid bark.

Any certain one?

I buy bags of it from home Depot.
But no. It wouldn't matter as long as it has no additives.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I like Orchid bark for its size and the fact that it is very absorbent and does not get moldy or fouled. So it doesn't need to be changed frequently....If at all.

 

[sarah w.]

Does it do well for humidity? I was thinking doing half the enclosure with top soil. Opinions?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Does it do well for humidity? I was thinking doing half the enclosure with top soil. Opinions?

It holds the moisture like a sponge. It's GREAT for holding humidity. I'd layer it like I described with a layer of Orchid bark a few inches deep covered by a layer of the soil or soil with a little bark mixed in it. remember that you don't want the top layer to be uniformly wet.