My babies!! Lol

[mainey34]

Have you tried home depot? They have it and you get a lot of it. Not trying to knock it, but have you done research on it? I didnt care for it..you may like it though. Everyone is different. Also petsmart carries it. I think it is $7.00 may be more where you are..the key to using something like that and soil is to get some large flat rocks and line them along the water dish so that they cant drag that stuff into the water...

 

[BeeBee*BeeLeaves]

Rich? Who is rich any more in America? anyone? anyone? Bueller?
I just want to add, for future reference, that bricks of coco coir are available at Target, but in the spring time. It was only 2.47 a brick. Blows me away that it is sold now for so much more. So, everyone, spring time, stock up. It was in the garden dept. near the seeds.
Those pictures are cool. And lots of nice St Augustine grass.
They look like the 3 babies that Yvonne found while she was mowing. Little triplets everywhere!
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79740.html

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PS I went to look at the brick I bought at Target. Had an extra one. It is by Burpee. And for everyone, here is the link to their website and on there it is 5.95 for two bricks. They are also having a warehouse clearance sale, so if you also garden, maybe that would also help. There were kale and collard greens seeds and more ...
http://www.burpee.com/seed-starting/

 

[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

Trust me where I live no one has it but a marijuana growing store. And its $14 for one brick

please and thank you

 

[wellington]

Where are you located? There may be someone close to your area that has found it some place you haven't thought of. Like Target, I never would have thought to look there.

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

I also hate the dirt, soil, coco coir. Beyond messy and I don't like the smell.

So, I tried three different substrates. All three super cheap and found at local (I'm rural) garden stores.

Bark chips ($4.99 for crazy huge bag)...the come in small/medium/large. I bought large. My torts love climbing and burying in them. I moistened sphagnum moss ($2.99 for huge bag), and one loves it, the other hates it.
Placing peat moss underneath for waste (many these guys urinate alot!) then adding a mixture of sphagnum and large bark chips on top.
Both tortoises favor the mixture, and the sphagnum holds the moisture well. So they both have a choice of what surface they wish. And it's not messy, water dish is reasonably clean after my 12 hour work day, and its easy to spot clean.

Hope that helps. I understand your concerns.


Sandy
Oregon Tortoise Rescue

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Just some food for thought...

You may not like the coco coir since you didn't like the top soil. The coir is much, much messier.
True you can pack it down with your hand to minimize the mess but you could have done that with the soil, too.

Sent from my TFOapp

 

[ShellyTurtlesCats]

I go for what my torts like, what I like means nothing in comparison.

_________
~ Shelly ~

 

[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

I went to target kmart home depot lowes and all nurseries nd farden stores. Here in California where I live coco coir is for marijuana so thats where ima found it haha I already called. But I still cant get it for 2 weeks.

please and thank you

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Nd okay that sounds good I will check it out. Thank u everyone.

please and thank you

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

I go for what my torts like, what I like means nothing in comparison.

_________
~ Shelly ~

I agree, but then we all gotta live in harmony. [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]
Mine spend alt of time exploring the house. I don't mind cleaning up after my critters, but I just can't handle vacuuming several times a day. And I did have the problem of cc dirt in their eyes.
I feel mine love the bark/sphagnum mixture alot better...they are certainly more eager to walk around AND both are burrowing in it, which they didn't try on cc. YAY!



Sandy
Oregon Tortoise Rescue

 

[ShellyTurtlesCats]

I soak mine before they walk around my house. This cleans them off entirely. Only thing left behind is the stained head of my light Leo, Haha.

_________
~ Shelly ~

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

I like it!!


Sandy
Oregon Tortoise Rescue

 

[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

Thank u everyone u made great suggestion I will see what I can find here nd see what works best for the babies lol

please and thank you

 

[rayneygirl]

Ok now if you work and do school and you put soil in and you come back to a dirt water bowl and little baby torts dirty and crap in there eye and all there eyes closed. Yes this was a horri ble idea from you people help us not send us messages
treating us like we are bad people cause we dont have no money to drive far and buy a 14 dollar bag and waste 20 on gas we will figure out a different substrate when we get a chance and get a lot of things for them and if you want to get mad and mock us for not having our parents buy our wants for them. now when I get rich like you people think I am ill make them a mansion to satisfy your needs and wants for them but as of now we will do little work here and there so next time you want to go off on people make sure you put into mind they dont have a silver spoon in there mouth lile you do and this is her boyfriend writing this who tales care of them night and day after or before work and school and giving the little guys a bath in carrot food so learn your facts before writing hate msgs to people who are doing everything in there power to care for them
please and thank you

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We will get the uvb long bulb but guess what we need... money for it its not free we took how much it cost and our person we talk to recommend it from the start but we were on a budget so we got what they needed the most

please and thank you

---

you're not bad people, but why would you get 3 dt hatchlings when you might not have the finances to give them the best chance at survival? also, i live in CA as well, coco coir can be found at petsmart or petco in the reptile section but i'd take a look online, you might be able to find better prices and save a few $. good luck with your babies. i had a baby that recently passed, i did everything i was told to do, i asked a lot of questions on here, had her enclosure hot and humid, she ate enthusiastically, warm soaks everyday, and still my little one slipped away after having her for 13 days. and it really sucks, i hope this does not happen to you, i truly hope your babies make it.

 

[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

Well I do have the finances for them. Just like everyone tho u get ur pay check u spend it all of them nd then u have to wait till u get ur next check. Trust me I have money so please stop saying that everyone. Im really truly sorry about ur baby I pray mine grow big and strong. What was the cause of ur babies passing ? Did u find out ?

please and thank you

 

[Yvonne G]

I just now read this thread all the way through, and I must say, I just don't understand...

All of the posts, well, MOST of the posts were helpful and informative. I'm sorry that you felt you were being picked on. That surely wasn't anyone's intent.

Now, to the coco coir.

If you go to Petsmart or any large pet store, you will find coco coir in the substrate department. It looks like a cellophane-wrapped square package, about 8" square. It is called Bed-A-Beast. It's a hard, square package.

I also have three baby desert tortoises, and right now I have them in a plastic bin with garden soil as the substrate. I have the feeding tile placed inside a circle of stones that are too big to fit in a tiny mouth. This helps to keep the dirt from being tracked into the food.

Just remember...there is no one way to take good care of your babies. You must learn what they need to grow and thrive: UVB either from the sun or from an expensive light, calcium, good food, water, a moist substrate, a couple of hiding places and exercise.

How you provide these things is up to you.

 

[ascott]

You must either live in northern california or really southern...lol......

Here in California where I live coco coir is for marijuana

You can also use good ole fashion dirt from outside....just free from chemical spays....and it is what they would live in naturally

 

[sibi]

Hi Desert Tortoise Mom, how were the babies today? Did they have fun outside today? Where are the temps in California now?

 

[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

Hi Desert Tortoise Mom, how were the babies today? Did they have fun outside today? Where are the temps in California now?

well scooby eyes opened the whole time he was outside. but they have been opening and closing the rest of the day. He ate soooo much today afterwards he must of got a good appatite. he loved his soaking tonight they all did . and the temps were in the 82 and then dropped to the 70s around the evening. the temps are getting really cold at night. but during the mid day is good. thank you for asking.

 

[sibi]

Do the babies stay outside in the cooler temps or do you bring them in for the night? I enjoyed the other thread where you posted pics of them outside and with Scooby Doo's eyes opened. If you keep him warm at night, I think his eyes will get better. Just keep doing what you're doing. I'm so happy for you both

Hi Desert Tortoise Mom, how were the babies today? Did they have fun outside today? Where are the temps in California now?

well scooby eyes opened the whole time he was outside. but they have been opening and closing the rest of the day. He ate soooo much today afterwards he must of got a good appatite. he loved his soaking tonight they all did . and the temps were in the 82 and then dropped to the 70s around the evening. the temps are getting really cold at night. but during the mid day is good. thank you for asking.

 

[New Desert Tortoise Mommy]

Thank u I hope so lol well he stays inside they all do all day nd night nd we keep it 85 at night. Nd only the weeknds we r gona be able to get them outside unfortunately but we still give him his carrot baths lol

please and thank you