Perfect Russian Tortoise Substrate?!?!? Dry? Moist? How thick?

BShepherd

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Hello, I am new to the forum and finding it very insightful. I have been wanting a Russian Tortoise for awhile. I am planning on getting a habitat enclosure all set up in the next couple of months and once every thing I prepared and researched I will be bringing home a Russian Tortoise, to join our family

I am really curious about the perfect substrate to use.

1. If I use Coco Coir, should it be mixed with anything else?
2. Should it be kept dry or wet? I have heard some say dry, some say wet, some say moist. Opinions?!?!
3. How deep should substrate be in my inside enclosure?
4. How often should it be changed?
5. I am getting a kiddie pool for a temporary outside sun basking area for my tortoise to use on warm days. Should it have a different substrate? Or the same as inside?
 

Yellow Turtle01

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I use plain coco coir my russian! It hold humidity sooo well, it's digestible, and it smells nice :p
The best way to tell if your (IMHO!) coir is too wet is to pick it up, and squeeze. if water drips out, too wet. If it's too dry, it'll just fall down. It should hold a shape in your hand, and not drip.
I spot clean his poop and food once a day, and clean once a year. It's not very dirty, really.
I just have him on the ground itself outside, with twohigh cinder block walls.
Please read this- http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
 

Jodie

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Coco coir is great all by itself. For a kiddie pool outsie i would use coir as wll. Make sure there are plenty of places to hide and get away from the sun. I don't have Russians,but believe they like to dig, so deeper substrate is better. Good luck and good job doing your research ahead of time.
 

Yellow Turtle01

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Yep, they love to dig! They are little escape artists, so be careful outside. Funny thing, my russain doesn't like to dig outdoors! So your guy may want more or less substrate depending on what he likes to do.
 

Tom

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Indoors I would use plain coco coir for a smaller one, or plain coco chips or orchid bark for and adult. I like a depth of at least 4" for smaller ones and more for bigger ones, and I hand pack it. Keep it damp, but not wet.

Outdoors I would use yard dirt.

I spot clean it as needed and never replace it until that tortoise moves out of that enclosure.

Here is a care sheet and another thread for you:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
 

macky9326

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So your telling me I've been spending a fortune on pro rep stuff when I can get a plain 50L bag of coco coir for£11.99???

Because his current substrate isn't deep enough and I need new did so if you guys are recommending that for an indoor enclosure???
 

jeffjeff

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indoors i use coco coir mostly. i have about 6-8 inch and wet it using a kiddy watering can. i try to keep it damp enough you can pack it together like a snow ball but it will crumble and fall apart easily if u drop it. this seems to work after an hrs or so the top is dry but still damp under neath. i water it while he is having a soak that way the water soaks in to the coir before he goes back in. out side its just the top soil that was already there.
 

Jodie

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So your telling me I've been spending a fortune on pro rep stuff when I can get a plain 50L bag of coco coir for£11.99???

Because his current substrate isn't deep enough and I need new did so if you guys are recommending that for an indoor enclosure???
A lot of supplies can be purchased a lot less expensive at the hardware store. Thermometers is another big one.
 

Yellow Turtle01

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So your telling me I've been spending a fortune on pro rep stuff when I can get a plain 50L bag of coco coir for£11.99???

Because his current substrate isn't deep enough and I need new did so if you guys are recommending that for an indoor enclosure???
Yep. Coco coir is super cheap if you look in the right place :D Another things at hardware stores if you have a super high wattage bulb (the 250w lamps at stores are so expensive!) they'll have 200w+ for cheap at livestock stores for baby chickens and such.
 

Magilla504

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I have recently been experimenting with different substrates for my Russians.Right now I have about 75 percent peat moss with coir being the other 25. Seems to hold humidity pretty well in my tortoise table. I'll lightly top with cypress mulch . I buy the peat moss for 10 bucks at lowes and a bag of cypress mulch is about 4 or 5 bucks.
 

Tom

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So your telling me I've been spending a fortune on pro rep stuff when I can get a plain 50L bag of coco coir for£11.99???

Because his current substrate isn't deep enough and I need new did so if you guys are recommending that for an indoor enclosure???

Yes on both questions.
 

HuyckB04

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I've read in other forums that plain coco coir is the way to go, but it can be mixed with equal part sand. I'm using plain coir. As for the humidity, I'm not sure. I've read that adding humidity to a russian tortoise's substrate causes respiratory infections and should be avoided. I've also read that it needs a good misting once a day. Another place said to only humidify the hide. So...yeah. Good question.
 

russian/sulcata/tortoise

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I've read in other forums that plain coco coir is the way to go, but it can be mixed with equal part sand. I'm using plain coir. As for the humidity, I'm not sure. I've read that adding humidity to a russian tortoise's substrate causes respiratory infections and should be avoided. I've also read that it needs a good misting once a day. Another place said to only humidify the hide. So...yeah. Good question.
i would have to disagree adding sand to a torts cage because the tort may eat the sand and that can harm the torts intestines. also there should be some humidity in a russians enclosure, usually less then other species.:):tort:
 

Jodie

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I've read in other forums that plain coco coir is the way to go, but it can be mixed with equal part sand. I'm using plain coir. As for the humidity, I'm not sure. I've read that adding humidity to a russian tortoise's substrate causes respiratory infections and should be avoided. I've also read that it needs a good misting once a day. Another place said to only humidify the hide. So...yeah. Good question.
Sand can cause implantation, so is not a great option. As long as the temperature is kept warm, there is no problem with high humidity. Humidity prevents pyramiding
 

leigti

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Yep. Coco coir is super cheap if you look in the right place :D Another things at hardware stores if you have a super high wattage bulb (the 250w lamps at stores are so expensive!) they'll have 200w+ for cheap at livestock stores for baby chickens and such.
250 W is a really hot bulb. You would need a huge enclosure for a bulb like that and it would have to be far away from your tortoise or else you will cook him.maybe I misunderstood what you were saying but I just had to put that out there.
 

Yellow Turtle01

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250 W is a really hot bulb. You would need a huge enclosure for a bulb like that and it would have to be far away from your tortoise or else you will cook him.maybe I misunderstood what you were saying but I just had to put that out there.
:D No, not a bulb, but a lamp fixture to hold the bulb. Even if I only have a 60w bulb, I always get the highest wattage lamp... just to be safe :)
 

Kylee L.

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SO GLAD I came across this thread!! I'm having the exact same issues, I thought torts were dry climate creatures but I keep reading about wet enclosues?? So as long as they are soaked a few times a week and are kept nice a cozy warm I dont need to wet the substrate all the time? I will get the coco coir for sure! :) thank you everyone for the help!
 
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