Pettex reptile substrate

Davidhunter581

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Any one else use this? Good reviews online. Thinking of mixing it with orchid bark. Was using aspen shaving but was very dry. I have a Russian tort.
 

JaymeFrances

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I'm no expert but from what I've learned from this forum so far anything branded as a reptile substrate is possibly not your best option. I use coco coir as advised by the experts here and find it very easy to keep at the right moisture (forgive me for the fact that that isn't grammatically correct!)
 

JoesMum

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Pettex's Tortoise substrate contains white bits - calcium - which sounds like a great idea until you think about it.

Why on earth would you want to encourage your tort to eat the substrate? You don't! No white bits and no small stones in substrate is a hard and fast rule.

Your best bets are plain coco coir or fine grade orchid bark. Buy them from a garden centre or DIY store, or even from Amazon, and you will save yourself a fortune over the ones sold specifically for torts - pictures of torts clearly cost a lot to print on bags :rolleyes:

To make substrate damp you must take all the decor out and then tip some water in from a jug. Mix into the substrate thoroughly with your hands. Keep adding more water and mixing until all of it is damp.

Use a plant water spray bottle a couple of times a day to slow the rate at which it dries out. You will need to repeat the jug of water mixing every few weeks.

Obviously, a closed chamber retains the humidity and keeps the substrate damp longer than an open tortoise table.
 

Davidhunter581

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Thanks I bought the coco coir in block form. Really plumps up when you add the water. George seems to like it, but has a lot of fibres in it. That normal? Very soft. Using it on a tort table. I also added some orchid bark, but he doesn't seem to like that and tries to move it away from his basking stone if it goes on it :L
 

Tom

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Fibers are normal.

I don't like coco coir for adult russians because it is too messy. It would be my second choice though. Make a thick layer and hand pack it down. After about two weeks it will be less messy.

Fine grade orchid bark works best. All by itself.
 

JoesMum

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Thanks I bought the coco coir in block form. Really plumps up when you add the water. George seems to like it, but has a lot of fibres in it. That normal? Very soft. Using it on a tort table. I also added some orchid bark, but he doesn't seem to like that and tries to move it away from his basking stone if it goes on it :L
That's normal. Surrounding the water dish with stones (too big to eat and not white!) helps to stop the substrate being dragged in as your your tort goes about trashing your carefully arranged table.
 

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