russian substrate!

[chase thorn]

i have been using cypress mulch for now... i don't know if he really likes it all that much...
but i was thinking of trying to use 70% miracle grow organic soil...and 30% coco coir!

would it be better and more like a Russians natural habitat and easier to burrow? the other thing is, if i were to change it, would it stick to his food like the mulch does?

what have you had better luck with??

Thanks again!

 

[Edna]

Right now I'm using approximately equal parts of coir, cypress mulch, and MG organic soil. It's nice, holds moisture well. Yes, it all sticks to their food so they ingest some. It seems to be small enough quantities that it just passes through.

 

[chase thorn]

Right now I'm using approximately equal parts of coir, cypress mulch, and MG organic soil. It's nice, holds moisture well. Yes, it all sticks to their food so they ingest some. It seems to be small enough quantities that it just passes through.

that sounds pretty swell! might have to give that a try!

 

[lynnedit]

I use kind of a mix: cypress mulch in one area, and coir/topsoil in another, kind of divided by larger flat stones (several inches). But you could mix them all together. Torts will make a mess no matter what you do!

 

[chase thorn]

I use kind of a mix: cypress mulch in one area, and coir/topsoil in another, kind of divided by larger flat stones (several inches). But you could mix them all together. Torts will make a mess no matter what you do!

ohh yes i am very aware!! i think the mulch itself gets a little to dry... soil and coco coir could help with moisture i think yes? :]

 

[lynnedit]

yes, coir is very good at holding moisture, it will make a nice combination.

 

[zoogrl]

I use 50/50 coconut coir & topsoil. I got the topsoil from walmart where the potting soil is. I would check with someone about the miracle grow soil, I used to have a "garden" inside for my russian in the winter & had it potted with the miracle grow moisture control soil. While she was grazing she got a taste of something nasty & had spit bubbles & was pawing at her mouth. I was so scared I hurt her & called my reptile vet. She was fine, I over reacted a little (as I tend to do when it comes to the pets) I haven't used that soil for any of her stuff since & have had no other troubles. I'd check first to be sure there aren't any chemicals in it that are harmful. It may have been a fluke thing with me but it's worth checking out.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I use 100% coco coir now, and my guys really seem to like it. They burrow down in it all the time, and the subsurface stays moist. I used to use soil, but fungi and flies grew in it. I also used cypress mulch in the past, but that had insects in it, too. Plus in rare cases it can transmit shell fungus. But this coco coir stuff seems great. Now that I can buy it in bulk, I think it's my new favorite substrate.

 

[Jacqui]

Myself, I like the coir with a bit of sand mixed in. I didn't like the coir plain, as I thought it dried too fast and was a bit on the dusty side. With the sand it holds the moisture better I think. My Russians seem to like it along with doing well on it.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Myself, I like the coir with a bit of sand mixed in. I didn't like the coir plain, as I thought it dried too fast and was a bit on the dusty side. With the sand it holds the moisture better I think. My Russians seem to like it along with doing well on it.

I have a layer of coco coir about 6" deep in my Russian tortoises' enclosures. This seems to work well. The top few mm do dry out after a couple hours, but the subsurface layers stay moist and seem to provide a nice, humid microclimate. My tortoises' skin and shell seem to be in good condition when they come out of hiding.

 

[chase thorn]

my main reason for switching is.
-mites
-dries rapidly fast
-splinters
- the dust
- and impacting....
i love cypress but i like the 60% topsoil and 30% coco idea. percentage can change as to seeing what the mix does!

 

[Jacqui]

Myself, I like the coir with a bit of sand mixed in. I didn't like the coir plain, as I thought it dried too fast and was a bit on the dusty side. With the sand it holds the moisture better I think. My Russians seem to like it along with doing well on it.

I have a layer of coco coir about 6" deep in my Russian tortoises' enclosures. This seems to work well. The top few mm do dry out after a couple hours, but the subsurface layers stay moist and seem to provide a nice, humid microclimate. My tortoises' skin and shell seem to be in good condition when they come out of hiding.

But it's that dry few mm that cause the problems to me. After all the surface is where they are eating and moving around. That's when my concerns of respiratory problems from the dust happen.

Like with everything, we all have our own mental list of what is important to us and then we all also have our own individual experience of what works best for us and our tortoises in our situations. Which is why there is such a wide variety of ways and products out there to make us and our tortoises happy.

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my main reason for switching is.
-mites
-dries rapidly fast
-splinters
- the dust
- and impacting....
i love cypress but i like the 60% topsoil and 30% coco idea. percentage can change as to seeing what the mix does!

Being open to change as you work with the substrate is always the way to go. I know I keep changing and trying new things (like the bio is my current biggest experiment currently)

 

[Claireabbo]

I use 100% coco coir now, and my guys really seem to like it. They burrow down in it all the time, and the subsurface stays moist. I used to use soil, but fungi and flies grew in it. I also used cypress mulch in the past, but that had insects in it, too. Plus in rare cases it can transmit shell fungus. But this coco coir stuff seems great. Now that I can buy it in bulk, I think it's my new favorite substrate.

thats what i think too! my little guy LOVES it and its alot cheaper than the cypress and since your from CO i think were on the same page with humidity and such so we have the same situation and it has worked for both of us!

 

[Reptichick]

I have been reading on other websites and they say that coco coir is bad for russians because it gets stuck in their eyes. Ultimately i have become very confused. I was told to use a dirt mix of different types of top soil but I'm still a little unsure, if you guys are saying that coco coir and sand works then i will use but have you guys ever encountered it getting in their eyes?

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I have been reading on other websites and they say that coco coir is bad for russians because it gets stuck in their eyes. Ultimately i have become very confused. I was told to use a dirt mix of different types of top soil but I'm still a little unsure, if you guys are saying that coco coir and sand works then i will use but have you guys ever encountered it getting in their eyes?

Yeah, it may get in their eyes sometimes, but then so do soil, sand, and mulch. They can usually get it out on their own, though, and if not, it's easy to rinse out with water. Being underbrush and/or burrowing animals, tortoises have very resilient eyes - much more resilient than ours. I've seen them get poked in the eyes by substrate, sticks, or even the careless claws of their fellow tortoises, without ill effects. That's not to say they're invincible, of course; I have seen tortoises with eye problems, too. But I think particles of substrate like coco coir are not a big deal for them.

 

[pdrobber]

I'm thinking of adding a brick or two of coco coir to my cypress mulch...I've been having lots of little flies, even with my spot cleaning everyday...

 

[lynnedit]

Me too. I believe I read that the flies (fungus gnats) peak in winter and spring.
Too lazy to change substrate out now, but might go with the coir next fall.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I'm thinking of adding a brick or two of coco coir to my cypress mulch...I've been having lots of little flies, even with my spot cleaning everyday...

I think as long as you have cypress mulch or soil, you will have problems with fungi and fungus gnats. That's why I switched to 100% coco coir, and haven't had any of either one since.

 

[slowpoke]

one thing to do to kill the gnats befor you put it in with the torts too is to put the substrate on a cookie sheet and cook it for a few minutes kills every thing , i use one big bag of cypress mulch with 2 big bags of coco coir and havent had any problems with fungus or gnats sense i started cooking it befor puting it in the habitat ...

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oh dont leave it in the oven to long just enough to warm it to 300 degrees or it will catch fire ...