Substrate

[Rosemarie. Wright]

hi I was wondering if anyone can help I am looking for a good substrate for outside tortoise table,I have built a large table with lot of holes drilled in the bottom for drainage,I stand each leg in water to stop slugs climbing up and eating their food. Half of the table is removable pvc and it has a large house. Last year I used sand and topsoil mix with a little turf planted but this stayed quite wet.my Herman tortoises didn't seem to mind as they laid eggs, but I worry about this. So can anyone suggest a well draining substrate for when they wake in spring. Thank you

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Lava rocks under substrate are good for drainage, but you will still have trouble, depending on how you've built the base. I think substrate drainage is less of an issue than overall drainage.

How bad are your slugs? Your life will be much easier if you could just build a secure enclosure on the ground, like most of us do. Weight concerns with a raised enclosure seem problematic.

An enclosure photo would help.

 

[Rosemarie. Wright]

Lava rocks under substrate are good for drainage, but you will still have trouble, depending on how you've built the base. I think substrate drainage is less of an issue than overall drainage.

How bad are your slugs? Your life will be much easier if you could just build a secure enclosure on the ground, like most of us do. Weight concerns with a raised enclosure seem problematic.

An enclosure photo would help.

Hi thank you, slugs are a massive problem I did have a safe enclosure on the ground for about eight years but their food was eaten by hundreds of slugs and what wasn't eaten was ruined by slime. I would send a photo but I am not sure how to, thanks again

 

[Tom]

There are all sorts of non-poinsonous remedies for slugs. Have you ever looked into these? I recall something about beer in a saucer...

 

[Rosemarie. Wright]

There are all sorts of non-poinsonous remedies for slugs. Have you ever looked into these? I recall something about beer in a saucer...

Yes I have tried the beer and many others but the slugs always win. Thank you for replying

 

[Yvonne G]

I like orchid bark. It comes in three bark sizes, small, medium and large. I prefer the small as it's easier for them to walk on, and because it's small, over time some of it breaks down and starts to look like soil. I think this would be a good substrate for your tort table because it would drain well.

 

[Rosemarie. Wright]

I like orchid bark. It comes in three bark sizes, small, medium and large. I prefer the small as it's easier for them to walk on, and because it's small, over time some of it breaks down and starts to look like soil. I think this would be a good substrate for your tort table because it would drain well.

Thank you so much Yvonne I will try this this summer

 

[Rosemarie. Wright]

Thank you so much Yvonne I will try this this summer

Hi Yvonne I was wondering if you could help me again. I have just had 2 70 litre bags of fine orchid bark delivered but it seems to have pine on the sack, do you happen to know if this is save ? Thank you

Thank you so much Yvonne I will try this this summer