Substrate

[Suebev]

I have two young African Leopards and want to check if following substrate is ok

JBL TerraBark 71024 Soil Substrate for Forest and Rainforest Terrariums Pine Bark 2 - 10 mm 20 L​

also may be being a bit dense, but how often do you change it and does it need to be damp?

 

[Tom]

Hello and welcome.

We don't have that type over here, but soil and pine bark should not be used for tortoise substrate. Fine grade orchid bark is best.

Also, tortoises should never live in pairs, so they will each need their own habitat, or you can get one or two more to make a small group.

Most of the care info you find form almost every source is all wrong. We've been doing it wrong for decades, and most of the tortoise world doesn't even realize it. Here is the correct care info for you:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions are welcome.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Regarding changing out the substrate. The best thing to do is “spot” clean. Remove the obvious fecal matter & any nasty looking food on a daily basis. Every once in awhile you can remove a quantity of substrate & refresh it with brand new substrate. Add the old substrate to your garden. So, a lot depends on your situation. But, there’s no need to remove it all & replace with new.

 

[Yvonne G]

Like maro2bear suggests, I only spot clean daily, only changing the substrate when I'm moving the inhabitant to another area/enclosure/outside/etc.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I have two young African Leopards and want to check if following substrate is ok

JBL TerraBark 71024 Soil Substrate for Forest and Rainforest Terrariums Pine Bark 2 - 10 mm 20 L​

also may be being a bit dense, but how often do you change it and does it need to be damp?

I never used pine for any indoor tortoises. I preferred damp coco coir in a bioactive enclosure for my leopards and would spot clean as needed.

My Egyptian tortoise was housed indoors on orchard bark with coco coir mixed in.

Take a look at that care sheet Tom linked for you. It's full of good info that has helped many of us raise very healthy tortoises.