Topsoil and peat moss = mud pit?

[Metz]

It's pretty impossible to "dirt-proof" the food and water dishes (and if there's a way, you're a genius and please tell me your secret). However, to keep it a little cleaner, I do mulch around the dishes or put down long-fiber sphagnum moss to act as a rug. The dishes still get a bit dirty.. there's no getting around that, but they're washed on a daily basis. If you get frustrated at the mess, just look at how adorable your tort looks with substrate all over him/her

Use carpet. I swear it works. Easy to clean up the mess and is a good grip for them. Vet approved !!!

 

[leigti]

Use carpet. I swear it works. Easy to clean up the mess and is a good grip for them. Vet approved !!!

Are you talking about reptile carpet? I've seen it but I didn't really know if it would be appropriate to use.I would only use it around the water and food bowls.

 

[Tom]

After reading recommendations here, we decided to go with topsoil and sphagnum moss. And then didn't realise that there was a difference between sphagnum moss and sphagnum peat moss (because the French labels don't distinguish). But somehow, even as I was setting up the tank, I didn't realise that the first thing she would do is track dirt everywhere and her food dish and water bowl would end up a mud pit.

This is why I don't like either of those. I prefer orchid bark. Or coco coir. I like the orchid bark because the bottom layers can be damp to add humidity, while the top layer is relatively dry.

 

[Tom]

Use carpet. I swear it works. Easy to clean up the mess and is a good grip for them. Vet approved !!!

Too dry and some torts try to eat it. They can also get tangled in it when it unravels. Most vets know diddly squat about tortoises and often recommend things that are bad for them. Sorry. Don't intend to sound overly harsh, but carpet is not good advice.

 

[Metz]

Too dry and some torts try to eat it. They can also get tangled in it when it unravels. Most vets know diddly squat about tortoises and often recommend things that are bad for them. Sorry. Don't intend to sound overly harsh, but carpet is not good advice.

No worries. I don't use thick carpet. Each to there own but it's awesome and works great for me.

 

[Tom]

No worries. I don't use thick carpet. Each to there own but it's awesome and works great for me.

Metz, Would you post some more pics of your tortoise in another thread of your own. Looking at you avatar pic, I don't think its working as well for you as you think. This thread is not the place to discuss it though.

 

[Len B]

Metz, Would you post some more pics of your tortoise in another thread of your own. Looking at you avatar pic, I don't think its working as well for you as you think. This thread is not the place to discuss it though.

Sorry Tom, I have to ask why you are assuming that this tortoise (the avatar) is now being raised the wrong way? maybe it is a rescue, an old pic or something else. Please don't scare the new members away. I don't see carpet in the pic.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

If you put sml rocks in there the tort will eat them so put some large flat rocks like slate ( stepping stones ) your sapose to ring it out before you put it in the tank , but sooner or later you will add water and get the same problem again so I would use stepping stones . Have a great tort day !


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[Tom]

Sorry Tom, I have to ask why you are assuming that this tortoise (the avatar) is now being raised the wrong way? maybe it is a rescue, an old pic or something else. Please don't scare the new members away. I don't see carpet in the pic.

If its on carpet its too dry. Something was wrong in this tortoises history to make it pyramid like it has, and now this new member wants to advise people to make the same mistake he has made or is making. Not trying to scare anyone away. Trying to stop the flow of bad advice.

 

[Len B]

If its on carpet its too dry. Something was wrong in this tortoises history to make it pyramid like it has, and now this new member wants to advise people to make the same mistake he has made or is making. Not trying to scare anyone away. Trying to stop the flow of bad advice.

I see the same things that you see, I don't advise to use carpet, But I don't know who raised this tortoise. You are sure that Metz did, and that Metz is male ? I'm not, I don't know the facts, their history, or gender of either of them. I try never to assume, no one should, but it happens a lot.

 

[Tom]

I see the same things that you see, I don't advise to use carpet, But I don't know who raised this tortoise. You are sure that Metz did, and that Metz is male ? I'm not, I don't know the facts, their history, or gender of either of them. I try never to assume, no one should, but it happens a lot.

I made no assumptions about who did what. But it is apparent that someone did something. That is why I requested more photos and info. No one has been condemned or accused of anything. Someone caused the tortoise to grow pyramided, and keeping it on carpet is not going to help anything. I assumed nothing about what Metz has or hasn't done. I'm only going by what we've been told which is that the tortoise is currently on carpet, and Metz thinks its working "great".

If you'd like to handle this a different way, then by all means, lead by example my friend.

 

[Len B]

Maybe I am reading a different thread than you. A couple people were talking about how to keep substrate out of the food and water dishes, No one mentioned that carpet or rocks or pebbles, should be used in the entire enclosure as I read it, just around the dishes to help keep the substrate out. ---You did say,"I don't think it's working as well for you as you think"-- Is this not an assumption of improper care by Metz.

 

[Metz]

I see the same things that you see, I don't advise to use carpet, But I don't know who raised this tortoise. You are sure that Metz did, and that Metz is male ? I'm not, I don't know the facts, their history, or gender of either of them. I try never to assume, no one should, but it happens a lot.

Thank you for your support. I'm a girl and I have spoke to my vet and the people at the zoo regarding her home. I don't feel I'm giving bad advice. It was a suggestion and there r many kinds if carpets don't think that I am using a chunky thick one. She's got rocks and soil in another part of her home. I'm finding certain people on here to be very judging. It was only a suggestion.

 

[Turtlepete]

I'm finding certain people on here to be very judging. It was only a suggestion.

Please excuse those on this forum that lack manners, and understand that thats NOT the majority of people here.

Regarding carpet, certain kinds of indoor/outdoor carpet can be acceptable for reptiles, but not as an overall substrate, as it's just not going to provide humidity and proper microclimates. It's just really not natural. Using it in small places, like around food dishes and water bowls, might work out, but avoid using it as an overall substrate. .

Regarding the rest of this thread, would someone please explain to me why the top layer needs to stay "dry"? I see this idea getting tossed around with reds, and I'm quite curious. I've raised a whole lot of reds on a pretty darn moist top layer….Usually peat moss and finely ground cypress mulch or spaghum moss….
Wonder who keeps the ground in the wild dry for them….

 

[Yvonne G]

Pete: some new and inexperienced tortoise keepers have trouble with shell rot when keeping their RF tortoises on wet substrate.

 

[Amanda81]

I had the same problem with my food and water dishes getting destroyed, turning into a mud pit. I elevated my food and water area with large flat rock and made a platform with a 16x16 ceramic tile with a textured finish (so they done slip in it) placed their dishes on the tile, works great. They have to walk on the rocks to get to their food which catches the dirt and then what mess they make with their food is an easy clean up, I wet the tile, wait a minute, then wipe up. I will always use this set up, it's great!!