Using sandboxsand as bedding, a good idea?

[Akuma]

So I got the tip that sandboxsand might be a better idea rather than spending literally thousands of dollars on high-premium reptile sand from reptile shops. (the only thing available here)

I found a home-depot shop and I had a look at their sandbox sand.
Rather than showing picture of it, I made a video about it and I would really like to know from all you people if you recommend this sand to be used for my tortoise.

Link Windows Media Video (Low-Fi Video 320x240) 8 MB
Mirror (Slow Swedish Server)

High Definition Video (640x480 28MB)

 

[spring pace]

childrens sand box palysand is great, its been sanitized and washed, its the least expensive and many of us use it for our smaller/medium/baby sized torts. your tort will do well on it mixed 50/50% w/ my favorite coir (mulched coconut husks) or a high quality top soil w/ NO additives or feritlizers. theres no chance of impaction, holds the humidity the best and only needs to be changed out every 6 mos or so or when it gets stinky. smiles

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, that's the type of sand that we recommend. However, just using straight sand isn't a good idea. Sand can cause impaction if the tortoise ingests it.

Mix it with either clean dirt from outside, or coconut coir (Bed-A-Beast).

Yvonne

 

[tortoisenerd]

Glad you found some! That looks like the stuff. Large particles and clean. Anything safe for kids should be safe for a tort! Agree you now need to focus on what to use for the moist part. The coconut chips you linked on the other thread are ok, but if you have other options for smaller particles (less rounded) I would get those. The kind in the brick is ideal. Or, as said above, organic soil is another option. Also available at home improvement stores.

 

[Akuma]

Should the ground soil be free from Peat? All the top soil types I have found have around 55% peat in them. Is that okay for a tortoise?

 

[bettinge]

I use the Home Depot playbox sand with dirt from the yard! Mixed about 50/50, nothing too exact. I make the soil in their sleeping area a bit looser by using maybe 60/40 sand soil! That way it is easier for them to bourgh when its too hot or too cool!

I do not sanitize the soil from the yard. While in theory, that sounds good, most people on this forum seem to house their torts outside in their yard!

 

[spring pace]

im not familiar w/ peat, i know lots use it, find out if its pine based, if not then its OK, as long as it holds mositure and is deep enough. pine is toxic to torts, can cause blindness or death