coconut fiber substrate mix bad ??

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Sep 17, 2020
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belleville
hello! i have a hermanns tortoise he’s small still and i got him new coconut fiber substrate, and i mixed it with his other substrate it kind of looks like wood chips, he loves the wood chips but i needed something to keep moisture in, so i got the new stuff, and i’m concerned that when he burrows to sleep at night he was inhale too much of the dust ?? i have been misting it but should i keep him ina temporary space ??? i’m scared sorry lol
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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hello! i have a hermanns tortoise he’s small still and i got him new coconut fiber substrate, and i mixed it with his other substrate it kind of looks like wood chips, he loves the wood chips but i needed something to keep moisture in, so i got the new stuff, and i’m concerned that when he burrows to sleep at night he was inhale too much of the dust ?? i have been misting it but should i keep him ina temporary space ??? i’m scared sorry lol
That compacted coconut husk usually needs to be soaked in water and then have the water squeezed out like a bath towel.
The husk will break apart more easily after doing so, be full of humidity and have no dust.
 
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belleville
it just came in a bag i tried misting it down as much as i could but i dont know he refuses to go to sleep now i’m worried that this will cause breathing problems as he loves burrow himself
 

ZEROPILOT

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it just came in a bag i tried misting it down as much as i could but i dont know he refuses to go to sleep now i’m worried that this will cause breathing problems as he loves burrow himself
I've used it before. It was hard compacted like a brick.
Is this the coconut husk you have?
Wet the coconut fiber. Itll absorb a lot of water and it'll cut way down on the dust.
 
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belleville
it’s wooden but has a plastic bottom, i mixed a good amount of water into it and mixed with my hands for like 30 minutes it’s not dusty anymore, i have him in his temporary enclosure for now, since he fell asleep, i’m hoping if i add the chips on top he will like it :D
 

Tom

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it’s wooden but has a plastic bottom, i mixed a good amount of water into it and mixed with my hands for like 30 minutes it’s not dusty anymore, i have him in his temporary enclosure for now, since he fell asleep, i’m hoping if i add the chips on top he will like it :D
What type of wood chips? Some types cannot get damp. Misting the surface does very little as you've seen. You have to dump water in. How much and how often varies a lot. You have to go by feel with each enclosure. Cover the top of the enclosure to try to keep some humidity in and slow the drying.

Where is Belleville?

Read this for more care info;
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2020
Messages
37
Location (City and/or State)
belleville
What type of wood chips? Some types cannot get damp. Misting the surface does very little as you've seen. You have to dump water in. How much and how often varies a lot. You have to go by feel with each enclosure. Cover the top of the enclosure to try to keep some humidity in and slow the drying.

Where is Belleville?

Read this for more care info;
Belleville is in nj it’s been having weird weather and the humidity has been too low hense the coir, i don’t remember what it was called i got it from zoo med tho, they look like wood chips you’d see on a kids play ground, i was recommend them because my tort was a hatchling and might try to eat them. it seems dumping in water did help a lot, i’m wondering if i should get another bag of another type of substrate or what, it’s my first time using obvi i just want him to like it. i will attach pictures if u could let me know if i should add more water or not
 

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