Another substrate/water question..

[HappyHermanns]

@Yvonne G - You were speaking with someone about this and I didn't want to piggy back

I've heard a lot about Orchid Bark, we started using Coconut ....shoot...something..substrate, last week. haha
But it dries out so quickly! Then they end up pushing a pile around with them when they walk.. ugh..
We have to spray it down at least a couple times a day, and if we didn't work we would probably do it more often..

Is Orchid Bark the same? Would adding a layer of topsoil under the coconut substrate be helpful? - If so, how much substrate should be on top of it? or is there something else that holds moisture better?

We choose not to leave water in their area becuase we heard that it can spread sickness.. So we soak every night (unless their sleeping.. then we will give them the night off,) but after sleeping through 2 nights, we woke them for their bath the 3rd.. is that normal? should we wake them every night for their soak? When we put them in their bath they all drink really well, usually. and start climbing the sides when they are done, (usually not less than 10 minutes..)
They are hatchlings..

 

[Yvonne G]

Orchid bark is tiny pieces of fir bark:



In my top picture you can see that it's very moist underneath, but the top layer is fairly dry. If you get the fine grade, it's pretty easy for them to walk on, it's never dusty. If you get the medium or large grade, it's like pebble bark, and hard for them to walk on.

I soak my babies every morning while I prepare their food. It is more natural for them to soak and eat in the morning. But I still have a waterer in their habitat. You can barely see it in the top picture. The plant saucer has a layer of small pebbles in the bottom so it's not too deep.

 

[HappyHermanns]

OOO That bark looks great!!
A lot better than the super dry stuff we have.. THANKS for the pics!!

See, I leave for work before their light comes on. We have them on timers so they get all the daytime/nighttime they need.. goes on about 8:15am and off about 8:15 pm.. if they came on at 730 I could do that.. Would it hurt them to have longer than 12hour days?
By 8 pm they are already seeking their sleepy spot, but I'd hate for the light to go off before 8, we only get a couple/few hours with them each day

 

[Yvonne G]

Before I retired, I got up before zero dark thirty in order to be at work by 6a. That meant I was administering to the outdoor tortoises with a flashlight. I still cleaned, watered and fed them in the dark. They all didn't come out, but the food was there for them when they did come out. In that case, I soaked the smaller ones when I got off work, late afternoon.

 

[HappyHermanns]

Zero dark thirty...lol..funny
ok, That makes sense,..

So it sounds like you suggest a water "hole" in with them.. Just change it every day and everything is fine..from what I have heard..
I give them food/ greens or their "kibble" in the morning and douse it with water, so we hope they get at least some water that way.
Should we wake them for their soak if they go to bed early? Sometimes we get home at 6 and they don't even want to come out..

We are going out of town for 4 days next week. We leave Firday, so I was going to have someone come in on Sunday and refresh their food and stuff. Would the water be ok for 2 days in between once in a while or best not to?

I'm sorry Yvonne, you are just such a GREAT help, you make me think of things I didn't know I needed to think of!! haha

 

[Yvonne G]

Hatchling tortoises should be soaked for at least 15 minutes a day. You can set them in a little tub of water about 15 minutes before you're ready to walk out the door in the a.m., then when finished, just put them back into their hiding place.

Leave a pitcher of water sitting next to the aquarium and ask the care giver (babysitter) to just flush out the water dish daily, letting all the old water go into the substrate. This is ok for a few days, but I wouldn't do it all the time because eventually the substrate will get fouled.

 

[HappyHermanns]

Ok. Thanks a ton for all of your help!