best substrate and adjusting eating behaviour off a Aldabra

adsuk

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Hi im wonder what's the best substrate for a young Aldabra for in its temporary in door enclosure i was reading cocnut fiber is good ? and I'm also wondering to best way to ween them of a poor diet back on to a high grass hay dite iv also been reading thst some keepers feed that dry pellet food on occasions is this right ? Is there a good in depth nutritional sheet i can read thanks for any help anyone can give
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Alan:

I like to use orchid bark. I imagine there are plenty of orchid growers in the UK, so you should be able to find it at a plant nursery. Get the small particle orchid bark, as the small particles are easier for the tortoise to walk on.

Some members swear by coco coir. I don't like the way it gets into everything, and it sometimes has long strings in it.

Really, anything you can moisten and that you like is good. Don't use crushed walnut shells.

I feed my Aldabran tortoises a big meal of Mazuri Tortoise Diet once a week. In the UK, since Mazuri isn't available, you can try Komodo Dragon Pellets.

The main thing, because they grow so quickly, you need to be sure his calcium needs are met. Feed calcium-rich greens and supplement calcium two or three times a week.
 

adsuk

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Thanks Yvonne i greatly appreciate the information is there a good aldabra husbandry article I can get ? Im thinks off keepthing it in a similar way to how I ues to kerp my sulcata with tweeks here and there just whant to get things right as such majestic animal deserve the best I can do
 

Yvonne G

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No. I look all the time, but so far no one has written anything for us.
 

adsuk

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Iv just found someone in the uk selling Mazuri in lb bags what vitamins do you ues I put pure calcium once a week on my nile monitors food
Im thinking of uesing a megaray lamp as they have had a good write up
 

Yvonne G

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I don't normally use vitamins. I will occasionally soak babies in liquid bird vitamins and water though.

How about some pictures of your tortoise?
 

adsuk

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I will post as soon as I get it as iv not got it yet I just want to make sour iv got everything set up properly im just hoping it dont fall through again finger crossed
 

Amanda81

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Have you started the enclosure set up? If so could you post pics of it? Do you plan on using a closed chamber? I plan on keeping mine inside till weather permits outside living and I was thinking of using organic top soil for my substrate,simply because I wanted to attempt to grow grass, make a mini yard for it to graze in. I currently use Eco earth and orchid bark with my other guys. I layer it, Eco earth on the bottom, kept damp and bark on top, kept dry. I use an enclosed enclosure and this keeps my humidity around 95-99% all the time and I don't need to spray it or use a fogger or anything. The Eco earth damp alone gave the same results, I added the bark because the Eco earth is a little on the messy side and I couldn't that. (OCD) either way, it works great, my baby's are smooth as can be. I'm interested to see the enclosure you make.
 

Yvonne G

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I got my two boys as hatchlings. They've always lived outside with a heated, insulated shed, and in the same yard they now inhabit, only smaller. As they grew, the fence got moved out further, further. Don't make the same mistake I made. I didn't realize they needed more humidity/moisture in their environment than what came with the territory. I watered their grass once a week, but the shed was dry. Other than drinking water and a daily soak, they had no humidity. As you can see by my pictures all over the forum, they are quite bumpy.
 

adsuk

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Hi amanda81 no I've not made it yet as I don't want jump the gun as I've been let down befor as they are hard to get in the uk I what to make sure I've seen it and put a deposit on it first thanks for the advice on the substrate will help when setting up the enclosure
It only a year old I will be working on the outdoor indoor set up as soon as I've got it here with me and thanks yvonne-g thanks for the humidity advice can anyone tell me what and how much they feed to there young Aldabras ? Thanks again this forum is brilliant
 

Soefianto

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I think it is quite tricky with Aldabra, first, as getting one is quite dificult and costly, second about the enclosure because they need high humidity right?, enough sunshine and Third, they can grow big very fast and it will require a lot of space.

But if you have the passion for them, go for it, it worth all the troubles..
good luck...
 

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