Coconut coir help!

[Tort93]

I now realise that the wood chips I have been using as substrate are no good, i have ordered coconut coir from Amazon and it will be arriving in the next few days, I just don't really know what do do with it..... How wet does it have to be? How deep? How often should I moisten it?
My little horsefield Tort is only around a year old so is only little, I'm worried I'll lose her if it's too deep, I know that sounds silly but I really want to get this right! Thank you in advance!

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

When you first get it, soak it completely, then you can pack it down and make a nice surface. You won't lose her in it, because if it has been properly hydrated, it isn't loose and fluffy, it's more like soft earth.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

The amount of water you add should be listed on the product packaging.
It should be moist, but not wet and cold.
If you have your humidity right, it doesn't need too much moistening, you can tell as the top becomes paler as it dries out.
Then just add more water directly into the corners and mix it in by hand, not forgetting to pack it down again afterwards.
I have mine about 3 inches deep which suits my Greek just fine.

 

[Keith D.]

I now realise that the wood chips I have been using as substrate are no good, i have ordered coconut coir from Amazon and it will be arriving in the next few days, I just don't really know what do do with it..... How wet does it have to be? How deep? How often should I moisten it?
My little horsefield Tort is only around a year old so is only little, I'm worried I'll lose her if it's too deep, I know that sounds silly but I really want to get this right! Thank you in advance!

Hiya Tort93, I use coco coir for all of my small torts. The coco coir I use comes in compressed blocks, just rehydrate it according to the direction (myself I add a additional 8oz or so to water to the amount recommended). If I remember right it says to soak for 30 min in a bucket, I use a ice chest and close the lid while soaking it in hot water, and I let it soak for twice as long as it says, it just gets a better uniform hydration that way and the steam with the lid closed helps to and the coir stays nice and warm. Its a personal feel I guess lol. Anyway once its rehydrated, put it into the enclosure and hand pack it down so its about 3 or 4 inch's thick. I also use organic sphagnum with my little guys to help with moisture, especially in there wet hides. Hope this helps a little

 

[Keith D.]

The amount of water you add should be listed on the product packaging.
It should be moist, but not wet and cold.
If you have your humidity right, it doesn't need too much moistening, you can tell as the top becomes paler as it dries out.
Then just add more water directly into the corners and mix it in by hand, not forgetting to pack it down again afterwards.
I have mine about 3 inches deep which suits my Greek just fine.

I use a spray bottle that I buy new for each of my torts and I use bottled spring water and spray the enclosure down when it starts to dry out on the top.

 

[Gillian M]

A very warm welcome to the forum.

 

[Carol S]

I start out adding less water than the directions. You can always add more water if needed to expand the remaining part of the brick or to make the coir more wet. The first time I added the amount of water that the directions said and I felt it was too wet. I order my coir and most of my other supplies from petmountain.com. They have good prices on pet supplies.

 

[hollandop]

I use the coconut coir under cypress and coconut husk. My tortoises seem to prefer it and the slight moisture that it creates in their enclosure. I've had minimal pyramiding on my stars and I think that this has been a huge help. Currently I use a combination of bedding in different areas of the tortoise enclosure but the coir is always under as the base. As mentioned by Keith D., I also use a spray bottle to mist the bedding when needed.
I also buy my coconut husk on Amazon since it's not a very common find for me. It's called Kritter's Crumble All Natural Coconut Husk 21 quarts for under $20. I like it a lot and it's fairly odorless

 

[leigti]

I add the amount of water that the directions say, however I make it as hot as possible. Sometimes I have to add more. If it is too wet you just squeeze out excess water. Then you can put the water on your plants or in your garden or yard. When you need it to be more damp dump the water in and stir it around with your hands 

 

[Yvonne G]

I put the brick in a 5 gallon of bucket then added hot water 3/4's of the way up the bucket. When the brick was all hydrated and broken apart, I grabbed handsful of the coir out, squeezed the water out and set it aside, grabbing and squeezing until I had it all out of the water. The last little bit I had to pour through a strainer to get.

 

[Keith D.]

I put the brick in a 5 gallon of bucket then added hot water 3/4's of the way up the bucket. When the brick was all hydrated and broken apart, I grabbed handsful of the coir out, squeezed the water out and set it aside, grabbing and squeezing until I had it all out of the water. The last little bit I had to pour through a strainer to get.

I just love using a small ice chest to soak mine, I can throw it in there with really hot water and let it soak with the lid closed and it stays hot for hours lol