coconut coir question

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codyv34

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when i change my substrate with in the next couple weeks Im going to switch from coconut husk bark to the coconut coir. I can buy a bag a the loose coconut fiber, which is the same as the bricks but its already expanded, now my concern is since you need to put the brick in water, do i need to worry about it making the substrate to moist and causing health problems for my tort? Now i know many people on here use it so i shouldnt worry so much, but i would love to hear that from the people who use it !
 

ascott

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I use it for my two Redfoot tortoise....so high humidity levels are desirable....is your Russian still young? I would say that you will be fine with the brick coco coir....after all, if after it breaks apart you squeeze out extreme wetness you will have a nice damp, but not soaking substrate and you can keep it at the moisture level you like from there on out, you know?
:D
 

jojodesca

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Hello,

I use the brick coco and expand it in warm water..then I squeeze out the excess water, I recently added a topsoil and mixed it. I like that combination better. you can try different thing until you find what works best....i personally don't like the cypress mulch ppl use..I always feel that it is "pokey" and worry about the turtles' eyes. If price is an issue I recommend using the compressed blocks of coco in the 3 pack..you get more for your money.
 

codyv34

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jojodesca said:
Hello,

I use the brick coco and expand it in warm water..then I squeeze out the excess water, I recently added a topsoil and mixed it. I like that combination better. you can try different thing until you find what works best....i personally don't like the cypress mulch ppl use..I always feel that it is "pokey" and worry about the turtles' eyes. If price is an issue I recommend using the compressed blocks of coco in the 3 pack..you get more for your money.

thats why its hard to pass up because the compressed bricks are such a better deal. but it sounds like between ringing out the excess water that i wont have much to worry about :)
 

jojodesca

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yeah...you could buy the bricks...expand them..and then let them dry out after a few days and mix it in...if that makes sense....it is a chore though....it takes me hours to clean out and restock everything....
 

slowpoke

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i use the baged coir for my russians then you can add as much water to it as needed i mix mine with the cypress mulch (not much cypress maybe the small bag to the 2 bags of coir), oh and to tell you the truth you get more in the bag than in the brinks , if you wet the baged one it doubles in size .. just wet it a little bit at a time, stays that way for 2 to 3 days
 

EricIvins

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codyv34 said:
jojodesca said:
Hello,

I use the brick coco and expand it in warm water..then I squeeze out the excess water, I recently added a topsoil and mixed it. I like that combination better. you can try different thing until you find what works best....i personally don't like the cypress mulch ppl use..I always feel that it is "pokey" and worry about the turtles' eyes. If price is an issue I recommend using the compressed blocks of coco in the 3 pack..you get more for your money.

thats why its hard to pass up because the compressed bricks are such a better deal. but it sounds like between ringing out the excess water that i wont have much to worry about :)

If you really want a better deal, go shop around the Garden supply centers near you and find the real coir, not the ground up stuff. I get a 3 square ft. brick for the price of one little brick of the brand name stuff, and it works alot better........
 

GeoTerraTestudo

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I can't imagine buying the bag instead of the brick, because the brick is cheaper for the same amount of coco coir. That would be reason enough, but as noted above, the expanded brick already has the moisture in it, while the bag has to have moisture added to it. Not that it's hard. Just add some water, mix it up with your hand, add some more, and so on until the substrate is evenly moist. But with the brick it's even easier, because you just add water as directed, go do something else for 20-30 minutes, and presto, the coco coir is at water holding capacity. Might even have a little extra water, which you can just pour off. Then you just add the stuff to the enclosure, and your done.
 
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