Coconut fiber and......?

Donatello

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. I am using coconut fiber for my russian tortoise. I thought the substrate needed to be dry, but after reading i know it needs to be damp. So i use a squirt bottle and spray it with water twice a day. (If this needs done more often please let me know) Or should i take it out and start fresh, or mix it with something moist?. I did not buy the moist block. I got the dry coconut fiber bag. Also it seems to get on his face and in his eyes. should i be concerened? I know they are diggers, so i thought it was ok. Thanks.
 

ascott

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it is okay....what you may want to do is moisten the substrate for the first time...this way you will be able to hand pack it down...then wait a bit before you add any additional water. I would allow 5 to 6 inches of substrate depth, also, if you are going to have the substrate moist more so for the first few days please be sure that the temps do not drop too low with the higher humidity...I would be sure that the night temps, as well as the day temps, don't drop below 78-80 while the substrate is drying up a bit...then you can decide where you will have a warm humid hide/area in the enclosure and you can then add water to that area in the future...this way the tort will have an option to juicy up when it so feels the desire...:D
 

WillTort2

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What is your humidity in the enclosure?

Grab a hand full of substrate and squeeze hard; if water drips out it's a little too wet. If it remains loose and dry, add water. I take a hand garden rake with plastic tongs and rake the substrate when the top looks dry then add water and mix a little more.
 

Donatello

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The humidity after i spray it is at 20 percent. I am using a round zilla thing to keep a eye on humidity and temperature. His basking spot is about 95. I just read his humidity should be at 60? I have about 4 inches of substrate in their now. Should i just buy a block of the coconut fibre thats expandable to add to it, so its moist? Some sights say humidity is suppose to be low and some say 60.


Humidity is very low if i dont spray it. At night i believe it goes up to 60 percent. It increases when lights are off.
 

tortoisetime565

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I agree. Keep the coco fiber moist because it can get dusty and the tort can breath it in and it can turn into a uri.
 

Donatello

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Thanks


Hey do you think i could mix jungle mix in their. Just add a bag to the coconut fiber? It says it keeps moisture.
 

Tom

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First, take that stick-on humidity disc out and throw it at who ever sold it to you. Then go buy a digital one with a remote probe for $10-$20 at the hardware store's garden center. You have to actually know what your humidity is before you go trying to make adjustments.

Next we can't tell you how much water to add or how often. Everyone's enclosure is different. You must go by feel, or by your accurate humidity gauge.

With an open top, a heated or air conditioned home, and a hot light bulb, you will likely never achieve a steady 60%. You will most likely ned to cover some of the top. Adding a humid hide is also a good way to give your tortoise what it needs to grow properly.
 

Elohi

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Tom said:
First, take that stick-on humidity disc out and throw it at who ever sold it to you.

LOL
 

Donatello

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Well he is only in a 40 gallon tote til next week. He will have a wooden box with a lid. He has a log he goes under now. The wooden box will have a built in hide though. Will buy the new thermostat gage today. Here is a pic of the jungle mix and a pic of his enclosure. Like i said before it is just temporary til next week. Also i know their is no plants. In pittsburgh their will be a reptile show on the 23rd. Figuered i could get a better deal then paying 10 dollars a piece for plants. Thanks for all the help.1392059848219.jpg
 

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Saleama

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Donatello said:
Well he is only in a 40 gallon tote til next week. He will have a wooden box with a lid. He has a log he goes under now. The wooden box will have a built in hide though. Will buy the new thermostat gage today. Here is a pic of the jungle mix and a pic of his enclosure. Like i said before it is just temporary til next week. Also i know their is no plants. In pittsburgh their will be a reptile show on the 23rd. Figuered i could get a better deal then paying 10 dollars a piece for plants. Thanks for all the help.

From the picture I can see that is too dry. I use a $14 insecticide sprayer I got at Home Depot to keep mine moist. It holds 2 gallons. I pump it up real good and spray everything down. I also threw in some moss that does a good job of holding the humidity under it and I cover half the tote ( I use the long one with the top that has two openings sold at Wal-Mart). My Russians, I have one I just bought and one that came out of hibernation the day we had 70 degrees between snow storms, seem to love it and it does good temporarily until the spring and they can go back out in the garden. Just make sure it is damp and deep enough for him/her to completly bury under the ground.
 

Donatello

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1392079275405.jpg well i mixed the coconut fiber and water like you guys said. And this was donatello shortly after. :D I really like the coconut fiber now lol . Cant tell you how much i appreciate all the help. I also added one more bag of substrate. now their is close to 7 inches in their. Figuered he will be in a larger inclosure next week so another bag wouldnt hurt.
 
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Donatello

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1392154366131.jpg Tom i am at the store now. This is what i found. Hope its right.
 
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mike taylor

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This is what I use .
 

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Donatello

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Oh ok. I think im good then. Its pretty neat. I asked lowes if they sold any others and this was all they had. Except the one that is crazy big and tells you a complete weather forecast lol.
 

ascott

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And this was donatello shortly after.

Perfection....and if you are going to run higher humidity then night temps should not drop below 78-80...this is a species that does not do well with cool/cold and wet....
 

Donatello

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His humidity durring the day is 31 percent. And his basking spot is at 99. The rest of the enclosure is at 75 for heat. I was told his humidity should be 60 percent. I have no lid on it so i know that doesnt help. But i am going to home depot to price wood tomorrow after work with my friend, who is gonna build it. I would buy the wood tomorrow but we cant get a truck til the weekend. What is the humidity suppose to be at night? I know the temperature shouldnt get below 60 degrees.
 

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