Dust free indoor bedding and humidity for large sulcatas

Ljanderson

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I have 2 sulcatas about 30 pounds and 20 pounds. I live in Missouri so they winter indoors in a room downstairs. I am looking for the best bedding that holds humidity and is dust free. I've been using reptibark but it has tons of dust, it dries out quickly bc of heat lights, and gives me slivers. Also looking for ways to increase humidity in this room. I have a fogger but the room is too big for this to work.

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Tom

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I have 2 sulcatas about 30 pounds and 20 pounds. I live in Missouri so they winter indoors in a room downstairs. I am looking for the best bedding that holds humidity and is dust free. I've been using reptibark but it has tons of dust, it dries out quickly bc of heat lights, and gives me slivers. Also looking for ways to increase humidity in this room. I have a fogger but the room is too big for this to work.
More moisture on the orchid bark. Spray it daily if need be. Using a thicker layer of orchid bark will help too. It won't dry out as fast.

Heat lamps shouldn't be used on tortoises that size. It will damage the carapace and not warm their core effectively.
 

Ljanderson

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More moisture on the orchid bark. Spray it daily if need be. Using a thicker layer of orchid bark will help too. It won't dry out as fast.

Heat lamps shouldn't be used on tortoises that size. It will damage the carapace and not warm their core effectively.
Then what would I use to heat this large area? It is an area about 200 square ft and 4 ft tall. Lights are hung about 2ft off floor and I have Elephant Bark flooring that also absorbs heat and warms from beneath slightly. Also misting isn't an option for this much bedding. I pour water from watering can 2 times a week but it still dries out quickly bc torts constantly stir it up. The dust is outrageous.
 

Maggie3fan

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20 and 30 pounds and you have them in the house? What'cha gonna do when 20 and 30 become 30 and 40 by summer and they can go thru sheet rock? It's my own personal opinion that I can't have the horse I want, because even tho I have a 3 broom house and yards and pens on all 4 sides. It's not the CORRECT way to keep a horse, your tortoises are not kept in any minimum way. For their humidity, in a house? Causes MOLD.Could kill you if you breathe it. Humidity, poop and urine are not good for a house. Why don't they have their own habitats outside? Is bedding short for substrate? Use fine grade orchid bark. You used reptibark in 200 sq feet? Wasn't that expensive? They need to be kept outside on grass with a heated house for winter
 

Ljanderson

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20 and 30 pounds and you have them in the house? What'cha gonna do when 20 and 30 become 30 and 40 by summer and they can go thru sheet rock? It's my own personal opinion that I can't have the horse I want, because even tho I have a 3 broom house and yards and pens on all 4 sides. It's not the CORRECT way to keep a horse, your tortoises are not kept in any minimum way. For their humidity, in a house? Causes MOLD.Could kill you if you breathe it. Humidity, poop and urine are not good for a house. Why don't they have their own habitats outside? Is bedding short for substrate? Use fine grade orchid bark. You used reptibark in 200 sq feet? Wasn't that expensive? They need to be kept outside on grass with a heated house for winter
And this is why people don't ask for help when they need it.. I am a Veterinary Technician, I did my research and they have plenty of room in my house for the winter. They live 100% outside when appropriate. No, they can't be kept outside when its zero degrees. Bedding/substrate, same thing. I have proper coverings on all surfaces to prevent mold, and any chance of them getting thru when they are larger. I know how these things work. Repti bark is expensive but I can afford it. I dont use "fine" anything bc, like I said, I don't want the dust for them to breathe or get on the heated surfaces. They are happy and healthy and loved.. I'm trying to do the best for them. So you didn't help at all but thanks for your opinion.
 

Yvonne G

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I think if you have more bark, enough so that you can't see the floor underneath the bark, it will stay moist longer and the dust will be minimal. I'm not sure how to work it when the enclosure is a room, but in my indoor enclosures, I actually pour a whole pitcherful of water into the enclosure, then mix it up with my hand to wet all of the particles of bark. Once the particles have absorbed the water, they stay wet/damp longer. I s'pose you could bring the hose into the room and really give it a good spraying, then mix it up with a rake, but what will all that water do the the flooring?
 
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Ljanderson

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I think if you have more bark, enough so that you can't see the floor underneath the bark, it will stay moist longer and the dust will be minimal. I'm not sure how to work it when the enclosure is a room, but in my indoor enclosures, I actually poor a whole pitcherful of water into the enclosure, then mix it up with my hand to wet all of the particles of bark. Once the particles have absorbed the water, they stay wet/damp longer. I s'pose you could bring the hose into the room and really give it a good spraying, then mix it up with a rake, but what will all that water do the the flooring?
Yea a thicker layer would probably help. The flooring is water proof so its great for not absorbing moisture or urine. When I pour water on their substrate and stir it around I have tons of dust so I'm looking for material to use that is less dusty than retibark. Thanks ?
 

Emmawilly

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More moisture on the orchid bark. Spray it daily if need be. Using a thicker layer of orchid bark will help too. It won't dry out as fast.

Heat lamps shouldn't be used on tortoises that size. It will damage the carapace and not warm their core effectively.
Tom, may I check something with you?You said a heat lamp shouldn't be used with a sulcata. I've got a combined UV arcadia lamp 160w, it is hot, 35-40 degrees directly underneath where tortoise basks. Is that what you mean by a heat lamp? Is that a bad choice, do I need to replace that with alternative UV source?
I read the thread about the best way to raise sulcata and leopard tortoise and it mentioned a fluoro tube, could you possibly recommend one if the UV bulb I'm using is no good?
He doesn't need his lamp for heat, his hut is now at the right temp 24 hours a day, and he goes outside most days, even when it's freezing but only for an hour or so. I can't raise the bulb up as it's at the top of his hut but I could change for different type of bulb if you advised this was the wrong choice?
All you guys on here know so much about the technology required, I struggle with that a bit. Sorry for jumping in on this chat
 

Blackdog1714

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I use cypress mulch under Reptibark which is the cheapest east coast way to get that nice fir bark look and work. That should help you and it works about the same on moisture. For a large area you could get an electric oil radiator heater just would have to keep it protected and you could add a little computer fan to evenly distribute it if you can’t install in the middle. Hope to have helped
 

Yvonne G

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Yea a thicker layer would probably help. The flooring is water proof so its great for not absorbing moisture or urine. When I pour water on their substrate and stir it around I have tons of dust so I'm looking for material to use that is less dusty than retibark. Thanks ?
I'm at a loss because I've used orchid bark or cypress mulch and neither was ever dusty. Do you still have one of the bags you could show us?
 

Tom

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Yea a thicker layer would probably help. The flooring is water proof so its great for not absorbing moisture or urine. When I pour water on their substrate and stir it around I have tons of dust so I'm looking for material to use that is less dusty than retibark. Thanks ?
Anything is going to be dusty when dry and ground up under the feet of a heavy sulcata or two. Moisture is what prevents the dust. If 2 times per week isn't doing it, wet it every day. I use a hose with a spray nozzle to keep the substrate damp in my 4x8' outdoor boxes. Got a hose bib nearby? A thicker layer will help.

I've seen the dust you are referring to. Wet it. There won't be any dust. I got that same dust with everything I ever tried that wasn't wet. Hay, rabbit pellets, newspaper bedding, aspen bedding, pine shavings, dirt from outside, soil, etc...

Many ways to heat a large area like that. You need to look at room heaters from Home Depot or places like that. Be sure to measure the temp on the floor, not at human eye level where most thermostats are mounted.
 

Len B

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It won't be much help this winter but if you can stock up on cypress mulch and let it age while still in the bag wet until next winter it will work great, hold moisture longer and will have no dust. Letting it cure for 2 years is even better. The only problem I've had doing this was ants in some of the bags one year.
 

Ljanderson

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I use cypress mulch under Reptibark which is the cheapest east coast way to get that nice fir bark look and work. That should help you and it works about the same on moisture. For a large area you could get an electric oil radiator heater just would have to keep it protected and you could add a little computer fan to evenly distribute it if you can’t install in the middle. Hope to have helped
Great ideas, thank you.
 

Ljanderson

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Anything is going to be dusty when dry and ground up under the feet of a heavy sulcata or two. Moisture is what prevents the dust. If 2 times per week isn't doing it, wet it every day. I use a hose with a spray nozzle to keep the substrate damp in my 4x8' outdoor boxes. Got a hose bib nearby? A thicker layer will help.

I've seen the dust you are referring to. Wet it. There won't be any dust. I got that same dust with everything I ever tried that wasn't wet. Hay, rabbit pellets, newspaper bedding, aspen bedding, pine shavings, dirt from outside, soil, etc...

Many ways to heat a large area like that. You need to look at room heaters from Home Depot or places like that. Be sure to measure the temp on the floor, not at human eye level where most thermostats are mounted.
Ok its too bad to hear all those substrates are still dusty but I guess that's just the way it is. I will have to wet it daily and make it deeper. I have a room heater, a Sunblaster grow light and 2 heat lights and a thermostat at the lower level so temp stays fine. Thanks for your help.
 

Maro2Bear

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And this is why people don't ask for help when they need it.. I am a Veterinary Technician, I did my research and they have plenty of room in my house for the winter. They live 100% outside when appropriate. No, they can't be kept outside when its zero degrees. Bedding/substrate, same thing. I have proper coverings on all surfaces to prevent mold, and any chance of them getting thru when they are larger. I know how these things work. Repti bark is expensive but I can afford it. I dont use "fine" anything bc, like I said, I don't want the dust for them to breathe or get on the heated surfaces. They are happy and healthy and loved.. I'm trying to do the best for them. So you didn't help at all but thanks for your opinion.

Have you tried 100% pure cypress mulch from the garden center? It’s cheap & relatively dust free when moist.
 

Maggie3fan

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And this is why people don't ask for help when they need it.. I am a Veterinary Technician, I did my research and they have plenty of room in my house for the winter. They live 100% outside when appropriate. No, they can't be kept outside when its zero degrees. Bedding/substrate, same thing. I have proper coverings on all surfaces to prevent mold, and any chance of them getting thru when they are larger. I know how these things work. Repti bark is expensive but I can afford it. I dont use "fine" anything bc, like I said, I don't want the dust for them to breathe or get on the heated surfaces. They are happy and healthy and loved.. I'm trying to do the best for them. So you didn't help at all but thanks for your opinion.
There is nothing wrong with 'fine' grade orchid bark. That's what most keepers use.
You gonna leave because of my opinion? I didn't say a damn thing wrong. I will not coddle some one who in my opinion is abusing Sulcata tortoises. I wasn't rude. I'm supposed to be impressed because you're a VT? Ha! I got my certificate some 30 years go. I operate a small special needs turtle and tortoise rescue. I love Sulcata tortoises, they walk for miles in the wild graze and nap, they can't do that in your house. I really don't care about how you have them set up. There are so many reasons why you are doing wrong. So because you evidently are one of those people who need babying and I'm not that kinda person, I won't comment anymore after this. Honestly.
This is where I keep 2 big tortoises, it the PNW. We have snow, ice, fog, and 7 months of just crappy weather, I know about keeping big tortoises in the snow, so don't be so condescending to me.
This is how I keep big tortoises in sno country...no sno now obviously now. It's in the high 30's to 40 degrees. My shed stays a constant 85 ambient degrees, there's a basking light for each tort, a sleeping box with pig blankets, a humidifier and each is separate from the other with their own outside pen.
I'm sorry you took me the wrong way, I am a blunt bottom line type of person. I don't baby, but I didn't think I was rude.
Here's a winter view of the shed...
100_6258.JPG
It's 20'x12'. I open doggie doors every morning, and they have the choice to go in or out.
100_6255.JPG100_3970.JPG100_3975.JPG
 

Ljanderson

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Have you tried 100% pure cypress mulch from the garden center? It’s cheap & relatively dust free when moist.
I havent, I've looked at it but wasn't sure if it would be better. I will look into this Thanks for your input.
 

Ljanderson

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There is nothing wrong with 'fine' grade orchid bark. That's what most keepers use.
You gonna leave because of my opinion? I didn't say a damn thing wrong. I will not coddle some one who in my opinion is abusing Sulcata tortoises. I wasn't rude. I'm supposed to be impressed because you're a VT? Ha! I got my certificate some 30 years go. I operate a small special needs turtle and tortoise rescue. I love Sulcata tortoises, they walk for miles in the wild graze and nap, they can't do that in your house. I really don't care about how you have them set up. There are so many reasons why you are doing wrong. So because you evidently are one of those people who need babying and I'm not that kinda person, I won't comment anymore after this. Honestly.
This is where I keep 2 big tortoises, it the PNW. We have snow, ice, fog, and 7 months of just crappy weather, I know about keeping big tortoises in the snow, so don't be so condescending to me.
This is how I keep big tortoises in sno country...no sno now obviously now. It's in the high 30's to 40 degrees. My shed stays a constant 85 ambient degrees, there's a basking light for each tort, a sleeping box with pig blankets, a humidifier and each is separate from the other with their own outside pen.
I'm sorry you took me the wrong way, I am a blunt bottom line type of person. I don't baby, but I didn't think I was rude.
Here's a winter view of the shed...
View attachment 315114
It's 20'x12'. I open doggie doors every morning, and they have the choice to go in or out.
View attachment 315115View attachment 315116View attachment 315117
Great. Thanks.
 
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