victoria146
New Member
Hi there!
I'm currently looking for the ideal bedding decision for my russian torts. We have had alder wood chips for the last 5 years. I was initially recommended to use that substrate for it's not dusty.
But, recently I've decided to switch it to sth else because wood chips do not provide the torts with humidity needed.
Since I live in Russia, here forumers have a way different opinion from what I found out in this forum.
For example, they all recommend using loam (a combination of sand, silt and clay, 40%-40%-20%), whereas I read here that sand is strictly prohibited.
I tried to do it myself and mix that all but I must have put too much of clay and it all stuck together and kinda froze and not soft at all, let alone if you don't water it (literally water) it gets dusty.
So I then purchased Lucky Reptile Tortoise bedding 20L (based on peat) and mixed it a bit with coco coir (btw coco coir is another thing that russian keepers recommend not doing,because they say it's not digestible, which I really doubt now after having read you, guys).
So and with peat and coco coir now it's too humid lol.
My question is (or rather questions):
1) Can I mix this Lucky Reptile Tortoise bedding with orchid bark or the latter can get moldy? Asked my grandma about but she confused me even more?
2) May be you would have a recommendation of what I could mix better with this Lucky Reptile peat, because I have two terrariums of 28/78 inches both and another one of 31/47, so there's plenty of space and covering it all with only Lucky reptile I guess will cost me a fortune ?
3) Oh, and one more, could you give opinion on using loam as a bedding for russian torts.
Many thanks in andvance! Sorry if the post was too long?
I'm currently looking for the ideal bedding decision for my russian torts. We have had alder wood chips for the last 5 years. I was initially recommended to use that substrate for it's not dusty.
But, recently I've decided to switch it to sth else because wood chips do not provide the torts with humidity needed.
Since I live in Russia, here forumers have a way different opinion from what I found out in this forum.
For example, they all recommend using loam (a combination of sand, silt and clay, 40%-40%-20%), whereas I read here that sand is strictly prohibited.
I tried to do it myself and mix that all but I must have put too much of clay and it all stuck together and kinda froze and not soft at all, let alone if you don't water it (literally water) it gets dusty.
So I then purchased Lucky Reptile Tortoise bedding 20L (based on peat) and mixed it a bit with coco coir (btw coco coir is another thing that russian keepers recommend not doing,because they say it's not digestible, which I really doubt now after having read you, guys).
So and with peat and coco coir now it's too humid lol.
My question is (or rather questions):
1) Can I mix this Lucky Reptile Tortoise bedding with orchid bark or the latter can get moldy? Asked my grandma about but she confused me even more?
2) May be you would have a recommendation of what I could mix better with this Lucky Reptile peat, because I have two terrariums of 28/78 inches both and another one of 31/47, so there's plenty of space and covering it all with only Lucky reptile I guess will cost me a fortune ?
3) Oh, and one more, could you give opinion on using loam as a bedding for russian torts.
Many thanks in andvance! Sorry if the post was too long?