Greek Tort Substrate and New Name Vote

[tort_luv_5055]

VOTE: Charlie is no longer a Hermann's tortoise, therefore he no longer should have a regular name. To celebrate our discovery, I am holding a vote for his new GREEK name, and the choices are:
~Chelone~ (greek for tortoise)
~Zeus~
~Apollo~
~Ares~
*please vote because I can't decide on my own!*

I also have a question about *currently Apollo's* substrate. As some of you know, he is living on green reptile carpet. This is doing absolutely nothing for him and is actually dangerous because he is danger of flipping on his back and not being able to right himself. So I am going substrate shopping on Friday (Yippee!) I don't know what I am going to buy though. If any one has suggestions (he is a hatchling Greek and needs humidity) I would gladly add them to my list. I have a 25$ gift card for Petco, so any substrate I can buy there would be good or anything cheap I get at Lowes or Value Home would be nice as well. I am also thinking of growing some grasses in there too, so anything that can grow plants. I am leaning towards the simple, inexspensive and easy topsoil with Cypress mulch mix. Any other mixes? Thanks!

 

[stinax182]

Re: RE: Greek Tort Substrate and New Name Vote

I've heard the others, so i vote for apollo! I'd save the Petco card for something else, maybe some zoomed grassland tortoise chow or some live plants they sometimes sell. at least 4" of organic top soil is the best way to go and cheapest (4$ at lowes) some people mix it with orchard bark or peat moss but that's your choice. i never recommend cypress mulch because it's expensive and is not a renewable resource but it is perfectly fine to use. i personally have top soil and peat moss with sphagnum moss in the hides.

 

[SuzyH]

I vote Zeus simply because I love the mythology stories of Zeus, son of Cronus.
I've got a pair of Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches names Atlas and Hermes but I almost went with Zeus for one of them.

 

[TommyZ]

I say Apollo, since its my dogs name
.

 

[Moozillion]

For substrate, I love organic potting soil (I get mine from Home Depot).

For a name I vote Apollo also!

 

[Jacqui]

I vote Chelone.

I would go with the coir bricks with just a touch of sand to hold in the humidity better. I don't like getting potting soil or organic top soil because too often they have added chemical I would not want. Play sand is okay to use in very small amounts mixed in with something like the coir and my tortoises love it.

For plants any way you can grow some from seeds? It's a lot cheaper then buying plants. You could have muskmelon for a meal and save those seeds to plant. If buying a plant, I really like the airplane/spider plant because of the way the young hang. Easy to have either in the enclosure or hanging with the babies going into the enclosure. Rather then buy plants or seeds, why not first ask on your local Craig's list if somebody has some spare ones to give away.

 

[JHBlegend]

Hey mines name is Zeus!!!

 

[Jlant85]

I love peanut! lol... i just love that name!

 

[tort_luv_5055]

Re: RE: Greek Tort Substrate and New Name Vote

I vote Chelone.

I would go with the coir bricks with just a touch of sand to hold in the humidity better. I don't like getting potting soil or organic top soil because too often they have added chemical I would not want. Play sand is okay to use in very small amounts mixed in with something like the coir and my tortoises love it.

For plants any way you can grow some from seeds? It's a lot cheaper then buying plants. You could have muskmelon for a meal and save those seeds to plant. If buying a plant, I really like the airplane/spider plant because of the way the young hang. Easy to have either in the enclosure or hanging with the babies going into the enclosure. Rather then buy plants or seeds, why not first ask on your local Craig's list if somebody has some spare ones to give away.

Good work, you were correct. Although the bag said "all natural" and "100% organic" there was perlite inside. What a disappointment its ok, we are going to find a new brand to try soon!

 

[Jlant85]

I vote Chelone.

I would go with the coir bricks with just a touch of sand to hold in the humidity better. I don't like getting potting soil or organic top soil because too often they have added chemical I would not want. Play sand is okay to use in very small amounts mixed in with something like the coir and my tortoises love it.

For plants any way you can grow some from seeds? It's a lot cheaper then buying plants. You could have muskmelon for a meal and save those seeds to plant. If buying a plant, I really like the airplane/spider plant because of the way the young hang. Easy to have either in the enclosure or hanging with the babies going into the enclosure. Rather then buy plants or seeds, why not first ask on your local Craig's list if somebody has some spare ones to give away.

Good work, you were correct. Although the bag said "all natural" and "100% organic" there was perlite inside. What a disappointment its ok, we are going to find a new brand to try soon!

If your really hesitant about getting dirt from the store, go to your backyard, crap off the top then everything else underneath is golden! lol... and its FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

 

[tort_luv_5055]

Yep, I would, except it the middle of winter and the ground is frozen solid