I was wrong, lol!

[Itort]

Due you have access to hardwood mulch (maple, cottonwood, popular, ect)? This is what I use as substrat mixed with humis, peat moss, and sphagrum moss with a top dressing of leaves. It's cheaper and I believe it approximates their habitat. They are very unique and interesting guys once you get it right.

 

[Kristina]

No, I don't have access to any mulch other than what I threw a fit to get. It is dead of winter here and under four feet of snow, not exactly gardening weather

I prefer to use the cypress as I feel it handles the higher humidity better.

Kristina

 

[Itort]

This is just a suggestion for getting in gardening season. I get bales of theses in the fall when the nursery is reducing inventory and use thru winter. In the summer they spend at least half the time outside in the pens. The advantage I see with mix is worms will burrow in and establish giving the torts opportunity to hunt and dig for food. Also helps with humidity. If you get down in Grand Rapids area check the nurseries out there.

 

[Kristina]

Thanks. I prefer to use a mix of the coconut coir, soil, and peat moss, with the top covered in cypress mulch and leaves for my forest species. I raise redworms and have some of them in the substrate itself already.

What I am anxious for is to get some plants in there... It has been hovering close to zero temp wise, and I am not going to try to bring any plants home just yet.

Kristina