Never ending learning

[Jodipg82]

OK so here we go... I live in Massachusetts USA.. In my area, it is almost impossible to find cypress mulch and fir bark (orchid bark) I have checked with home depot, lowes and about a million local landscaping companies in my area.. My tortoise (Hermanns hatched April 2020)is coming next week and I want to have my indoor enclosure set up and functional for at least a few days prior to my new babes arrival. I can not use coconut anything because I am allergic and don't want to risk myself. I have been told soil is not a great substrate to use as its hard to find good quality.. In my area the most common types of mulch are pine, cedar, hemlock and the dyed kind that doesn't even tell you what type of wood it is... So far pet stores are the only place I can find what I need. But my encloses 6ft by 3ft and that would be insanely expensive. Any and all help would be appreciated. Especially if you know where to order or buy it from in my area. Sorry for the long post!

I went through Timothy Grass, Spagmum Moss, coconut substrate and then the coconut mats and my Leopard hatchling just did not seem to like them. Then I bought ReptiBark and its AMAZING!!! No dust, soft under his feet, small cubed pieces with no pointy/sharp edges, etc. I highly recommend! He is so much more active.

 

[Bieldesigns]

OK so here we go... I live in Massachusetts USA.. In my area, it is almost impossible to find cypress mulch and fir bark (orchid bark) I have checked with home depot, lowes and about a million local landscaping companies in my area.. My tortoise (Hermanns hatched April 2020)is coming next week and I want to have my indoor enclosure set up and functional for at least a few days prior to my new babes arrival. I can not use coconut anything because I am allergic and don't want to risk myself. I have been told soil is not a great substrate to use as its hard to find good quality.. In my area the most common types of mulch are pine, cedar, hemlock and the dyed kind that doesn't even tell you what type of wood it is... So far pet stores are the only place I can find what I need. But my encloses 6ft by 3ft and that would be insanely expensive. Any and all help would be appreciated. Especially if you know where to order or buy it from in my area. Sorry for the long post!

Hey there fellow Massachusetts tortoise lover! I found orchid bark at my local home depot. 8 quart bag for $5.36. Depending on where you are I could help you get some if you like. Really use what you're comfortable with for you and your tortoise. I use coconut husk because we are allergic to the other, so I feel your plight!

 

[Connie Jo]

OK so here we go... I live in Massachusetts USA.. In my area, it is almost impossible to find cypress mulch and fir bark (orchid bark) I have checked with home depot, lowes and about a million local landscaping companies in my area.. My tortoise (Hermanns hatched April 2020)is coming next week and I want to have my indoor enclosure set up and functional for at least a few days prior to my new babes arrival. I can not use coconut anything because I am allergic and don't want to risk myself. I have been told soil is not a great substrate to use as its hard to find good quality.. In my area the most common types of mulch are pine, cedar, hemlock and the dyed kind that doesn't even tell you what type of wood it is... So far pet stores are the only place I can find what I need. But my encloses 6ft by 3ft and that would be insanely expensive. Any and all help would be appreciated. Especially if you know where to order or buy it from in my area. Sorry for the long post!

What a nice enclosure for a hatchling. You have done a great job. Sorry I can’t help with what to use as substrate where you are. Good luck!

 

[Toddrickfl1]

I went through Timothy Grass, Spagmum Moss, coconut substrate and then the coconut mats and my Leopard hatchling just did not seem to like them. Then I bought ReptiBark and its AMAZING!!! No dust, soft under his feet, small cubed pieces with no pointy/sharp edges, etc. I highly recommend! He is so much more active.

Reptibark is just Fir (orchid) bark and it's way overpriced. You would save yourself a lot of money if were able to get it at a nursery or hardware store near you instead.

 

[Jodipg82]

Reptibark is just Fir (orchid) bark and it's way overpriced. You would save yourself a lot of money if were able to get it at a nursery or hardware store near you instead.

Is it the small pieces?? That would be great if I could get it cheaper and not pay for the Reptibark name!

 

[Toddrickfl1]

Is it the small pieces?? That would be great if I could get it cheaper and not pay for the Reptibark name!

Yes, but it's not available in all areas. You'll just have to check around in your area.

 

[Dbrocato2]

I also live in Ma. Before all this craziness I bought some at the Bridgewater Home Depot. It was with the indoor plants

They are all out now and unavailable online

 

[Dbrocato2]

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with pine bark as opposed to fir. I do not know where this myth comes from. Both contain a lot of sap/resin so it’s not that. For growing orchids, pine bark supposedly locks up nutrients as it decomposes faster. For tortoises I think it is the size and texture of orchid bark that make it ideal, particularly for discouraging baby tortoises from eating it (and smell might matter too). It also holds humidity and resists mold, but so does pine. I use pine bark fines, sold at about $3 per 2 cubic feet at Lowe’s as a “soil amendment”. The mix of sizes is wider and sometimes I get a bag that needs to be dried out and screened to remove particles that are too fine. For what it’s worth, I use the same stuff for orchids and they’re doing fine too...

Edit: I get that it’s much easier to tell people on the forum to buy orchid bark as it’s not ambiguous or variable. If you buy pine, it’s available in a bunch of different sizes and grades and not all of them are suitable. You want stuff that is maybe 1/2” in size without really small particles or dust in it.

I ended up with this.. It is not sticky and smells like dirt. It is not overly dusty at all

 

[Dbrocato2]

Hey there fellow Massachusetts tortoise lover! I found orchid bark at my local home depot. 8 quart bag for $5.36. Depending on where you are I could help you get some if you like. Really use what you're comfortable with for you and your tortoise. I use coconut husk because we are allergic to the other, so I feel your plight!

Thank you for the offer! I ended getting pine bark mulch. There is no sap stickiness or smell.. Smells like dirt..

 

[lovee50]

This is how I found the Green All micro bark since they didn’t have it at Home Depot or Lowe’s. I Googled it and went to the EB Organics website and clicked on Find a store near you, typed in my zip code and it gave me list of nurseries near me so now I have an endless supply ? I’m in CA but hopefully you all can find it at your local nurseries. https://www.ebstone.org/products/greenall

 

[Cinditnt]

Hey there fellow Massachusetts tortoise lover! I found orchid bark at my local home depot. 8 quart bag for $5.36. Depending on where you are I could help you get some if you like. Really use what you're comfortable with for you and your tortoise. I use coconut husk because we are allergic to the other, so I feel your plight!

Thanks, right now I'm all set and hopefully very soon my Salcuta Sherman will be going out in his pen soon. Have a good one and stay healthy

 

[Sue Ann]

OK so here we go... I live in Massachusetts USA.. In my area, it is almost impossible to find cypress mulch and fir bark (orchid bark) I have checked with home depot, lowes and about a million local landscaping companies in my area.. My tortoise (Hermanns hatched April 2020)is coming next week and I want to have my indoor enclosure set up and functional for at least a few days prior to my new babes arrival. I can not use coconut anything because I am allergic and don't want to risk myself. I have been told soil is not a great substrate to use as its hard to find good quality.. In my area the most common types of mulch are pine, cedar, hemlock and the dyed kind that doesn't even tell you what type of wood it is... So far pet stores are the only place I can find what I need. But my encloses 6ft by 3ft and that would be insanely expensive. Any and all help would be appreciated. Especially if you know where to order or buy it from in my area. Sorry for the long post!

You can buy orchid bark from Amazon

 

[Bieldesigns]

Thank you for the offer! I ended getting pine bark mulch. There is no sap stickiness or smell.. Smells like dirt..

That's fantastic! I'm only a little jealous of your set up ? good luck with your babe!

 

[Dbrocato2]

That's fantastic! I'm only a little jealous of your set up ? good luck with your babe!

What type of plant is that? Your tort is adorable.. I added some new features to my enclosure today.. i call this phase 2 lol

 

[turtlesteve]

Looks pretty good to me. Are you going to cover the top to keep humidity up?

The main suggestion I'd make is to bury the basking rock level with the substrate, so there is no step to get up onto it, and move any obstacles (wood logs) away from the basking area. You do not want anything that can cause a baby to flip upside down. Not that big of a deal on the cool side, but if they get flipped under the heat lamp they can overheat and die. This is actually one reason I have quit using temperature gradients in hatchling enclosures.

Steve

 

[Dbrocato2]

Looks pretty good to me. Are you going to cover the top to keep humidity up?

The main suggestion I'd make is to bury the basking rock level with the substrate, so there is no step to get up onto it, and move any obstacles (wood logs) away from the basking area. You do not want anything that can cause a baby to flip upside down. Not that big of a deal on the cool side, but if they get flipped under the heat lamp they can overheat and die. This is actually one reason I have quit using temperature gradients in hatchling enclosures.

Steve

Yes it is covered 2/3 wood and 1/3 screen(almost finished building) i will move the logs on that side and bury the basking rock. I don't get my tort until next week

 

[Bieldesigns]

What type of plant is that? Your tort is adorable.. I added some new features to my enclosure today.. i call this phase 2 lol

It came with him when we got him from our friend. Its plastic, but he loves to burrow by it. I think its aquatic

 

[Len B]

You should be able to find Cypress mulch or orchid bark at home Depot on the east coast. You can't rely on asking the employees there because they'll have no idea what your talking about. I went to home Depot twice and asked if they carry Cypress or orchid and was told no they don't but when I looked for it myself they do have it. It looks like thisView attachment 294331View attachment 294332

I get the NoFloat at a farm and feed store in Southern Maryland. It used to come in 3cu ft bags until last year. I get my mazuri from the same store. Around here most of the big box stores get cypress mulch in the early spring, once that is sold that's it until next spring.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Yes it is covered 2/3 wood and 1/3 screen(almost finished building) i will move the logs on that side and bury the basking rock. I don't get my tort until next week

Is your UVB mounted under the lid? A tube fluorescent?

 

[Dbrocato2]

Is your UVB mounted under the lid? A tube fluorescent?

It will be.. i ordered it and am waiting for it to come in. Its a arcadia T5 14%