New Substrate issuses and concerns

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Scoffy20

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Hi everyone, after talking it over with my girlfriend, we have decided to try again but this time with CB Russians. That being said I want to change a few things up in our setup to better our new friends life. His inclosure is 18wX36L. I want to use the 50/50 mix of sand and coconut fibers. I want him/her to have at least 4" of substrate to be able to burrow. More can always be added as needed. How much should I get? Is a 10#bag of sand and two compressed blocks enough or would I need more?

Also I want to know which brands my fellow enthusiast choose. I've been looking at the zoo med repti sand because it does not have any dyes or chemicals and I've been reading about just average play sand containing to many large pebbles and rocks. Then the Zoo Med Eco Earth compressed or loose coconut fibers, is anyone better to use then the other? Also I saw some people said that the bags they bought had mites in them.

Please let me know what you all think. I am eager to get my setup dialed in before I purchase a new tort.
 

ssydney

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Scoffy20 said:
Hi everyone, after talking it over with my girlfriend, we have decided to try again but this time with CB Russians. That being said I want to change a few things up in our setup to better our new friends life. His inclosure is 18wX36L. I want to use the 50/50 mix of sand and coconut fibers. I want him/her to have at least 4" of substrate to be able to burrow. More can always be added as needed. How much should I get? Is a 10#bag of sand and two compressed blocks enough or would I need more?

Also I want to know which brands my fellow enthusiast choose. I've been looking at the zoo med repti sand because it does not have any dyes or chemicals and I've been reading about just average play sand containing to many large pebbles and rocks. Then the Zoo Med Eco Earth compressed or loose coconut fibers, is anyone better to use then the other? Also I saw some people said that the bags they bought had mites in them.

Please let me know what you all think. I am eager to get my setup dialed in before I purchase a new tort.

What substrate did you use before?

The zoo med is way over priced, go to lowes or home depot.

Another option is Top Soil and you can get a bag for 1.80
 

Laurie

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I'm not a fan of using sand in my substrate, others like it. The only thing I know about the sand is you don't want to use the calci-sand. There is a possibility of causing an intestinal obstruction should your tortoise eat it. I think the sand most folks use is regular play sand which you can find at home depot.
 

ascott

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There are folks who like mixing in a bit of sand with their other substrate for indoor enclosures.

I personally dealt with an adult Ca Desert Tort (CDT) that was impacted solid with sand...albeit he has poor eye sight and that likely played into some of the reason he became impacted (when he would attempt to eat I am sure he would take in sand and then he had hard time locating the water source the prior caregiver would put out--so the mix I am sure created the start of a bad situation)....however, I personally do not like sand in an indoor enclosure--it just increases the chance of impaction. Yes, any substrate can create an impaction issues, however, sand settles into the gut a bit differently and is harder to move it out...

I would use finely processed peat moss that you can get a lowes for less than 10.00 dollars....

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/outdoo...ier/peat-moss-3-cu-ft-53928.html#.UBv_CxU4PSE

If you are going to add moisture to your enclosure in spots for humidity then this works really well in retaining moisture---if you use the deep substrate it allows the top layers of substrate to dry out and the underneath to remain moist without mucky....

Others here will also offer their preferences and you can then have a better idea of what is actually used and how it reports to work....
 

Jacqui

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I am one who loves the sand and coir combination. While some people have a fear of sand, it really should not be a concern if used correctly. I would move the combo from the 50/50 your talking to a more 80/20 with sand the 20%. At those levels, a normal healthy and properly hydrated animal should never have any impaction issue. Think also of it this way, most soils have sand in them any how.

I would get the playsand, one bag should be plenty, but it is going to take a lot of those bricks. I have never really kept track of how many it takes, but I would guess your talking atleast eight of them probably more. I have never had bugs in the compressed blocks.
 

Scoffy20

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Laurie said:
I'm not a fan of using sand in my substrate, others like it. The only thing I know about the sand is you don't want to use the calci-sand. There is a possibility of causing an intestinal obstruction should your tortoise eat it. I think the sand most folks use is regular play sand which you can find at home depot.

why would the calci-sand cause more of an impaction then play sand?


Thanks, everyone. I'm just trying to choose a good substrate so for a Russian tort. Humidity doesn't necessarily have to be high. 40% is more ideal, but at the same time I don't want his/her home to get too dusty.
 

Edna

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My native soil here is fine sand, and my torts seem to like it where it's loose and dry in their favorite outdoor hide. I've just purchased play sand for the hide in the new indoor I'm setting up for them. It's really nice. For the rest of the substrate I'm using cypress mulch and organic garden soil.
 
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