I added sand to my new tortoise enclosure and I think it's silica. I wanted to know what the difference between it and Playsand would be and if I need to change it. So I know which it is I did check the bag but it doesn't seem to say anywhere. The two tortoises living in it are both adult russians.
Playsand and silica sand?
- Thread starter LagariAsher
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It says it's pavestone natural Playsand and it is from home depot. Everything I can find just says 100% natural and that it is non manufactured.
is it mixed with anything? or just plain sand? if the food sticks to it and they end up eating a lot of it.. it can cause issues....
We have some coco bark mixed in to help with moisture but their food is never placed on the sand it's on their basking are or a dish.
i would ditch the sand, bad choice, hard to walk on and will cause impaction, just a matter of time, their are so many better substrates out their, coco coir, cypress mulch, topsoil..
i would switch, like sulcatasquirt said try coco coir or another choice 
I don't use any sand at all even though some people and some sites recommend it. I have seen too many impactions from it, as well as skin and eye irritation.
Lots of other choices that are better and less risky.
Lots of other choices that are better and less risky.
Tom said:
Agreed, I see no reason to ever use sand.
Silica is not good. Also, sand as a whole "to me" is not necessary, especially in an enclosure....it can increase the chance of impaction and if the tort does ingest it the problem starts when the sand starts to accumulate inside and sand is heavy and begins to sink into pockets in the digestive track and this can aid in impaction....especially if a tort is slightly dehydrated....some do use sand and like it....I personally have worked a CDT from near death as a result of solid sand impaction and it is not good....
I looked at a few topsoil options the best I could find was one with sphagnum peat moss, coco coir, dolomite lime and perlite.
I know the first two are pretty good but I don't know much about limestone or perlite (which seems easy enough to remove)
I know the first two are pretty good but I don't know much about limestone or perlite (which seems easy enough to remove)
You don't want any additives at all. No dolomite or perlite. I'm assuming that since there is a "basking area" that this s an indoor enclosure. How about orchid bark, coco fiber, cypress mulch, or some suitable dirt from the back yard? Plain soil works too, but as you are seeing, its hard to find it without additives. Often you can find "organic" or "sterile potting" soil at garden specialty stores. Hard to find what you need at the big chain hardware stores as far as substrate goes.
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