Please help!! (smelly oyster shell)

[cjheller]

So I just bought two bags of crushed oyster shells at a chicken feed and seed store today. I haven't used this as a substrate for my egyptian tortoise before. I just poured it in his enclosure and it has a really strong odor. I'm afraid to put him back in there. Is this normal? Will the smell go away? Please get back to me as soon as possible! Thank you.

 

[MrMarg&me]

From what I have learned on this forum you should be using bark designed for growing orchids or coconut coir. You should not be using anything as dry as oyster shell for substrate. Oyster shell is for chickens to supplement calcium in their diet. Also if you are having a weird feeling about it I would listen to it and remove the strange smelling substrate clean out the enclosure and replace with what the experienced and successful keepers recommend.

 

[cjheller]

From what I have learned on this forum you should be using bark designed for growing orchids or coconut coir. You should not be using anything as dry as oyster shell for substrate. Oyster shell is for chickens to supplement calcium in their diet. Also if you are having a weird feeling about it I would listen to it and remove the strange smelling substrate clean out the enclosure and replace with what the experienced and successful keepers recommend.

Thank you for replying. I have it mixed with coconut fiber. I'v heard of many experienced keepers using oyster shells for their egyptians. But the smell is so strong it's gross and is worrying me that it's not normal. On the cooler hide side I only have the coconut fiber. Maybe I'll close him off from the other side until tomorrow when I can go get different substrate.

 

[Yvonne G]

Yes, quite a few folks use oyster shell as substrate for their egyptian tortoises. I've never noticed that it smells. Is it a fishy smell? You can try rinsing it under running water????

 

[cjheller]

Yes, quite a few folks use oyster shell as substrate for their egyptian tortoises. I've never noticed that it smells. Is it a fishy smell? You can try rinsing it under running water????

Thanks so much for replying! The smell is hard to describe. I don't think of fish when I smell it. It smells like an old musty litter box that hasn't been cleaned for awhile. That's the best way I can describe it. It's overpowering and doesn't seem normal. What kind do you get?

 

[PA2019]

From what I have learned on this forum you should be using bark designed for growing orchids or coconut coir. You should not be using anything as dry as oyster shell for substrate. Oyster shell is for chickens to supplement calcium in their diet. Also if you are having a weird feeling about it I would listen to it and remove the strange smelling substrate clean out the enclosure and replace with what the experienced and successful keepers recommend.

Sorry, but you are giving incorrect information. Oyster shell substrate is the go-to method for Egyptians, with almost all substrate variations for this species having oyster shell as a component.

You should check out this website to learn more about the needs of this species.

https://www.hermannihaven.com/egyptian-tortoise-care-sheet

To the OP. I would soak the smelly oyster shell overnight, agitating it periodically and then letting it dry out on a cookie sheet or something in the sun. When my girlfriend used to collect sea shells, and forgot to wash them that evening, the next day the bucket would smell pretty gross. I started filling the bucket with water and letting the shells soak overnight. Good luck!

 

[Yvonne G]

Thanks so much for replying! The smell is hard to describe. I don't think of fish when I smell it. It smells like an old musty litter box that hasn't been cleaned for awhile. That's the best way I can describe it. It's overpowering and doesn't seem normal. What kind do you get?

Maybe your bag was old and had gotten wet (moldy). If that's the case I wouldn't use it. Take it back where you bought it and ask to trade it for a fresher bag. Their original use is for chickens to eat it. You can't feed a moldy product to chickens, so the store should take it back.

 

[cjheller]

UPDATE!

I wanted to provide an update on this. I kept him on the other side of his enclosure for the night before I could address the issue the following day. When I checked the situation out in the morning, the oyster shell substrate no longer smelled. It really must have just needed to be aired out. So if anyone has a similar issue, I would suggest just airing it out before putting it in the enclosure. However, I noticed my tortoise seemed to be struggling a bit to go to the bathroom when I was soaking him. And then he had tiny little bits of white in his poop (not his normal urates). I never saw him munching on the oyster shell but this worried me so I just took it out all together and changed substrates.

 

[MrMarg&me]

I know by taking a tortoise captive we have altered their natural environment. But I know we need to replicate a tortoise's natural environment to the best of our ability. It does not seem right to keep a tortoise on oyster shells. Even if that is the current advice. But I know absolutely that if you had a gut feeling about the substrate and felt it best to change it out you did the right thing in your personal situation.

 

[ShirleyTX]

I know by taking a tortoise captive we have altered their natural environment. But I know we need to replicate a tortoise's natural environment to the best of our ability. It does not seem right to keep a tortoise on oyster shells. Even if that is the current advice. But I know absolutely that if you had a gut feeling about the substrate and felt it best to change it out you did the right thing in your personal situation.

Oyster shell does seem counterintuitive, knowing what substrate most tortoises prefer. A unique feature of the Egyptian is its natural coastal habitat. I usually think of sea turtles when I think of coastlines! But this adorable little chelonian lives on the sandy scrubby shoreline, which may account for the success many keepers have with oyster shell.

I guess I wanted to ease your mind that this may be okay. [emoji4]