Should you bake, boil or freeze loose coconut fiber substrate?

Maggie3fan

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Thank you! & update I plugged in the light fixture I got, it’s pretty dim. I’m likely going to return it and find some T5 HO’s for ambient lighting instead.

When you take the tortoises out for sunlight, do you have it inside of one of those carriers for small animals and add some water inside to prevent dehydration and overheating? That’s kinda what I think would be good to have him outside on? In a little container with some water in the sunlight while I monitor him.
Tom will answer you soon I'm sure. But tortoises and cats (in carriers) are really different, and when you are told to get your tortoise out in the sun, in my opinion, you pick him up out of his enclosure, hold him tightly but softly, walk out your house into your back yard, set him down on the grass, set your *** down and watch him for an hour, then take him in, offer a snack, give him a drink because I can guarantee his not gonna drink while he's scared and curious about this new thing outside. Do not take him to public places. Exercise is extremely important and one way to get your little tortoise exercise is to let him roam the yard with you watching, no carriers!
 

Tom

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Thank you! & update I plugged in the light fixture I got, it’s pretty dim. I’m likely going to return it and find some T5 HO’s for ambient lighting instead.

When you take the tortoises out for sunlight, do you have it inside of one of those carriers for small animals and add some water inside to prevent dehydration and overheating? That’s kinda what I think would be good to have him outside on? In a little container with some water in the sunlight while I monitor him.
LEDs work as well or better and use a fraction of the eclecticity. If you need more heat in a closed chamber in a cold room, then HO tubes are great for ambient light. If you don't need more heat, then LEDs are the way to go.

When tortoises go outside, they need to be in a safe, secure enclosure that has both deep shade and direct sun in some parts. If you are worried about birds or dogs, then make a welded wire cover for it. You can use a kiddie pool, cinder blocks, or wood. There are many ways to do it.I don't worry about putting water out for them because they will only be out for a short time, and then I soak them when I bring them back in.
 

J0KER

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Tom will answer you soon I'm sure. But tortoises and cats (in carriers) are really different, and when you are told to get your tortoise out in the sun, in my opinion, you pick him up out of his enclosure, hold him tightly but softly, walk out your house into your back yard, set him down on the grass, set your *** down and watch him for an hour, then take him in, offer a snack, give him a drink because I can guarantee his not gonna drink while he's scared and curious about this new thing outside. Do not take him to public places. Exercise is extremely important and one way to get your little tortoise exercise is to let him roam the yard with you watching, no carriers!
Awesome! Okay yes, that makes sense, I would definitely not let him roam around unsupervised. Gonna take him outside today and walk around with him get him some nice sunlight!
 

J0KER

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LEDs work as well or better and use a fraction of the eclecticity. If you need more heat in a closed chamber in a cold room, then HO tubes are great for ambient light. If you don't need more heat, then LEDs are the way to go.

When tortoises go outside, they need to be in a safe, secure enclosure that has both deep shade and direct sun in some parts. If you are worried about birds or dogs, then make a welded wire cover for it. You can use a kiddie pool, cinder blocks, or wood. There are many ways to do it.I don't worry about putting water out for them because they will only be out for a short time, and then I soak them when I bring them back in.
My room is by the shade and does not really get any sun. So sun doesn’t hit my room at all, does get a bit cold. I’m going to go with the T5 HO’s, if they do emit some more heat they’ll be able to warm up the cool spot as well for him. You said not to get 5.0 right, they don’t emit a lot of UV. So for T5’s i’ll get a 10.0, and look into that UV test link you sent.

Sounds great, i’m probably going to take him outside with a tub so he has a lot of space to walk around & i’ll add an area for some shade. Once we go back i’ll give him a soak and something to eat. Per your thread I believe the desired temperature for soaks was about 80-85 degrees yes?
 

GMDVM

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I am super paranoid with my Hermann hatchling so I boil my cypress mulch and coir in a double pot with a colander. Really time consuming and messy. But no fungus gnats or mites
 

Tom

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My room is by the shade and does not really get any sun. So sun doesn’t hit my room at all, does get a bit cold. I’m going to go with the T5 HO’s, if they do emit some more heat they’ll be able to warm up the cool spot as well for him. You said not to get 5.0 right, they don’t emit a lot of UV. So for T5’s i’ll get a 10.0, and look into that UV test link you sent.

Sounds great, i’m probably going to take him outside with a tub so he has a lot of space to walk around & i’ll add an area for some shade. Once we go back i’ll give him a soak and something to eat. Per your thread I believe the desired temperature for soaks was about 80-85 degrees yes?
If you are using the Ho bulb for UV, it should only be on for 1-3 hours mid day. If you want light from an HO bulb, get one in the 5000-6500K color range for best results, but not a UV tube. Its fine to have both, as one is for ambient light all day, and the other is just for some mid day UV when sunshine isn't possible due to weather or time constraints.

Soaking water temp should be 85-95.
 

William Lee Kohler

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Thank you for the response! Hmm, I just hope I’m not left with more springtails than substrate lol. If they can be kept in moderation small amounts that’d be great, i just don’t want an army of them.
Would you also recommend to bake the substrate to get rid of them if they start to take over?

There will only be as many as their environment will support. A full house means a clean house for the tortoises. I gotta get me some of these. Sow bugs(Isopods)are great house cleaners as well as food for some tortoises. This is responsible environmentalism for your tortoises.
 

J0KER

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There will only be as many as their environment will support. A full house means a clean house for the tortoises. I gotta get me some of these. Sow bugs(Isopods)are great house cleaners as well as food for some tortoises. This is responsible environmentalism for your tortoises.
Thanks for the response! Full house means a clean house huh. I’m definitely a lot more open to the idea now based off what everyone has said!
 

J0KER

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If you are using the Ho bulb for UV, it should only be on for 1-3 hours mid day. If you want light from an HO bulb, get one in the 5000-6500K color range for best results, but not a UV tube. Its fine to have both, as one is for ambient light all day, and the other is just for some mid day UV when sunshine isn't possible due to weather or time constraints.

Soaking water temp should be 85-95.
Got it! I just bought a T5 HO yesterday, did not come with a UV but it was within the 5000-6500K color range.

I’m going to go ahead and buy a UV bulb as well for one, and keep it between 1-3 hours you said. Is that in addition to 1-3 hours a week sunlight? Or if a tortoise does not get unfiltered sunshine does it still only get 1-3 hours of UV on bulb or would it be more?
 

Tom

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Got it! I just bought a T5 HO yesterday, did not come with a UV but it was within the 5000-6500K color range.

I’m going to go ahead and buy a UV bulb as well for one, and keep it between 1-3 hours you said. Is that in addition to 1-3 hours a week sunlight? Or if a tortoise does not get unfiltered sunshine does it still only get 1-3 hours of UV on bulb or would it be more?
If you get 1-3 hours of real sun, you don't need any indoor UV. Its fine to skip a few weeks now and then during our cold rainy winter weather weeks.

If you don't get any sun for 6 or 7 months of every year, like people who live in the frozen north, then running an indoor HO tube for an hour or two or three a day, will meet the tortoise's UV needs.
 

J0KER

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If you get 1-3 hours of real sun, you don't need any indoor UV. Its fine to skip a few weeks now and then during our cold rainy winter weather weeks.

If you don't get any sun for 6 or 7 months of every year, like people who live in the frozen north, then running an indoor HO tube for an hour or two or three a day, will meet the tortoise's UV needs.
Ahh yes, that makes sense! This is the T5 HO that I got, comes with a 6400K lamp. I plan on using this bulb for ambient lighting & will have a separate T5 UV lamp as well just in case I wanna give him some UV during a week or weeks where there’s a lack of sun or anything as mentioned.
 
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VegasJeff

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I'm currently using the ZooMed Coco Coir. I bought mine in brick form. There was no bugs in there as far as I could tell (unless they are microscopic). I know coco coir has been recommeneded by others on here but I personally don't care for it. It seems to close to soil and when the tort drags his food around the coco coir gets all over it. I'd recommend going for the bark, just make sure you get the right kind as some barks are poisonous to torts.
 
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