Stryker
New Member
What kind of dirt or soil is best for my desert tortoises
Soil
- Thread starter Stryker
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- Jul 16, 2014
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- Location (City and/or State)
- South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Nothing with any sand in it.
But as for the BEST substrate, we need someone with more experience with DT than I have
But as for the BEST substrate, we need someone with more experience with DT than I have
What size DT? Hand packed coco coir works best for babies and fine grade orchid bark is best for any DT over about 4 inches. Bought-in-a-bag soil from a store should never be used as substrate. If your yard dirt is of suitable composition, it can work, but its usually too sandy, or it turns to mud with the necessary moisture.
Most of the care info found and offered for this species is old, wrong, and based on incorrect assumptions of the past. Here is the correct care info, and this should sound quite different than what you've probably already heard:
The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...
tortoiseforum.org
Dogs and dehydration are the primary killers of these tortoises, followed closely by people letting them "hibernate" on their own outside. I hope we can help you avoid learning these lessons the hard way, as so many of us have already done.
Stryker
New Member
I'm not so sure those are desert tortoises. Can we get some better pics showing the tortoises faces and legs without the mud?
They should never be housed as pairs, and I'm glad you are here asking about substrates. Fine grade orchid bark will work well for these guys. You can get it cheaply in bulk from local garden centers. You can't usually find it at chain hardware stores. If you have any trouble finding it, you can get "Repti-bark" at chewy.com pretty cheaply too.
Stryker
New Member
they told us they were desert tortoises, I sent pictures to sac co. Tortoise,turtle society, they inform us that they are three toed box turtles. Now I can adjust there diet and habitat.
Stryker
New Member
Stryker
New Member
I have some coco coir bricks coming. We appreciate everyone’s help.
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2014
- Messages
- 29,970
- Location (City and/or State)
- South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Great
Their care is very different.
But it's still a very good idea to separate them as soon as possible for their well being.
Stryker
New Member
The turtles have been together for over 20 years
Doesn't mean it was good for them. That means they've been suffering and surviving a bad situation for a long time. I've seen lots of chelonians living in pairs over the long term. Its not an automatic instant death sentence. It is very taxing on them. Some survive it, and some don't.
Stryker
New Member
Thank you for your help.
