Sphagnum moss and Coconut Humus

[Tracy Gould]

Hi I have ordered these two products for my tort table.I know Torts will quite often taste new stuff,Can this cause any problems? Shelby is a greedy little thing and its posible she will eat alot of this stuff especially the moss, so i thought i would check for any problems if there is a risk to her eating it then i will remove it if she gets a taste for it, I am hoping it will taste nasty to her so she leaves it alone and just uses it to dig and hide in.

 

[GBtortoises]

All I can tell you for sure is that all of my Hermann's and other tortoises have been raised here exposed to sphagnum moss (fresh green and dead brown) and coconut coir with no ill effects whatsoever. I have never seen of them show any interest in eating either product. I have seen them eat dirt, stones, feces, some pretty ripe vegetables and even taste plants that are supposedly toxic. My belief is that a little sphagnum moss or coconut coir probably isn't going to do much. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Tracy Gould]

All I can tell you for sure is that all of my Hermann's and other tortoises have been raised here exposed to sphagnum moss (fresh green and dead brown) and coconut coir with no ill effects whatsoever. I have never seen of them show any interest in eating either product. I have seen them eat dirt, stones, feces, some pretty ripe vegetables and even taste plants that are supposedly toxic. My belief is that a little sphagnum moss or coconut coir probably isn't going to do much. But that's just my opinion.

Ok thanks.I know they can taste new things they are like living Hoovers, i added a small Spider plant to her table yesterday she mouthed it, but did not eat it but i took it out today as she is climbing and sitting on in which is damaging the growth so its at the top of the table till it gets adid bigger lol

 

[Tom]

You could also do a good soak and feed her a big meal when you put her back in there for the first time. Then just keep a nice pile of spring mix in there for a few days until the novelty wears off. If she's already got a full belly of good stuff, and has more available, she'll be a lot less likely to try and eat the substrate.

 

[Tracy Gould]

You could also do a good soak and feed her a big meal when you put her back in there for the first time. Then just keep a nice pile of spring mix in there for a few days until the novelty wears off. If she's already got a full belly of good stuff, and has more available, she'll be a lot less likely to try and eat the substrate.

great tip thanks i will do that.