Hi so i've been wondering which substrate is good for baby sulcatas because here in indonesia I only trust exoterra as it is the brand that i trust most since I have no access to zoo med. So I need help on which substrate to use as here exoterrra provides plantation soil,forest moss and coco husk. Also do i have to get isopods for waste clean up crew? And will the baby sulcata eat the substrate and if it does will he/she get impaction?
Substrate for baby sulcata
- Thread starter Justincl
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Hamiltondood
Active Member
don't get any moss, your tortoise will get impacted from it
i recommend eco earth/coco coir/coco husk for hatchlings. make sure to pack it down and add water every week or so.
you'd have no problem with humidity in a closed chamber
you can also use some orchid/fir bark
you dont NEED any isopods but they're great to have in the enclosure, you can also add springtails so that the isopods and springtails will compete for food/waste.
here are some helpful caresheets:
The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? 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. Babies hatch during the...
tortoiseforum.org
For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...
Over and over I type up and answer diet questions and try to get people feeding the right stuff, but I find that the "norm" is grocery store food. Grocery store food is expensive, a hassle to obtain, and very low on the list of what is best for sulcatas. These tortoises are GRASS eaters. From...
tortoiseforum.org
"Hatchling Failure Syndrome"
I've heard this term for many years and I don't like it. Its a way to excuse our ignorance and failure. I will agree that an occasional hatchling is born that is just not going to make it no matter what anybody does, but MOST of them, if they make it full term and hatch, SHOULD survive and...
tortoiseforum.org
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Ah ok thx for the infodon't get any moss, youre tortoise will get impacted from it
i recommend eco earth/coco coir/coco husk for hatchlings. make sure to pack it down and add water every week or so.
you'd have no problem with humidity in a closed chamber
you can also use some orchid/fir bark
you dont NEED any isopods but they're great to have in the enclosure, you can also add springtails so that the population of the isopods and springtails will compete for food/waste.
the tortoise won't eat the substrate if you provide enough food and the right care.
here are some helpful caresheets:
The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise
I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? 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. Babies hatch during the...For Those Who Have a Young Sulcata...
Over and over I type up and answer diet questions and try to get people feeding the right stuff, but I find that the "norm" is grocery store food. Grocery store food is expensive, a hassle to obtain, and very low on the list of what is best for sulcatas. These tortoises are GRASS eaters. From..."Hatchling Failure Syndrome"
I've heard this term for many years and I don't like it. Its a way to excuse our ignorance and failure. I will agree that an occasional hatchling is born that is just not going to make it no matter what anybody does, but MOST of them, if they make it full term and hatch, SHOULD survive and...
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Plantation Soil is coco husk, so is fine to use.
There is a product called Forest Floor substrate which is cypress mulch, so good to use. It is made by ZooMed, but a good product.
I agree about any kind of moss...do not use.
Torts aren't likely to eat either coco husk or cypress mulch, but if they do eat some, it should pass through OK.
There is a product called Forest Floor substrate which is cypress mulch, so good to use. It is made by ZooMed, but a good product.
I agree about any kind of moss...do not use.
Torts aren't likely to eat either coco husk or cypress mulch, but if they do eat some, it should pass through OK.
Are you sure? They both have different packaging
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Yes, I'm sure. The Plantation Soil is compressed coco husk. I think that is the difference between the two.
Here's a screenshot of the description...
Ah ok thx
Orchid bark, also called fir bark, is the best substrate for them. Coco coir can work too, but its messy. Make a thick layer of the coco coir and hand pack it down. Always keep it damp, but not wet.
Rijal
New Member
You won't be able to find fir bark / repti bark in Indonesia. The closest thing I can find is something called "forest bark". However it is made from pine, so I will not use it. What I use is a thick layer of plantation soil and a thin layer of small coco husk on top to make it less messy. Plantation soil alone will be enough.
