Substrate question

[stacie_w83]

Hi again all

So I'm a few weeks into looking after 2 Russians, Finn and Rey (a friend of a friend abandoned them)

They were kept in an enclosure with aspen substrate so I carried on using that as they were used to it. I read in here that I should use top soil so that they can dig down which i switched to last week but they do not seem to like it. Before, in the aspen they used to dig in and burrow but they haven't even attempted this in the soil, and hardly move around anymore.

I have switched back to the aspen and they are wandering around and digging in again. Is there any issues with keeping them with this substrate or should I try them with soil again or something else completely??

Thanks in advance X

 

[Yvonne G]

It's a personal choice. You try to give the tortoise what it needs, and in doing that you use what pleases you...what you like and is easy for you to work with. My personal choice is orchid bark. But I know that aspen isn't good because you can't moisten it.

 

[stacie_w83]

Thanks Yvonne. I did read that it's better to have a moist substrate, so might try orchid bark.

I want them to be as healthy as possible, but they really didn't like the soil haha