Substrate question?

[dying4atort]

Can you use 100% pure pine pelleted bedding as substrate. I have no tort yet just doing my research. Just was cleaning out my sons ginea pig cage this morning and started looking at the bag of bedding. it is 100% pure american pine pelleted bedding no chemicals parfume's, dyes or anything. I love this for the ginea pig because it is very absorbent and has minimal smell. Oh it says may be ingested (although you hope not) Thanks for your help Just trying to get my table set up for when I finally find my tort friend Thanks again everyone on here have been great teachers

 

[JustAnja]

Pine can be toxic to reptiles, including Tortoises and Turtles.

 

[Crazy1]

dying4atort, as anja stated Pine when heated is toxic to torts and turtles Reptiles in general. Shredded aspen, Soil and play sand mixed or coco fiber and sand mix are good substraits as well as Orchard grass and Timathy hay. For larger torts they have a Pellet called critter Country, but I would not get this for a small tort as it is difficult for them to walk in. Do you have a tort species in mind yet?

 

[dying4atort]

Thanks again guys! Organic soil/sand mix I'll stick with. I'am really looking for a RF or a Russian although the Sulcata's are really neat too. But I've heard of the RF and russians to be great beginner torts. The only thing about the sulcata's is the of course size one day. Would I be able to keep one outdoors in winter in NC? With a heated house of course, we can get really cold? One more question do all torts hibernate I've read that some people do this and some don't how does this work? I would really love to save one of the unwanted torts, just haven't come across any within the right distance. I also worry of rehabbing a undercared fr tort as I don't have alot of experience but with this forum and a vet I feel like I'd be Ok. Thanks

 

[Jentortmom]

Some hibernate, some don't. It all depends on the species and then the indiviual tort. I have some that hibernate and then I have a few that do not, they come in every winter and stay in my tortnturt room. Then of course the sulcatas don't hibernate at all. If you have a basement you could could hibernate them indoors in the basement.

 

[dying4atort]

I don't have a basement. I do have room inside for a couple of tort tables though does a RF or a russian hibernate?

 

[Itort]

Redfoots don't and Russians do. For info on hibernating russians, I defer to russian keepers as I keep mainly redfoots and other tropical forest torts.