Substrate Suggestions

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cork_screw

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Hello, I've been doing searches all over the web and have been trying to find a good suggestion for substrate but I've read some conflicting info. Overwhelmingly I've heard coco coir was good, so I actually went out and bought some. The thing is when I put it in, I noticed it was really dusty. I don't want to wet it down, I am afraid of shell rot if my torts shell rests on a damp surface for hours. But I'm also worried about respiratory issues if he/she is constantly breathing in the dust from the coco fiber. Also when you wet the coco fiber, if my tort urinates or defecates that will quickly mold as opposed to if I left it dry. I've read a mixture of potting soil and sand, but I've heard that sand can lead to impaction and I don't want to deal with soil because it's messy and there is a really good chance of inviting pests and bacteria.

So besides those, what else substrates do people here use for their Indian Stars? Is there a trick to dealing with coco coir without the dust and not having to wet it down? Is the dust even harmful? I noticed that if I place my hand and rub it in and take it out a lot of fine dust clings to my hand, I can't imagine what is getting breathed in or going in my torts lungs. So far, I've left it in and this is just the 2nd day. I want to experiment with other substrates so some helpful suggestions would be great. Thanks.
 

Vishnu2

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I use Cypress Mulch for mine. Seems to work great. Not dusty, holding the right humidity for my hatchling, easy to spot clean for food and waste. :D
 
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