substrate

[Caroline and gang]

I realise this has been asked before buy I am confused about what to use for a young horsefield. I have been advised against sand and soil as it can cause impaction. What can I use that is safe and will keep her happy. Thanks in advance.

 

[russian/sulcata/tortoise]

coco coir is good for young torts.

 

[Caroline and gang]

So i dont need to mix the Coir coir with anything else? Would I use something different as she gets older? She is a 1yr old.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Other sites do not have such a strong aversion to sand as part of the mixture. If you do use it, use not more than 1/4 sand & mix it in rather than having a sandy area.

Coconut coir is good.

I mix coir with soil - in my case finished organic compost from my garden. I find that straight coir doesn't behave as well as the mixture.

 

[lisa127]

I really do not like coco coir, unlike most here. I prefer 100% organic peat moss.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I love coco coir, but nice, safe things to use otherwise can be- organic topsoil, orchid bark, reptibark, fir bark (they are really all the same!...the barks)

 

[Blakem]

Some add the peat moss and coir together because peat moss helps with humidity. They both are good for that. How old is your you g horsefield? For my Russian, when he was around 4 years of age, I used topsoil. Seems like your options are: topsoil, coco coir, peat moss, UNTREATED compost.

 

[Tort93]

I am currently using wood chips, but now I realise this is wrong! Have just ordered some coconut coir and some spaghnam moss. This should arrive in the next few days. I was planning on just using the noir as the main bedding throughout the enclosure and then putting the moss around in little patches. Would this be okay, or would mixing the two together be better?