Substrate

[Kaylamae33]

So I have a new Russian tortoise. At petco they told me to go with this wooden substrate but I realized after a few days that I really didn’t like it. It worries me because I have to watch when he eats to make sure his food doesn’t fall off his rock and him accidentally eat a wood chip. Plus he really loves to dig and in that he just pushes it all around and doesn’t really seem very fun. I’ve realized it doesn’t hold a lot of humidity. I called petco and they told me it was because my enclosure was too big and I just needed more light. Those wood chips are so dry and I found myself spraying water on them at least twice a day if not more. So I got on amazon and ordered some eco earth loose coconut fiber substrate. I read people’s comments on holding the humidity and it seems like exactly what I want. What are your guys thoughts and ideas to holding humidity and temperatures? His enclosure is 2 feet wide by 4 feet long and it’s wooden and its partially opened. I have a piece of glass on the middle part of the enclosure. I’ve also been using a heat lamp during the day along with the uvb lamp I have to make it a little warmer for him and a ceramic bulb at night.

 

[jsheffield]

I know that what a lot of people do, and what I am trying to do in my redfoot's new enclosure, is to mix warm water in with an inch or so of whatever substrate you use (I use cypress mulch, but I'm assuming it's the same with whichever viable alternative you choose) and then layer some drier substrate over the top.

I wasn't able to keep the humidity at the level that I wanted it for Darwin with an open topped enclosure, so I covered mine, and it's been way easier to keep the heat and humidity stable since then.

Jamie

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Don't take into consideration anything else you hear at petco.
Not what to feed, what kind of lights or anything.
Orchid bark is a preferred substrate.
I use orchid bark and potting soil mixed. But I do not keep Russians. So I cant say if that's ideal for you

 

[Tom]

So I have a new Russian tortoise. At petco they told me to go with this wooden substrate but I realized after a few days that I really didn’t like it. It worries me because I have to watch when he eats to make sure his food doesn’t fall off his rock and him accidentally eat a wood chip. Plus he really loves to dig and in that he just pushes it all around and doesn’t really seem very fun. I’ve realized it doesn’t hold a lot of humidity. I called petco and they told me it was because my enclosure was too big and I just needed more light. Those wood chips are so dry and I found myself spraying water on them at least twice a day if not more. So I got on amazon and ordered some eco earth loose coconut fiber substrate. I read people’s comments on holding the humidity and it seems like exactly what I want. What are your guys thoughts and ideas to holding humidity and temperatures? His enclosure is 2 feet wide by 4 feet long and it’s wooden and its partially opened. I have a piece of glass on the middle part of the enclosure. I’ve also been using a heat lamp during the day along with the uvb lamp I have to make it a little warmer for him and a ceramic bulb at night.

The pet stores seldom give correct info. Your tortoises enclosure is much too small, not too big. And adding more light will dry it out more.

One of the only things they get right is the Repti-Bark substrate. It is good stuff and you don't have to worry about your tortoise eating it. Spraying the surface does very little. You need to dump water into it to keep it damp. How much water and how often varies greatly from person to person. Try a gallon and see what it does. Sometimes you can maintain correct moisture levels by dumping the water bowl into it daily and then refilling it.

Coco coir is safe, but its messy. I don't think you'll like it.

Give these a read through for the correct info:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[Kaylamae33]

So today I heard him sneeze a few times. I looked up some things on here and I think his substrate was too dry.( it was almost sand dry) but I alway made it half the cocoanut fiber and half the wooden one so he can choose where he wants to go. His humidity has been staying around 70% even at night time. He’s still young and I’ve read that it could even be 80%. His temp is around 73-78. I really hope this isn’t the start of something respiratory and it was just because his enclosure was dry. Some days his active then some days he’s not at all. He always eats like a hoss too so that’s good he isn’t losing his appetite.