What is the best substrate for Russian tortoises

[Yvonne G]

Actually they come from the steppe: a large area of flat unforested grassland in southeastern Europe or Siberia - not the desert. And all tortoises benefit from a little humidity in their lives.

 

[Yossarian]

I wouldn’t like to add water with a watering can as it could make the enclosure too damp . From what I’ve read Russian tortoises are a desert species and don’t require high levels humidity .

Russian tortoise are a temperate species and you wont make the substrate too damp by watering it unless you overwater it, as long as the bark can absorb all the water it is fine. Russians do actually require moderate humidity or their shells will pyramid and their health will suffer, one of the ways they get this is from a damp substrate and being able to dig into it. These details are all covered in the care sheet posted above by @Tom .

 

[Dan108]

Russian tortoise are a temperate species and you wont make the substrate too damp by watering it unless you overwater it, as long as the bark can absorb all the water it is fine. Russians do actually require moderate humidity or their shells will pyramid and their health will suffer, one of
the ways they get this is from a damp substrate and being able to dig into it. These details are all covered in the care sheet posted above by @Tom .

Oh ok that’s interesting to know. I usually use a spray bottle and spray down the enclosure The humidity is usually in the range of 40% to 50% is that ok for them

 

[Dan108]

Actually they come from the steppe: a large area of flat unforested grassland in southeastern Europe or Siberia - not the desert. And all tortoises benefit from a little humidity in their lives.

Oh I thought they were from Afghanistan according to my tortoise care book

 

[Lyn W]

When I buy compost I always ask or read on the bag to make sure there’s no additives in. When I used to buy top soil I used to sieve it through a garden riddle especially when they were babies. Haven’t tried orchid bark as it’s not easy to get hold of here.

It's not just the additives you have to worry about in compost etc its what plants have actually been composted. Some of them could be toxic to torts so best to avoid.

 

[Tom]

I wouldn’t like to add water with a watering can as it could make the enclosure too damp . From what I’ve read Russian tortoises are a desert species and don’t require high levels humidity .

This goes back to what I was saying in post #11 about there being so much contradictory and wrong info circulating around.

As Yossarian and Yvonne both explained. They are NOT a desert species, and even desert species find or create humid microclimates for themselves. Adult Russians don/t need high humidity, but they do benefit from moderate humidity, and an indoor enclosure with dry substrate in a heated or air conditioned house will be exceptionally and unnaturally dry. Using damp, not wet, substrate helps to combat the effects of this indoor dryness.

 

[Lyn W]

Oh I thought they were from Afghanistan according to my tortoise care book

There's a lot of incorrect and out of date information out there so forget other websites and books which could be dated. You'll get the best current information and advice here from very experienced keepers and members who have been involved in research and thankfully share everything with us so we can correct any mistakes.

 

[Tom]

Oh I thought they were from Afghanistan according to my tortoise care book

That is one part of their enormous range.

Oh ok that’s interesting to know. I usually use a spray bottle and spray down the enclosure The humidity is usually in the range of 40% to 50% is that ok for them

Spraying the surface does very little. 40-50% isn't too terribly bad, but 50-70% is better. Adult Russians can survive in 5% humidity. They are extremely hardy and adaptable. We are looking for optimal health, not survivable conditions.

 

[Tom]

When I buy compost I always ask or read on the bag to make sure there’s no additives in. When I used to buy top soil I used to sieve it through a garden riddle especially when they were babies. Haven’t tried orchid bark as it’s not easy to get hold of here.

To add to what Lyn said, store bought soil or compost is made from compost yard waste. Could be harmless grass clipping after a rain, or it could be grass clippings that were just sprayed with pesticides and weed killers. It could be azaleas and oleander clippings. It could be rose bushes that were sprayed with fungicide. The point is: There is no way to know what that stuff is that you are putting into your tortoise's enclosure. I've personally seen toxic items that were not fully composted. I saw these items in the mouths of my little hatchling tortoises.

The makers of soil and compost do not intend for small animals to be living on or in their product in indoor enclosures. This being the case, they have no reason to exercise caution about what goes into their gardening products. I've seen broken glass, plastic bags, pieces of hard plastic and ceramic shards, painted splintered wood, and toxic plants. Jacaranda in my case.

This is the reason I say soil should never be used as a tortoise substrate.

 

[Dan108]

To add to what Lyn said, store bought soil or compost is made from compost yard waste. Could be harmless grass clipping after a rain, or it could be grass clippings that were just sprayed with pesticides and weed killers. It could be azaleas and oleander clippings. It could be rose bushes that were sprayed with fungicide. The point is: There is no way to know what that stuff is that you are putting into your tortoise's enclosure. I've personally seen toxic items that were not fully composted. I saw these items in the mouths of my little hatchling tortoises.

The makers of soil and compost do not intend for small animals to be living on or in their product in indoor enclosures. This being the case, they have no reason to exercise caution about what goes into their gardening products. I've seen broken glass, plastic bags, pieces of hard plastic and ceramic shards, painted splintered wood, and toxic plants. Jacaranda in my case.

This is the reason I say soil should never be used as a tortoise substrate.

That’s a really good point whenever I used soil in the past for different enclosures i always used a sterile pet shop brand I never used compost from a gardening centre for that very reason you don’t have a clue what it contains .

 

[Sarah2020]

I’ll try Amazon as I live in Ireland and it’s hard getting stuff from most uk suppliers now


Thanks for all that information. I was definitely thinking of going with the orchard bark for that very reason that’s it’s good for humidity and easy to clean .

A lot of websites are saying that sand and soil mixes are the best option.

Would a sand and soil mix be safe if you new what it was made from and if it was made from sterile sand & eco earth blocks

Hi soil and sand causes impaction as they digest it when it gets trampled in on the food they consume or water they drink. I use orchid bark from swell reptiles UK on line . Works well and I get good humidity and burrowing.

 

[Sarah2020]

Russian tortoise are a temperate species and you wont make the substrate too damp by watering it unless you overwater it, as long as the bark can absorb all the water it is fine. Russians do actually require moderate humidity or their shells will pyramid and their health will suffer, one of the ways they get this is from a damp substrate and being able to dig into it. These details are all covered in the care sheet posted above by @Tom .

Agree shell growth is smooth with some humidity , regular soaks and good food

 

[lsp56]

The three suitable substrates are Coco Coir (messiest), Cyprus mulch (less messy), and Orchid Bark (least messy). Personally I dont care for cyprus mulch, it doesnt retain moisture well enough and it sometimes smells bad when you wet it. I like coco, it is messy but it holds a lot of moisture and doesnt go moldy, it last a long time, and its good for digging into. More and more I am thinking of switching to mostly Orchid bark though, the fine grade stuff shares those qualities while being a lot cleaner.

We dont reccomend people use soil and garden compost mixed in because of unknown contaminants. Effectively you dont know what plants are in compost and many torts eat the substrate, If the compost is largely from a toxic plant that could be a problem, also many composts have additive fertilisers which can be harmful. Same goes for Top Soil, but soil also has other risks including sand in it, and sand is an abrasion and impaction risk. Even worse, I garden as well, and from personal experience I have found nails and screws in bags of soil and compost many times over the years, and recently the forum had a tort very ill from swallowing a screw, last I saw it wasnt looking good even after surgery. With the three options I mention you can have complete confidence of whats in the bag, and they provide everything a russian tort could need.

There is no need for us to replicate their wild habitat, that is impossible, what is needed is for us to provide a habitat in which their natural needs are met and in which they can thrive. The reality is many people use poor substrates for torts including soil and compost and their torts survive fine, ultimately its a small risk with a potentially catostrophic consequence scenario.

Is the orchid bark a brand name? When I look for it, it is pine bark in a bag labeled orchid bark.. new tortoise owner and trying figure out this substrate thing

 

[Sarah2020]

Hi it is bark. Depending on your tortoise size . Small tortoise use fine or larger use course.

This is old but the product examples my help you.

Orchid Bark

Some people in some parts of the country seem to be having trouble finding orchid bark. I thought I could post a couple of pics here that might help them order it. I've been using both of these for years and had no issues. Its good stuff and cheap in bulk.

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