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Old 15-09-2019, 11:51 PM   #61
DanielRyan9194
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I use Wickes sterilised topsoil, Daniel. I’m sure Gordon will correct me if I’m wrong but I think a gravelly substrate is better for them to reproduce the sandy, stony environment they would live in naturally. It warms up quickly and doesn’t develop mould spores.
Pond liner is easily bought from garden stores, aquatic centres or online or cheap lino/vinyl to line the bottom of the table. I got vinyl offcuts very cheaply and they’re easily cut to size.
Thanks for the tip Emma, I’ll take a look.
Anyone recommend certain brands for the topsoil or gritty sand?
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Old 17-09-2019, 11:35 AM   #62
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Thanks for the tip Emma, I’ll take a look.
Anyone recommend certain brands for the topsoil or gritty sand?
I get it from a garden center and the brand is Westland Topsoil in a green and blue bag but I've seen smaller bags of it outside Asda stores though maybe not after the summer has gone
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Old 17-09-2019, 07:16 PM   #63
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I get it from a garden center and the brand is Westland Topsoil in a green and blue bag but I've seen smaller bags of it outside Asda stores though maybe not after the summer has gone
Think that’s the one I picked up yesterday. £3 for 10L
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Old 17-09-2019, 09:43 PM   #64
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These are the ones I got, https://www.gardenhealth.com/westland-top-soil 20 litre and 35 litre - I can't remember what size I got but think it was the 35 litre ones because they were bigger than the Asda ones. It had been lashing with rain and the Asda ones were soaking so I went to the garden centre next door to it because I knew they had all their stuff under a roof so would be dry
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Old 18-09-2019, 07:40 PM   #65
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These are the ones I got, https://www.gardenhealth.com/westland-top-soil 20 litre and 35 litre - I can't remember what size I got but think it was the 35 litre ones because they were bigger than the Asda ones. It had been lashing with rain and the Asda ones were soaking so I went to the garden centre next door to it because I knew they had all their stuff under a roof so would be dry
Yeah that’s the same i have
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Old 04-11-2019, 06:21 PM   #66
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Hi again, im back looking for some recommendations again for my tortoise table set up. she's a Tunisian tortoise, ID'd by Gordon I think it was
What is the best soil/sand ratio and what products are best, im finding bit in my soil and not just dirt.
how do you keep your soil moist and not dry out so much under the heat lamp.
should I be worries that she spends most pf her time in her hide area than under the lamp?
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Old 07-11-2019, 03:57 PM   #67
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Originally Posted by DanielRyan9194 View Post
Hi again, im back looking for some recommendations again for my tortoise table set up. she's a Tunisian tortoise, ID'd by Gordon I think it was
What is the best soil/sand ratio and what products are best, im finding bit in my soil and not just dirt.
how do you keep your soil moist and not dry out so much under the heat lamp.
should I be worries that she spends most pf her time in her hide area than under the lamp?
I just used topsoil, no sand, it dries out kind of like sand.

One of those £1 hand held spray bottles from Poundland type shops to spray the soil but it dries out so quickly under a lamp that it might not be worthwile spraying at that spot.

At this time of year it's not unusual for them to be much less active but make sure it's not too hot under the lamp.

Some topsoils are better than others, usually the cheaper ones are not as good but I've had broken glass in some from both B&Q and Homebase in the past, brand makes too so it can be pot luck at times
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Old 10-11-2019, 02:23 PM   #68
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I just used topsoil, no sand, it dries out kind of like sand.

One of those £1 hand held spray bottles from Poundland type shops to spray the soil but it dries out so quickly under a lamp that it might not be worthwile spraying at that spot.

At this time of year it's not unusual for them to be much less active but make sure it's not too hot under the lamp.

Some topsoils are better than others, usually the cheaper ones are not as good but I've had broken glass in some from both B&Q and Homebase in the past, brand makes too so it can be pot luck at times

I do find some little bits that are questionable but just pick them out as I see them, I am using Topsoil from B&Q and a Coco Coir Block from Pets at Home and a bit of Moss now and it looks a lots better. Barb seems to enjoy it better now, spending more time in the heated area now.

also I have seen that tortoises can eat Timothy Hay, could I use the bail from pet stores in the hamster section, obviously in small portion to give a variety until I can grow my own stuff for her?

and can anyone recommend a pack of seeds or a site to buy different things to grow etc?
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Old 10-11-2019, 05:05 PM   #69
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Seed wise, I get mixed bags from the Shelled Warriors shop and I have a weed patch where I literally sprinkle them in and let them do their stuff. They're pretty good usually. I find the clover takes well as do any thistles, nipplewort and dandies.
In the spring I get lavatera seeds from Wilko, around 50p, sprinkle them in pots and they usually take and produce LOADS of flowers. I also sow nasturtium, pansies, nemesia, petunia, calendula, etc...
Look through the Tortoise Table Plant database https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/.../#.Xcg0nNX7SUk and you'll find lots of flowers you'll recognise that are easy to sow and grow.

I have a lovely patch of plantain and each year let the seed heads disperse as and where and take them and rub them between my hands so they go in the weed patch and into the tort enclosures. It's a wonderfully hardy weed, fibrous and popular with the torts. It took a couple of years for the patch of plantain to really take hold but now it has it's brilliant and I can pick from it through the colder months too.

I wouldn't feed my med torts timothy hay. I (perhaps wrongly) assumed it was for larger species like Sulcata, Aldabra, Leopards, etc. I may be corrected here. I had a feeling it's not easily digestible for med torts.
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Old 10-11-2019, 08:12 PM   #70
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Originally Posted by emma_mcraf View Post
Seed wise, I get mixed bags from the Shelled Warriors shop and I have a weed patch where I literally sprinkle them in and let them do their stuff. They're pretty good usually. I find the clover takes well as do any thistles, nipplewort and dandies.
In the spring I get lavatera seeds from Wilko, around 50p, sprinkle them in pots and they usually take and produce LOADS of flowers. I also sow nasturtium, pansies, nemesia, petunia, calendula, etc...
Look through the Tortoise Table Plant database https://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/.../#.Xcg0nNX7SUk and you'll find lots of flowers you'll recognise that are easy to sow and grow.

I have a lovely patch of plantain and each year let the seed heads disperse as and where and take them and rub them between my hands so they go in the weed patch and into the tort enclosures. It's a wonderfully hardy weed, fibrous and popular with the torts. It took a couple of years for the patch of plantain to really take hold but now it has it's brilliant and I can pick from it through the colder months too.

I wouldn't feed my med torts timothy hay. I (perhaps wrongly) assumed it was for larger species like Sulcata, Aldabra, Leopards, etc. I may be corrected here. I had a feeling it's not easily digestible for med torts.
thanks Emma, my problem with growing is I don't have a garden. so I need to come up with a purpose built raised area/table to grow things until we move out with a garden.
I was curious of the Timothy hay so just didn't get it to be safe.
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