Woodchip - yey or ney?

[LincsBren]

My girls (2y/o hermanns) have a large outdoor enclosure. It was purpose built and so is a mix of topsoil and playsand, which they do love to bury in. The 'problem' is that it's an excellent growing medium as well, and as I like to grow various weeds within the enclosure they have a tendency to go mad!

I'd like to create some additional surfaces, partly to add interest but also prevent quite so many weeds growing (it was reaching the stage of no basking areas as everywhere was under shade!)

There is currently a small slated area, and 1 paving slab (where I put additional treats, such as rose petals or weeds I've found out and about). There are 2 small plank off-cuts, a few random rocks and bricks to climb on, and plant pots and a wooden shelter to use as hides.

We have masses of spare woodchip from where we landscaped part of the garden and I'm wondering if it could be an additional surface, but I'm reading conflicting advice on the net as to whether it is safe or not. Advice welcomed!

[lonelylayla]

Originally Posted by LincsBren

My girls (2y/o hermanns) have a large outdoor enclosure. It was purpose built and so is a mix of topsoil and playsand, which they do love to bury in. The 'problem' is that it's an excellent growing medium as well, and as I like to grow various weeds within the enclosure they have a tendency to go mad!

I'd like to create some additional surfaces, partly to add interest but also prevent quite so many weeds growing (it was reaching the stage of no basking areas as everywhere was under shade!)

There is currently a small slated area, and 1 paving slab (where I put additional treats, such as rose petals or weeds I've found out and about). There are 2 small plank off-cuts, a few random rocks and bricks to climb on, and plant pots and a wooden shelter to use as hides.

We have masses of spare woodchip from where we landscaped part of the garden and I'm wondering if it could be an additional surface, but I'm reading conflicting advice on the net as to whether it is safe or not. Advice welcomed!

Not sure if you mean wood chip or bark? Wood chip I would avoid as it "travels" and could be ingested.

[LincsBren]

Good point - I meant bark, it's the B&Q large bark pieces that we have. We stupidly bought 4 x 100L bag for another garden project we were doing and only needed 1/2 a bag so there's a lot to spare!

I wouldn't use wood shavings or proper wood chip, for the reason you mentioned plus I imagine it could easily get stuck inside shells or between toes.

[lonelylayla]

Originally Posted by LincsBren

Good point - I meant bark, it's the B&Q large bark pieces that we have. We stupidly bought 4 x 100L bag for another garden project we were doing and only needed 1/2 a bag so there's a lot to spare!

I wouldn't use wood shavings or proper wood chip, for the reason you mentioned plus I imagine it could easily get stuck inside shells or between toes.

Thought perhaps you did I would have thought that bark is OK outside, certainly keep some of the weeds down. Sure someone else will come along with their thoughts soon.

[kevvy1985]

I personally use gravel in my out door tortoise run to recreate there natural habitats so I plant tufts of grasses and weeds pansies ice plants (sedums) hosters I have bog shrubs like rosemary n lavender for cover and a sandy area and a grassy section too with mini cold frame / green house for cooler days as seen in my pics the reason I have gravel is to keep there claws down and also weeds go mad in gravel so it is good the only issue is getting big gravel so they can't eat it but I have seen some smaller snones in the poop when I bath one of mine at the end of each day but nothing to big or to many they know what there doing

[kevvy1985]

Other words bark is ok aslong its not a toxic tree / treated or anything