New Owner

[inspirespirit]

We are the proud owners of two 2 year old Horsfield Tortoises. We have a tortoise table with UVA and UVB lighting. Substrate which is called ProRep Tortoise Life. They seem to be eating and poo'ing fine, but I haven't actually seen them drink any water yet. (Had them 3 days). We bathed them today. As first time tortoise owners (apart from when I was a little kid), at this time of the year should we be still be bathing them regularly. Also the tortoise water bowl I have bought is fairly shallow and I have read somewhere that they like to be able to put their heads under the water, but I'm worried about them falling in and drowning. They are quite small. They are wandering around and basking under the lamps. They seemed to enjoy their bath and both had their heads out whilst we dried them off.
Just slightly concerned I haven't seen them drinking and also should I be using topsoil instead of this sandy type substrate? or a bit of both? tia.

[Pussygalore]

I always used tortoise life and found it to be a good product but like any soil based substrate it must be sprayed everyday and even watered when the torts have gone to bed at night. You want a bit of dampness in the under soil even if the top dries out, as to the water the dish needs to be shallow enough for them to get into but deep enough to put their heads under you can always put some stones in it so they can right themselves or get out, don't worry though if you don't see them drinking as long as they are bathed every day. When they go out in the summer you won't need to worry about them getting enough moisture and you can help by washing their food so its wet, they'll get some fluid that way as well. Torts do like to be able to bury themselves so make sure the substrate is deep enough even if its only in some areas, back to the water, you can buy dishes that slope from front to back so the back is deeper and the front is like a beach with nothing to climb over but the dish has sides and back if that makes sense.

[burnt toast]

I would ditch the tortoise life asap I have heard a lot of bad reports about this product & just wouldn't risk it with any of mine. Especially Horsfield's who love to dig. Just ordinary top soil or coir or a mixture of the two is just fine & my preferred substrate

[Pussygalore]

Isn't the last post a bit extreme considering the poster hasn't even tried the product? the substrate is the same as only a few years back everyone was told to use, soil and playsand, that was untill someone suggested that sand wasn't good. The few times I've been to the med what soil there was to be seen was mostly sand and dust, I didn't see anything resembling rich british top soil, and as for table kept torts eating it wouldn't they eat anything simply because they've nothing else. The ability to roam and find their own food has been removed from them so if there's nothing else then surely they will try what they are living on, and that includes all substrates. I wonder how long it will be before someone's tort has a blockage from eating coconut fiber (coir), does that break down in the stomach? which I doubt many would find in the wild. There will never be a product that is considered safe or suitable by all so if an owner tries and is happy with something then why not let them stick with it, topsoil is a good product to use but I used to find that often there'd be all sorts of unwanted rubbish including glass and it was often to wet to use straight away and unless I'm wrong isn't 'topsoil' merely soil thats been removed from anywhere thats being cleared for something. It isn't 'grown' or produced in a nice field its the top layer of usuable soil taken from anywhere suitable, I could take it from my garden and sell it and that could include any fertilisers, weed killers etc that had been used in the past.

[Catwoman63]

Try a towel, the safest of all

[CherryBrandy]

Love Horsfields such cheeky robust little characters. I have tried most substrates over twenty years with my Horsfields and others and all mine love shingle, indoors and out. Coco coir is another favourite but some seem to eat it rather than burrow. Sand is a fav too so I would think that sometimes it is up to the Tortoise. Steer clear woodchip on all counts.

[burnt toast]

Originally Posted by Pussygalore

Isn't the last post a bit extreme considering the poster hasn't even tried the product? the substrate is the same as only a few years back everyone was told to use, soil and playsand, that was untill someone suggested that sand wasn't good. The few times I've been to the med what soil there was to be seen was mostly sand and dust, I didn't see anything resembling rich british top soil, and as for table kept torts eating it wouldn't they eat anything simply because they've nothing else. The ability to roam and find their own food has been removed from them so if there's nothing else then surely they will try what they are living on, and that includes all substrates. I wonder how long it will be before someone's tort has a blockage from eating coconut fiber (coir), does that break down in the stomach? which I doubt many would find in the wild. There will never be a product that is considered safe or suitable by all so if an owner tries and is happy with something then why not let them stick with it, topsoil is a good product to use but I used to find that often there'd be all sorts of unwanted rubbish including glass and it was often to wet to use straight away and unless I'm wrong isn't 'topsoil' merely soil thats been removed from anywhere thats being cleared for something. It isn't 'grown' or produced in a nice field its the top layer of usuable soil taken from anywhere suitable, I could take it from my garden and sell it and that could include any fertilisers, weed killers etc that had been used in the past.

Extreme? No I don't think so. There have been many cases on the various facebook sites of this stuff showing up on x-ray & causing or at least contributing to: sore eyes, impaction, prolapse & the torts eventually stopping eating & dying

So no if someone asks about it I would rather pass on what I have heard

[Pussygalore]

much the same as any other substrate they choose to eat.

[burnt toast]

Originally Posted by Pussygalore

much the same as any other substrate they choose to eat.

So very true but they are attracted to eating the tortoise life The white bits scattered through it attract them to eat it but its the substrate itself that they consume along with them that causes the problem

[becciwales]

I'm with burnt toast, I'd ditch that, I like coco coir and mine love digging in it. I have Hermanns, but their needs are similar. x