whats all the controversy about hemp?

stusads · 29-08-2008, 12:39 AM

can anyone outline the problem with hemp bedding for me please as ive just ordered a load haha

it turns out theres some issues with it!? ive got a marginated tortoise so i hope this stuff is good enough
thanks in advance

tortoise lover · 29-08-2008, 07:35 AM

Hi am sure somebody more experienced will reply but i have read somewhere that on a few isolated cases that some tortoises have ingested the hemp and it had ruptured the internal organs and they have died, i have been using hemp for my 2 horsfield for some time and they bury in it at nightime,i have not had any problems whatsoever with it.I do know that a lot of people use hemp and like i said it has been just a few isolated cases so i think you just have to weigh up the pros and cons with it and decide whether you use it or not,kim

sandy · 29-08-2008, 07:37 AM

I think the problems have been with sexualy active tortoises, when they withdraw hemp goes back into them too. Which in turn damages the organs inside.
I know that a lot use hemp when torts are small, and then change when they are older.
Once informed its up to you what you do<g>.

**Lowe** · 29-08-2008, 07:52 AM

Some people suggest that the ends are sharp enough to hurt eyes and that if ingested a sharp edge can damage internal organs.

Substrate is one of those issues where you have to carry out a basic risk assessment and work out what's good for you. It's arguable that a sand/soil substrate can cause impaction if ingested and that the sand is irritable to the eye as well. There is no one perfect solution, otherwise we'd all be using it!

That said, hemp has its uses like Sandy says especially whilst your charges are young, and as long as you're sensible with it and do your research you can be in an informed position as to its use.

aerofine · 29-08-2008, 09:07 AM

I use hemp but my torts are only a year old - if and when the time comes I'll change the hemp in the tort table for something else

Madhouse · 29-08-2008, 05:35 PM

Might be an idea to have a read of this which should answer your questions http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/hemp.htm

**Lowe** · 30-08-2008, 10:31 AM

That's the article I was indirectly referring to Steph.

Laraine · 30-08-2008, 12:43 PM

Shortly after reading the article I decided to start checking the tort poo.
I noticed some 'hard bits' in the Leopard torts poo, this is the disgusting bit, I picked it out and rinsed it, and found it to be some hemp. The tortoise concerned is roughly 2 years old, so is only a little one. I began looking more carefully at the tortoise poo for the others, I found the Hermanns hatchlings also had some small bits of it in their poo.
I changed all the tables over to soil, as I had a huge bag of it, I now use that for the guinea pig instead of sawdust. Pig is happy and the torts are clearly happier on the soil, now they can make mud pies in their water dishes!

The choice of substrate is at the end of the day, upto you, although it is a bit muckier when cleaning out the tables I am personally glad I changed. And my flower borders now have more 'fertilised soil than ever before.

**Lowe** · 30-08-2008, 01:23 PM

Out of interest though Laraine, would you have noticed if it were sand and soil in the poo? I very much doubt it, because it looks pretty much the same...

stusads · 30-08-2008, 01:44 PM

interesting stuff, so there are a few isolated cases of injuries but the majority of people are ok with the hemp?

i'll see how she copes with it and if there are any problems then ill scrap the hemp

29-08-2008, 12:39 AM	#1
stusads Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: norfolk Posts: 43	whats all the controversy about hemp? can anyone outline the problem with hemp bedding for me please as ive just ordered a load haha it turns out theres some issues with it!? ive got a marginated tortoise so i hope this stuff is good enough thanks in advance __________________ just the one tortoise, marge the 2yr old marginated

29-08-2008, 07:37 AM	#3
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	I think the problems have been with sexualy active tortoises, when they withdraw hemp goes back into them too. Which in turn damages the organs inside. I know that a lot use hemp when torts are small, and then change when they are older. Once informed its up to you what you do<g>. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

29-08-2008, 09:07 AM	#5
aerofine Member Incubating Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Wigan Lancashire Posts: 208	I use hemp but my torts are only a year old - if and when the time comes I'll change the hemp in the tort table for something else __________________ I'm not biased I don't care who beats St Helens

29-08-2008, 05:35 PM	#6
Madhouse Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cornwall Posts: 1,020	Might be an idea to have a read of this which should answer your questions http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/hemp.htm __________________ Steph - Wife to an ever patient hubby, Mum to four children, 2 dogs, cat, 3 newts, numerous fish, an eel, 3 dwarf hamsters, my 2 baby torts Mickey & Theo (Med. spur thighs) and Mr Grumpyboots Harries (Adult male Horsfield)

30-08-2008, 12:43 PM	#8
Laraine Senior Member Adult Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Wirral Posts: 3,622	Shortly after reading the article I decided to start checking the tort poo. I noticed some 'hard bits' in the Leopard torts poo, this is the disgusting bit, I picked it out and rinsed it, and found it to be some hemp. The tortoise concerned is roughly 2 years old, so is only a little one. I began looking more carefully at the tortoise poo for the others, I found the Hermanns hatchlings also had some small bits of it in their poo. I changed all the tables over to soil, as I had a huge bag of it, I now use that for the guinea pig instead of sawdust. Pig is happy and the torts are clearly happier on the soil, now they can make mud pies in their water dishes! The choice of substrate is at the end of the day, upto you, although it is a bit muckier when cleaning out the tables I am personally glad I changed. And my flower borders now have more 'fertilised soil than ever before. __________________ Laraine ________________________

29-08-2008, 07:35 AM	#2
tortoise lover Member Hatchling Join Date: May 2008 Location: north east lincolnshire Posts: 503	Hi am sure somebody more experienced will reply but i have read somewhere that on a few isolated cases that some tortoises have ingested the hemp and it had ruptured the internal organs and they have died, i have been using hemp for my 2 horsfield for some time and they bury in it at nightime,i have not had any problems whatsoever with it.I do know that a lot of people use hemp and like i said it has been just a few isolated cases so i think you just have to weigh up the pros and cons with it and decide whether you use it or not,kim

29-08-2008, 07:52 AM	#4
Lowe Administrator Juvenile Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Newcastle Under Lyme Posts: 855	Some people suggest that the ends are sharp enough to hurt eyes and that if ingested a sharp edge can damage internal organs. Substrate is one of those issues where you have to carry out a basic risk assessment and work out what's good for you. It's arguable that a sand/soil substrate can cause impaction if ingested and that the sand is irritable to the eye as well. There is no one perfect solution, otherwise we'd all be using it! That said, hemp has its uses like Sandy says especially whilst your charges are young, and as long as you're sensible with it and do your research you can be in an informed position as to its use.

30-08-2008, 10:31 AM	#7
Lowe Administrator Juvenile Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Newcastle Under Lyme Posts: 855	That's the article I was indirectly referring to Steph.

30-08-2008, 01:23 PM	#9
Lowe Administrator Juvenile Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Newcastle Under Lyme Posts: 855	Out of interest though Laraine, would you have noticed if it were sand and soil in the poo? I very much doubt it, because it looks pretty much the same...

30-08-2008, 01:44 PM	#10
stusads Junior Member Egg Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: norfolk Posts: 43	interesting stuff, so there are a few isolated cases of injuries but the majority of people are ok with the hemp? i'll see how she copes with it and if there are any problems then ill scrap the hemp __________________ just the one tortoise, marge the 2yr old marginated

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