Substrates

[CherryBrandy]

Keith I would have glanced at this usually and not thought much of it ...now I appreciate if you put in the search parameter 'soil' it also comes up with all sorts of risk and threats, but ....had I not of cleaned out the coco coir from a large table the other day I would not have believed this......the dust got right down my throat and caused a big reaction to the point I had a lung ful of asthma....(ie fluid). Now if that can do it to me what can it do to little ones at nose height. I was quite surprised and whether it had bacteria in or whatever I don't know but Ive chucked the lot on the garden and got the torts out of the environment. I reckon that's a cause of RNS.....CB

[emma_mcraf]

Originally Posted by CherryBrandy

Keith I would have glanced at this usually and not thought much of it ...now I appreciate if you put in the search parameter 'soil' it also comes up with all sorts of risk and threats, but ....had I not of cleaned out the coco coir from a large table the other day I would not have believed this......the dust got right down my throat and caused a big reaction to the point I had a lung ful of asthma....(ie fluid). Now if that can do it to me what can it do to little ones at nose height. I was quite surprised and whether it had bacteria in or whatever I don't know but Ive chucked the lot on the garden and got the torts out of the environment. I reckon that's a cause of RNS.....CB

That's horrid. Hope you're okay now, CB.

My sons use coir for their frog terrariums but I've never been tempted for the torts. I just use sterilised topsoil, no sand.
I try hard to keep the dust down and have heard that coir produces less dust but it sounds as if that dust is worthy of some investigation.
I'll be sticking to the topsoil!