Swapped substrate

Tatty91 · 03-10-2015, 02:41 PM

I've just put coco coir in Mabel's enclosure. She previously had a mix of topsoil/play sand. She's ever so confused

Hope she likes it.

wigwamman · 03-10-2015, 03:11 PM

i have found coco coir to be much cleaner in the tort room,with previous use of topsoil everything was covered in a layer of heavy dust ,no more dust problems and the torts love to disappear into the substrate,its also easier to damp down when needed.i have a three story tort table and the coir is a fraction of the weight of topsoil so that's another plus.

CherryBrandy · 03-10-2015, 03:13 PM

love coco coir. Top soil etc too dusty. Easy to bury themselves too I will try the new earth mix though at some point. My spider plants love the coco too, even though its the basics no nutrients etc. Can you believe its coconuts ! nuts ! CB

Stellanne · 03-10-2015, 06:05 PM

As has been said I moved to coco coir for all the above reasons and won't go back to soil. My torts love it too. It is funny when you find small piles of husks which have been raked together by tiny claws X x x hugs x x x

CherryBrandy · 05-10-2015, 05:50 PM

ooh beware , just set off a reaction in lungs with coco coir too, breathed some down a bit far I think and can feel it in the 'ol lungs making me cough , though no where near as bad as top soil. Still love it ! husks and all CB

Ozric Jonathan · 07-10-2015, 12:54 PM

I have to agree. Up to now I've been mixing topsoil and coir up but I'm tempted to stop bothering with the topsoil part of it.

When my pets are awake and indoors they are upstairs and it's not much fun dragging loads of topsoil up the stairs. The coir I can hydrate once it's in the right place - much easier.

CherryBrandy · 07-10-2015, 04:11 PM

I think even the bag type of coco is much lighter. You know you can get fungal infections from top soil too. My mums nails fell off cause of constantly gardening in top soil too ! Mother is old and sometimes not too wise, but she tells me years ago top soil was treated to stop weeds growing in it......oooh nearly Halloween , might be a story there...

mattjstar1 · 07-10-2015, 08:19 PM

i do like using the coco i swiped clean the selves in home bargain the other day bought all 10 50ltr bags had some strange looks from the staff lol i use a mix of soil and coco works really well for us xx

CherryBrandy · 08-10-2015, 11:55 AM

Crikey ! do you have a working farm there in wales Matt? You could grow coconut trees and we would all buy our coco coir from you. I would help on sundays ! CB

03-10-2015, 02:41 PM	#1
Tatty91 Member Egg Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 72	Swapped substrate I've just put coco coir in Mabel's enclosure. She previously had a mix of topsoil/play sand. She's ever so confused Hope she likes it.

03-10-2015, 03:13 PM	#3
CherryBrandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SE England Posts: 4,262	love coco coir. Top soil etc too dusty. Easy to bury themselves too I will try the new earth mix though at some point. My spider plants love the coco too, even though its the basics no nutrients etc. Can you believe its coconuts ! nuts ! CB __________________ Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata

05-10-2015, 05:50 PM	#5
CherryBrandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SE England Posts: 4,262	ooh beware , just set off a reaction in lungs with coco coir too, breathed some down a bit far I think and can feel it in the 'ol lungs making me cough , though no where near as bad as top soil. Still love it ! husks and all CB __________________ Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata

07-10-2015, 12:54 PM	#6
Ozric Jonathan Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West of Scotland Posts: 4,226	I have to agree. Up to now I've been mixing topsoil and coir up but I'm tempted to stop bothering with the topsoil part of it. When my pets are awake and indoors they are upstairs and it's not much fun dragging loads of topsoil up the stairs. The coir I can hydrate once it's in the right place - much easier. __________________ Testudo Hermanni Hermanni (Corse) tortoises

07-10-2015, 04:11 PM	#7
CherryBrandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SE England Posts: 4,262	I think even the bag type of coco is much lighter. You know you can get fungal infections from top soil too. My mums nails fell off cause of constantly gardening in top soil too ! Mother is old and sometimes not too wise, but she tells me years ago top soil was treated to stop weeds growing in it......oooh nearly Halloween , might be a story there... __________________ Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata

03-10-2015, 03:11 PM	#2
wigwamman Member Juvenile Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: west midlands Posts: 800	i have found coco coir to be much cleaner in the tort room,with previous use of topsoil everything was covered in a layer of heavy dust ,no more dust problems and the torts love to disappear into the substrate,its also easier to damp down when needed.i have a three story tort table and the coir is a fraction of the weight of topsoil so that's another plus.

03-10-2015, 06:05 PM	#4
Stellanne Member Hatchling Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 686	As has been said I moved to coco coir for all the above reasons and won't go back to soil. My torts love it too. It is funny when you find small piles of husks which have been raked together by tiny claws X x x hugs x x x

07-10-2015, 08:19 PM	#8
mattjstar1 Member Hatchling Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: cardiff Posts: 528	i do like using the coco i swiped clean the selves in home bargain the other day bought all 10 50ltr bags had some strange looks from the staff lol i use a mix of soil and coco works really well for us xx

08-10-2015, 11:55 AM	#9
CherryBrandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SE England Posts: 4,262	Crikey ! do you have a working farm there in wales Matt? You could grow coconut trees and we would all buy our coco coir from you. I would help on sundays ! CB __________________ Horsfields, Spur Thighed, & Marginata

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