I just bought 2 leopard tortoise hatchlings and have some questions. I followed all the online advice I could find and I’ve currently set them up in a 36X24 tortoise table with a 100W heat lamp and a 10.0 uvb full spectrum lamp. The breeder I purchased these from said to keep them on soil and play scape sand. I did some research and have them on eco earth now with sphagnum moss in and around there hide. They are eating great and seem to enjoy the enclosure I was hoping to add sand to the substrate since I’ve read on multiple sites this is beneficial for the tortoises, but I was wondering if this could cause Impaction? Could or would the calcium sand work the same or better without impaction being an issue? I have two 8 year old sulcatas I’ve raised from hatchlings as well but I was like 14 when I got those guys and forgot what it was I did with them to be honest I feel like they are lucky to still be with me. I wanna do these guys right any advice or tips on leopards? Also that substrate thing if anyone knows would be awesome to figure out.
Impaction is a completely overblown issue the majority of the time, and is usually caused by other husbandry errors like dehydration, incorrect temperatures, poor nutrition, &c.
That said, Calcium sand does clump more easily than most silica sands, so if you're adding sand, I'd avoid the calcium sand. It's mostly a marketing ploy anyways.
Yeah not everything I’ve read make sense but it was saying the sand mixed with cocoa fiber or even potting soil created a natural environment for them.. idk???
Anyone have a better idea? I feel like they are gonna eat the cocoa fiber would this cause an issue?
Sand/coco fiber/potting soil is by no means natural for leopard tortoises, maybe for rainforest dwelling Chelonia (even then, not really).
Stigmochelys pardalis ranges from Sudan south through to Namibia and South Africa. Here's a map:
source
IUCN also has a (possibly more accurate) map
here.
Notice how they aren't found in any heavily forested areas. Most of where they're found is fairly well draining soil with a thin organic layer at best, but the tortoises would still mostly be burrowing or travelling through sandy, rocky, and/or clay/silty soil.
A search for "stigmochelys pardalis" on Flickr comes up with some decent habitat shots to give you a better idea.
Just to clarify, I'm not saying the substrate mix you mentioned wouldn't work, it's just not "natural" like some suggest. Maybe if you found the tortoise on a coconut farm
I don't think they'll eat coco fiber on purpose. Its pretty dry and gross. As for impaction, my bearded dragon has eaten entire chunks of fir bark as a baby and passed it through, so I think it should be fine if he eats it.
You're talking about packed down substrates. Topsoil, sand, and coco fiber mix is apparently pretty solid. I have no experience with it, but I see no problems using it.
I've used to keep a russian tortoise on fir bark with no problems. INB4 you ask what happened to him, he got eaten by bears.
I've kept all of my arid-dwelling (mediterranean, East African, &c.) tortoises on a mix containing varying amounts of sand, silt, gravel, and a small amount of organic matter, and have yet to have any problems with the substrate.
As an aside, being eaten by bears sounds like a interesting story!
Ok I was just wondering if I should get a calcium sand to be safe it would only be about one 1/4 of my substrate and I’d like for it to be passed though if eaten on accident for whatever reason, also would you use an all organic soil? Or just go with the sand and cocoa fiber? Again if you think regular sand would be safe let me know. I just want to make sure it’s safe for hatchlings.
Define "organic". All organic matter? no. fertilizer free? yes, there's no reason for fertilizer if you aren't growing plants anyways.
Stay away from soils and other organics. Can harbor parasites and gets moldy very easily if over saturated.
Wolf isn't wrong. Soil can harbor parasites. Key word on can though, it all depends on your source. Commercially bagged soil will be less likely to have those problems, but it also differs between type and brands.
Haven't used their soils, but Exo Terra substrate hasn't failed me yet, and I don't think you can even find parasites in coconut husks, so think of it as being more credible in its safety.
If the enclosure is well aerated, well lit, and substrate not too damp, I don't see how soil can get moldy very easily.
So can carpet, underneath tile, food they eat, not washing your hands after being outside or handling other reptiles, &c.. Too sterile and their immune systems are complete crap. A healthy tortoise isn't necessarily a 100% parasite-free tortoise (in fact I'm partially inclined to argue the opposite to a certain extent).
I wouldn't recommend, say, digging up soil from your backyard and using that, but you can always sterilize the substrate if you're worried.
Some organics mold more easily than others aswell. For example, hay with mold quickly, while peat or cocofiber won't nearly as easily. You may get some mushroom growth, but that's not necessarily a bad thing; it's just the soil being decomposed.
As Audaxcity mentioned, you'd have to have pretty humid, and stale conditions for it to get moldy. Something you wouldn't want to keep your tortoise in.
Sand by itself also makes for a very crumbly substrate. I've heard it can make for leg problems if kept on it too long, but it might be a myth. Soil will make it more compact, and it means you can grow some grass in there for them to eat which makes it more compact.
Bonus: add clay to the mix for a compact, dust free substrate that's unlikely to cause impaction. Just make sure not to let it dry and crack.
Disclaimer: I've kept turtles and tortoises before, but I haven't experimented this far with substrate. A large part of what I've said is from prior research, or ideas I didn't get to use.
If kept on too "soft" a substrate, I have seen tortoises (especially mediterranean spp.) develop something similar to splayed legs in rabbits and birds. The soft substrate doesn't allow them to build the muscle to support themselves, so they grow up doing more of a "swim" through the sand/substrate. Something similar is also seen in captive galapagos tortoises if not given different soil types/ elevations to promote proper foot health. Making the soil more compact with the addition of things like clay or silt help, as well as adding obstacles for them to climb over (and not using a soft substrate) like rocks, logs, different soil mixtures, &c.
