Alfalfa is also high in calcium and my tort can dig because only half of her habitat is pellets the other half is moist eco earth.

moist isn't good for horsfields. they need a dry substrate..sand soil is good because it holds its shape well and doesnt get to dusty.

also i know how moist eco earth is as i use it for my brazilian rainbow boa which is a rainforest dwelling species which requires high humidity..horsfields require Low humidity

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It's the stuff you get in bricks and soak in water and i soak it in less water than it says so that it is just moist.

Yeah, i know what the stuff is ...like i said i use it for my BRB.

Moist/damp is no good for horsfields, as they're prone to RI's. As said on the tortoise trust 'Horsfield's should be provided with good protection from rain and damp, to both of which it has a poor tolerance. A cold, dry Horsfield's tortoise can survive for some considerable time; a cold, damp Horsfield's tortoise is likely to succumb to pneumonia very quickly'


Now admittedly this is in regards to outside, however they follow on with if the conditions are damp to bring the tortoise inside to a Dry environment, eco-earth isn't dry.

You're also increasing the risk of shell rot in a moist enclosure.

Just found this from the tortoise trust as well 'This is a species that requires a very dry, well-drained substrate indeed - Horsfield's tortoises are unsuited to maintenance on damp clay soils, or on grass. If Horsfield's tortoises are maintained on damp ground, expect repeated skin, shell and respiratory infections.'
A Habitat for Horsfields < direct link to the article.

HTH

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So you say by adding sand it's ok ?

Lou do you use the eco earth stuff? and do you wet your soil?

Hi, iv only ever heard of eco earth a couple of times so cannot comment, i use to use a mixture of soil and sand, but now use a mix of soil and hemp(aubiose) which i spray on the odd occasion to prevent any form of dust, But this shouldnt be done regular for med species as damp can turn into moild etc.

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Linz

what is hemp?

There's two types...

AUBIOSE BEDDING
Aubiose is derived from the soft core of the hemp plant - a fast growing annual, cultivated principally for the manufacture of paper. The hemp is grown organically in the Champagne Region of France, in an ideal climate, and monitored by experts. Once the hemp is harvested, its by-product is graded and thoroughly dust extracted.
HEMCORE BEDDING
Hemcore Horse Bedding is made from the inner core of the hemp plant stem which is grown and processed entirely in the UK. It is not bleached and no chemicals are added at any stage of its growth, so producing a 'green' product which is full recyclable into useful compost. Hemp is also fast-growing and fully sustainable.

Horse Bedding

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Aubiose - hemp is softer than hemcore and i know a couple of people use hemcore for adults and not for babies.

You can get big bales of hemp for about 8.99 and it will last ages. but with horsfields it's not recommended as the whole basis of substrate due to the fact that they are a burrowing species..they dont just dig like a hermanns can..they burrow long tunnels in the wild, and thrive if allowed to do it, hence why top soil/play sand mix is the best for this, by all means provide a hemp area as well, or place it on top like a few people do..but they should be allowed to burrow. I had them on full hemp when i first moved house as it was all i had available i'd left the top soil/play sand 200 miles away and it was too late to go to the shops..and i did notice a behaviour difference..they was alot more pacing..they can bury themselves..which they did alot..but its different to creating burrows


[edit] Horse Bedding <<<< sells hemp..cheaper than normal.price must have gone down. bargain if u ask me

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