I was wondering if alfalfa (i think i spelled it right!) pellets were a suitable substrate for bed end of enclosure forhorsfield tortioses as the pet shop peeps said yes but i wanted to make sure.

__________________

no, really not suitable.

they're very high in protein and should be avoided at all costs...even with the african species that graze on hays and grasses they are unsuitable.

They aslo have a habit of harboring mould spores.

Substrate 60/40 top soil/play sand mix (respectively) Or hemp(aka hemcore,aubiose) and if you want to add extra areas of interest a pebble area, oyster shells..plant pots etc

__________________
"The worst sin towards are our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of inhumanity" George Bernard Shaw

You see, i thought that was the case. Don't worry i am using sand and topsoil mix at mo til i get to pet shop then i will be using hemp at bed end. I was just wondering because i just got a book on tortoises from the library and it has that in there iot also says you should give your tortoise a big feed before hibernation too tho !!!!!!!!!!
This book is;- Turtles and tortoises a complete owners guide
by R.D.Bartlett and Patricia Bartlett

I thought maybe i should name and shame with advice like that.

__________________

they've written a corn snake book. and if i remember correctly they recommended hot end temps that apparently can cause neurological damage!

so personally i wouldn't listen to them hun. Also majority of books are outdated.best place for advice is tortoise trust tbh

__________________
"The worst sin towards are our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of inhumanity" George Bernard Shaw

Thanks for that. I am now ignoring book completely.

While i am on here i have anothjer tale of being given wrong advise.
I went down to pet shop just now to see if they had any hemp, i assumed they would as they sell reptiles. They asked me about what i was using and then told me they keep thier torts in a viv and use newspaper and hay as thier substrate so all of thier torts get sold on with the new owners thinking this is the proper way to keep them.

__________________

I've lost count of the amount of stories i've read like this!

You seem to be learning fast and asking advice which is great. You will have one very happy tort

__________________

Two big babies Tammy the terrier and Ellie the yorky!

Two noisy Chins Betty and Bubbles.

Cornsnake Guss the old grouch

Royal python Savannah

Thanks i know that Henry will be happy and after a few years he will have some friends too. I have marked off half of my garden so i can strip it and plant tort friendly stuff and then build a HUGE outside play area for him in the summer when he is bigger like the one i saw on here its fantastic(i am realy sorry i have forgotten the name of the person that is building it, but you know who you are.and ITS AWESOME!!)

__________________

Good grief, absolutely name and shame advice like that, wonder how many torts they actually got through hibernation! Disgusting to use guess work in that fashion. Are you sure it states this as I can mention it in a review for some booksellers if so?

__________________
Take care
Sue

wizzasmum@aol.com

Jesus Christ.....

__________________

OMG !!!! I just read something else in there and i dunno if that is true. It says to use several heat mats under tank and heat and light bulbs above the tank for turtles. Surely that cannot be right!!!

__________________