Re: Substrate for Red-Foots

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Posted by Elizabeth and the Redfoots on August 30, 1999 at 14:09:29:

In Reply to: Substrate for Red-Foots posted by Bart on August 30, 1999 at 11:46:07:

: Hi Folks:

: I have a pair of Red-Foots that are 7 years old. The one problem that I have had is what to use for a substrate. I have used newspaper (too ugly, since the torts are in a large pen in my sunroom), various bark products, lizard litter, etc. It seems that each of these substrates ends up being extremely dusty. Does anyone have a suggestion for a relatively dustless substrate? What do you folks use?

Are they indoors all the time?? First, I would do whatever it takes to make them an outdoor pen so they can be outside as much of the year as possible. Substrate there would be, of course, dirt and grass, weeds, bushes, etc., as much of it edible as possible. I use cypress mulch from the Home Depot to cover the bare places in my large outdoor pen -- cypress mulch also holds moisture well, and redfoots require high humidity. An automatic timer turns on a "rainshower" (elevated sprinklers) twice a day for my big girl.

In Beasley's indoor pen (he's my small guy, and he has a 4x4 indoor pen and a 4x4 outdoor pen), I use cypress mulch over topsoil (no perlite or vermiculite in it). I use a heavy duty chemical sprayer (which has never had chemicals in it) to mist the substrate 2-3 times a day inside (when he's in) and a hose and mister system to keep things humid outside. If you are keeping the substrate misted, it won't be dusty. And redfoots really need the humidity.

See my webpage, below. There are pages on outdoor habs for large and small torts, and Beasley's indoor pen is detailed on the first page.

The photo shows Beasley's indoor enclosure. :-)

Elizabeth and the Redfoots

Beasley and Persephone's Red-Foot Pages

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: : Hi Folks: : : I have a pair of Red-Foots that are 7 years old. The one problem that I have had is what to use for a substrate. I have used newspaper (too ugly, since the torts are in a large pen in my sunroom), various bark products, lizard litter, etc. It seems that each of these substrates ends up being extremely dusty. Does anyone have a suggestion for a relatively dustless substrate? What do you folks use? : Are they indoors all the time?? First, I would do whatever it takes to make them an outdoor pen so they can be outside as much of the year as possible. Substrate there would be, of course, dirt and grass, weeds, bushes, etc., as much of it edible as possible. I use cypress mulch from the Home Depot to cover the bare places in my large outdoor pen -- cypress mulch also holds moisture well, and redfoots require high humidity. An automatic timer turns on a "rainshower" (elevated sprinklers) twice a day for my big girl. : In Beasley's indoor pen (he's my small guy, and he has a 4x4 indoor pen and a 4x4 outdoor pen), I use cypress mulch over topsoil (no perlite or vermiculite in it). I use a heavy duty chemical sprayer (which has never had chemicals in it) to mist the substrate 2-3 times a day inside (when he's in) and a hose and mister system to keep things humid outside. If you are keeping the substrate misted, it won't be dusty. And redfoots really need the humidity. : See my webpage, below. There are pages on outdoor habs for large and small torts, and Beasley's indoor pen is detailed on the first page. : The photo shows Beasley's indoor enclosure. :-) : Elizabeth and the Redfoots

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