Ok, I am not the most experienced with this species and I know nothing of orchid bark, but I have had my year old rhino for, well, just about a year. Our substrate is now mainly slate (which is spot cleaned daily and cleaned with bleach weekly). Ours was shredding the paper within hours of placing it, so slate eventaully took over. I still don't want to use anything particulate, and don't see how it would be any more sanitary than what we are doing.



As far as handling goes, give the ig some time, but keep in mind that rhinos are known for NOT liking being picked up. Ours learned to climb out of her tank and up our arms when she was very young (and still in a tank) when we started petting her every day before feeding. She got too big for that around 9 months old and would wobble on our arms and panick at the instability.



She is now in a larger enclosure, and LOVES being pet. She basically BEGS for petting anytime she sees a hand, but we rarely try to pick her up anymore because it causes her to panick. If she wants to come out, she does, but we try not to make her. Just because she won't sit on our arms anymore doesn't make her "untame". We respect her wishes, and she appreciates our attention (which is more than I can say for our other reps). She is by far our baby.



Good luck!

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