Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I AM PUTTING A BOX TURTLE OUTSIDE IS STORE BOUGHT CEDAR MULCH O.K. OR JUST LEAVE IT WITH DIRT? THANKS

Dirt is fine: that's what turtles use in the wild.

Cedar mulch is not a good substrate. If you feel you must use mulch, use a double-shredded hardwood mulch.

>>Cedar mulch is not a good substrate. If you feel you must use mulch, use a double-shredded hardwood mulch.

Remember cedar has phenol in it, that tends to be toxic to them but you don't notice it right away. Phenol harms their liver over a long period of time.

So many people use mulch, silly me I tried some then realized it might work for box turtles in other regions but our desert turtles naturally live on sand. Something that isn't sand isn't normal to them so they avoided the mulch like the Plague.
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PHRatz