Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a female ornate box turtle and I am trying to find the BEST substrate for her tank. Problem one is I know they need high humidity and my house is very dry!. Problems two is that everywhere I read tells you different things. Problem three is I am finding her to be a little stinker then my tortoise and of course I do not like stink. If someone can give me EXACT suggestings (name and brands of stuff to buy) that would be great. Currently she is on a mix of Repti-Bark (which smells nice) and Lizard Litter jungle mix (which may contain vermiculite???? is that ok). Is this good or should I do something else.
Thanks

Hi,

I'm not sure but everywhere I've read tells me ornate box turtles prefer lower humidity than let's say eastern boxies. You still need to give them a place to burrow to escape the dryness as well as easy access to water but its wild habitat (prairies, open woodlands, scrubby vegetation) seems drier.

As for exact brands, I don't know the names but a good mix of cypress mulch, sphagnum moss, and Bed-a-Beast may be appropriate.

Johnny

Thank you for the advice

I use Bed A Beast also. Works well.

two things:
(1) you want to make a humidity gradient
just like you make a thermal gradient by javing heat at one end, you want there to be hides in a really moits even wet area as well as a fairly dry hide.
Ilive in arizona and its very very dry here. I use pure topsoil mixed with small amounts of peat moss and sand. The topsoil is by "Supersoil" and you can get it at most garden stores or Home Improvement stores (if they don't have that try 'Earth Grow" but get the TOPSOIL not potting soil. Look to see it has no styrofoam, fertilizers, or perlite in it)
I make a 50/50 sand soil mix at one end and a 70/30 soil peat mix at the other end. The middle is mostly soil.
Keep hides in both places. Mist the wet end (with the peat) heavily (several times per day perhaps) and rarely if ever mist the other. You may also partially cover the wet area and leave the dry area open.

(2) tank aplus box turtle usually equals trouble. the glass is bad and usually they don't have enough room. I would not keep a box turtle of more thna 3 inches in anything smaller than 8 square feet of space.