Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i was on a website and it said put some hay in the turtles inclosure. is that true? does any one do that?

I started using it in the winter, after I fill the enclosure with leaves I've raked in the fall, I top it off with hay when I think the turtles are down for the winter. However I just bought a couple of bales because I had leftover hay over logs on the ends of the enclosure and the turtles had tunneled through it, making hiding places for themselves, and the hay had finally broken down enough so much wasn't left so I bought more to re-do their hiding places. Baled hay is nice because you can pull "flakes" of hay from it and thats great to work with constructing hiding places. I usually make a frame with logs and branches then cover it with flakes of hay and they love it. I do keep it damp so they don't get too dry in it. I knew one guy who kept his younger turtles in a vegtable garden and he kept piles of hay in between plants that doubled as mulch and hiding places for the young turtles.
As the damp hay breaks down into the ground, it create an ideal habitat for earthworms and I have alot of earthworms reproducing in the pen. When it rains or when I fill the water bowl, usually flooding the lower part of the pen, the turtles know to come out and look for worms in the water.
The only drawback to this is that Michelle, so far, my two clutches a summer female 3-toed, has gotten where she doesn't like to lay in the pen after two years of leaves and hay breaking down, she did lay in there the first summer, so I have to take her to a spot in the backyard that has well drained, sandy soil (after putting the dogs in) and I wait around and she'll eventually start digging. My ornate continues to dig in the pen, though, guess she's not as picky.

you do know wet/damp hay grows mold and you and/or your turtles can get VERY ill from it.. dont you...?
if your turtles get the mold in their lungs chances are they will die, and if you get it in your lungs you could become very ill.. is that worth risking to?

And where do you think wild turtles take refuge from the heat, or, insulate themselves from cold? Damp moldy leaves, grasses, dirt, tree stumps etc. Everything in their natural enviroment can produce mold and bacteria, they can handle it and have for over two years.

I suppose you'd have them in a sterile pen, drying out because they have nothing damp to burrow into?
WRONG! We're expecting 105 degree heat index today and I'll be piling the hay on, followed by the sprinkler.

I've never heard of someone getting aspergillosis from leaves, tree stumps or dirt..
Theia Laying

Aspergillosis is caused by a fungus (Aspergillus), which is commonly found growing on dead leaves, stored grain, compost piles, or in other decaying vegetation.

I might add that aspergillosis is primarily seen in birds.

http://www.1uphealth.com/health/aspergillosis_info

I go with locally available(in abundance) leaves from the woods, or a friend's wooded lot: I don't have to pay for them AND they usually have some desirable creepy-crawlies already in there, like worms and slugs and pill bugs, etc., that my guys enjoy hunting. Easterns like their cover to be damp, and they can sort of tunnel around hunting without being exposed.

I actually have a large pile of leaves in my rubbermaid tub .. i have noticed that they crunch up quickly with a lot of movement but Blaze loves them .. when you want to find her all you have to do is lift up some leaves and wala.. she will be sitting there looking up at you like ...what ... what yah want... i think thats one thing that has made her feel very comfortable .. plus i got the leaves from a spot that had a lot of rolly pollies .. so im sure shes eatting a lot of buggies

she is gaining weight slowly now as well .. even though she isnt eating to very well yet .. shes had three meals of crickets so far ... and hasnt eatten veggies .. but i think just keeping damp enough had helped her gain a lot of weight