Just wondering if anyone knew what a good/cheap tortoise bedding alternative would be? At the moment I am spending about £7 for a bag of what seems to be just a sand/soil mix. Would I be able to make my own tortoise substrate with sand/compost/wood shavings etc? Or is it important that I use the shop bought one?

My grandad uses hay/straw on his tortoise, seems to work just fine.

That what my mum's always used, seems to have worked well for the last 30 years.

Have you tried to contact an exotic pet vet?

Hay or straw would work well, straw would be the cheapest option there

most places recommend the loam compost/sand mix
though it possibly depends what type of tortoise you have too.

beech chippings you can use, but can often carry mites

do some research, or perhaps ask over at RFUK http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/
i don;t see any reason why mixing your own from a loamy compost and kids play sand would be an issue - you would just need to be wary of mites/lice and fungal problems. (there are usually ways around this though - such as freezing/heating/microwaving bedding before using it

normal woodshavings produced from pine are a no-no as they release fumes when they are heated
this stuff may be worth looking into: http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/reptile...l/invt/0303554
as it is reptile safe.

Thanks for the advice folks. I am taking him in for a checkup at a specialist vets soon, so will ask there. I think the kids sand and treated compost mix would be a good combo if its safe.