# best substrate



## HPIZZLE (Jun 24, 2011)

hey, this is my first post here. ive had reptiles since i was 6 years old, and have been researching tegus for 2 years now. i ordered a female varnyard tegu for my birthday last april. with her soon on the way im getting ready to setup her first growout tank. 

anyways, my question is, in your own experience, what is the best substrate for baby tegus? i originally thought cypress mulch but its seems too big and bulky for a little baby to dig burrows in.

thanks for any advice


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## montana (Jun 24, 2011)

They don`t stay little babies for long ...

You can try coconut fiber[coir] or any of the expensive reptile specific bedding ..

If you can get cypress I would go with that ..


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## reptastic (Jun 24, 2011)

Cypress mulch is great, trust me hatchlings are great diggers they will have no problem burrowing in it, you can add some top soil to it if you want to make it easier to burrow in

Welcome to the tegutalk forums/family btw


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## james.w (Jun 24, 2011)

I use a sand/soil mix for all if my lizards and like it much better than cypress.


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

anyone ever try aspen shavings?


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## herpgirl2510 (Jun 24, 2011)

No aspen is to dry. I use hemlock mulch / dirt/sand mix.


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## james.w (Jun 24, 2011)

roastedspleen said:


> anyone ever try aspen shavings?



like herpgirl said it is too dry and does not hold a burrow.


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

mmm i really dont have any pet stores near me except one called western farms and as the name suggests it's more for cats/dogs/horses they do have a reptile section but its mostly just snake stuff. im going over to check


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## reptastic (Jun 24, 2011)

James how often do you change your substrate I hear the sand/soil holds burrow very well, i use the cypress because for $5 i can get 2 huge bags that filled a 7X4, 2 4X2 and a 2X2 enclosure with half a bag left over


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## james.w (Jun 24, 2011)

I haven't been using it long enough to have to change it all out yet. How deep is your substrate?you got alot of of those 2 bags. Lol.


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

i went to the store and selection of reptile stuff was some calcium powder, those hide logs, and a bunch of flukers products. i asked if they had cypress mulch but they just had potting soil and peat moss... i dont know if i can use that as a substrate but its possible. i also saw in the store a brick of coconut fiber but said it was for turtles and amphibians


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## james.w (Jun 24, 2011)

The coconut fiber will work. You put the bricks in water and it breaks down.


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## rrcoolj (Jun 24, 2011)

I love coconut fiber. It comes in bricks and you add a certain amount of water and it produces a bunch of substrate. I think it's great for young tegus because it's smaller particle and easier to dig through. It also holds humidity very well. I used it when my tegu was young. Now that my tegu is older I use cypress mulch. Cheap, easy to find, holds humidity, and it is easy for my tegu to dig through. I have heard the sand/soil mixture being used alot from varanid keepers especially sav keepers. I don't see why it wouldn't work.


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## montana (Jun 24, 2011)

What you need to do is get away from those Idiots [the coconut fiber is excellent]

Go to a gardening place and look for cypress mulch or big blocks of coir [coconut fiber ] ..

The best places are those that specialize in hydroponics ..

I would guess that you shouldnt buy their calcium but order what you need ..

You want rep-cal [not repti cal ] green label no D3 ..

I order my supplies from LLL reptile but there are other places as well ..


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## herpgirl2510 (Jun 24, 2011)

Around here there is no cypress available unlees you want to pay $8 for a litte bag would take 25 bags to fill my enclosure. I was told hemlock is fine.


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

i plan on getting the rest of my stuff from reptiledirect cuz their very cheap


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## montana (Jun 24, 2011)

herpgirl2510 said:


> Around here there is no cypress available unlees you want to pay $8 for a litte bag would take 25 bags to fill my enclosure. I was told hemlock is fine.



I have a stand of hemlock several hundred yards from my cabin .. 

Most of you would say they are pine trees tho they are more similar to Fir or spruce ... 

I don`t know if they are ok or not but when you cut them for fire wood they are sticky pitchy stinky things ..


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## Rhetoric (Jun 24, 2011)

Guru has hemlock mulch, Gary and Rango are on an eco-earth/top soil mix. Both seem to hold humidity well. I never switched gary and rango, its what they were previously on.


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## reptastic (Jun 24, 2011)

I usually put the mulch about 6" deep since my tegus stopped burrowing around 2', these bags are huge and cost only $2.50


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## Rhetoric (Jun 24, 2011)

The hemlock mulch is working for me, never had any impaction issues. I've got a super fine mulch. I picked it up at a bark company, it was under $20 to fill the enclosure. It might have been less than $15, I don't remember. I change it every couple months or sooner if hes been messy.


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

what peat moss


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## montana (Jun 24, 2011)

roastedspleen said:


> what peat moss


What [about ] peat moss .... 

NO...


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

yeah thanks for correcting me computer lagged and didnt post it right. but why not use peat moss?


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## montana (Jun 24, 2011)

roastedspleen said:


> yeah thanks for correcting me computer lagged and didnt post it right. but why not use peat moss?



If its like the stuff we use in the garden it is basically dust ...

I would guess its acidic .. there are much better choices .. 

Sphagnum moss maybe but it also would turn to dust in a short time in my opinion ...

What do you have against coconut???


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## roastedspleen (Jun 24, 2011)

oh i was just wondering


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## HPIZZLE (Jun 25, 2011)

wow guys thanks for all the replies!!!
rrcoolj, i knew about the coconut blocks from your threads on MFK. hpizzle on mfk, is also hpizzle just about everywhere else lol.

i think i will start out with the coconut bricks for a few months till she outgrows the enclosure. the tank is a 36x18x18 exo terra, which hold humidity very well, and also allow for ventalation. 

i also use a dirt sand mix in my ackie enclosure, and dont think it holds burrows super well. however, i will say there is more sand than dirt so i would imagine that has an effect on the burrowing aspect.

i think im seriously starting to like this site. lots of helpful responses instead of posts about how big tegus get and how no one can house one properly lol.
thanks again guys. ill be sure to post pictures when i get her!! and her enclosure when its all set up!


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## james.w (Jun 25, 2011)

HPIZZLE said:


> wow guys thanks for all the replies!!!
> rrcoolj, i knew about the coconut blocks from your threads on MFK. hpizzle on mfk, is also hpizzle just about everywhere else lol.
> 
> i think i will start out with the coconut bricks for a few months till she outgrows the enclosure. the tank is a 36x18x18 exo terra, which hold humidity very well, and also allow for ventalation.
> ...



The sand/soil mix does take a little work to get it right. I got lucky and the place I get mine seems to mix it perfectly. You need to be sure it isn't too dry as well or it won't hold a burrow.


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## LeviBP (Aug 3, 2011)

roastedspleen said:


> anyone ever try aspen shavings?



I am currently using Aspen; can be a little dusty but not too bad. Cypress is better imo


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## james.w (Aug 3, 2011)

Aspen is terrible for Tegus.


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## herpgirl2510 (Aug 4, 2011)

I really like my cypress and it has a nice smell. I just put in moe so now I have 10-12 inches I am cusious how they will like that much. Probably never find them again


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## dragonmetalhead (Aug 8, 2011)

I use Zoo Med's Eco-Earth not just for my tegu, but for most of my other reptiles (except the desert lizards and sand boa). That stuff is absolutely amazing. Kodo likes to sleep buried under his water dish


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## Strange_Evil (Aug 8, 2011)

I'm using about 75% cypress and 25% eco earth... Good stuff!


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## kellen.watkins (Aug 9, 2011)

eco earth cypress mulch and spagnum moss all combined works like a charm


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