# yet another cypress question



## preston897 (Dec 6, 2010)

i would love to use redwood or eucalyptus mulch but here in texas all we have is cedar pine and cypress. so my only choice is cypress. my question is do i honestly have to worry about the wood mites that frequently come with the mulch? if so what temps and how long do most of you bake it. i have read many conflicting things. i have been reading online and cant find the exact answers im looking for. any help would be greatly appreciated. also what do you guys think of just using organic soil and a tegu substrate?


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## james.w (Dec 6, 2010)

I freeze my cypress mulch. If you bake it, I would go about 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes, but keep a close eye on it.


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## preston897 (Dec 6, 2010)

im just really in between. i have used cypress with my snakes before and didnt like it because of the bugs. and it will take a really long time to bake all the mulch i need. im thinking organic topsoil with some sphagum moss mixed in? would the tegu enjoy that? i have a 6x3 cage and im going the make the substrate about 10 inches deep for good digging. thats alot of mulch to bake. what about hardwood mulch? does that have pine and cedar in it?


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## CaseyUndead (Dec 7, 2010)

I never baked mine and i haven't had any problems. The only bugs I ever see are little flies sometimes.. Like, if he poops in his water tub and it's been there for probably a few hours I will see them hanging around there.. but ive never see any bugs bothering Loki or anything though. But, yeah, it would take forever to bake all of the mulch i use.


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2010)

the bugs in the mulch are harmless.and if you were going to go with the top soil id add some sand so it will hold a burrow better.


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## preston897 (Dec 7, 2010)

i just thought of this. its getting semi cold here in texas. all those little bugs may be dead now if the mulch stays outside. its been getting in the mid 30s at night here. and i didnt think about the sand. just maybe add like a bag into it?


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2010)

hmm,those temps would prolly kill them.yeah a bag would be good enough.i tihnk the mix is 60% soil and 40% sand.


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2010)

I would think you should put it in a freezer ... Down to 0 degrees or more cypress dosnt grow where it gets that cold so your chances would be better that that would kill the bugs and eggs .. 30s is like a frost That`s warm around here .. Heating would be the most sure 250 degrees till its hot all the way through .. You don`t have to do it all at once .... Does any one know about diatomatious sp earth ??? We use that on bugs in the garden and on the fruit trees Is is supposed to be safe for everything else .... But don`t try it on my say so ...It is tiney dried up sea critters and is natural ... Calcium I think ..


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## james.w (Dec 7, 2010)

What type of soil do you guys use? I have been using cypress by itself, but could probably save some money going with a cypress/soil/sand mix.


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## Toby_H (Dec 7, 2010)

I personally use Cypress Mulch only in my Tegus indoor enclosure...

The mulch in my enclosure does have little bugs jumping around. They are not mites though, they are springtails. They are harmless and require high humidity, thus they do not survive outside the enclosure. 

Springtails are commonly found hopping on the surface of aquariums (fish tanks) especially in the fall. They migrate indoors as the weather cools. Springtails are commonly used as a food source for amphibians and very small reptiles. 

I've mildly explored with substrate blends, but I've not found any I like. Any store bought pet substrate quickly becomes too expensive when using the volume needed for a Tegu. 

Sand alone lacks cohesion (doesn't stick to itself) and is heavy so when mixed with mulch would just drop to the bottom. 

Soil can work and many are happy using it. I found it sticks to my Tegu, the enclosure's walls, my hands, clothes, etc too much. My Tegu free roams a lot and I simply open the door and let him walk out. Thus a dirty Tegu quickly leads to dirty carpet. 

I've yet to find any "cons" to using Cyrpress Mulch alone that I even consider an inconvenience, yet there are ample "pros" which I value such as : Price, availability (in my region), lack of requiring any prep/cleaning before use, easy to borrow and holds 'tunnels' to a satisifactory degree, ease of cleaning (scoop and discard), resistence to mold/mildew, amongst many others...


I cannot say Cypress Mulch alone is the best choice for anyone else, but I have been completely satisified with my experience using it for my Tegu...


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## james.w (Dec 7, 2010)

Only con to cypress for me is cost. It is not native to the west coast, but I have found a local tortoise breeder who has some shipped to him. He sells it for $12 a bag (2 cu ft). Plus $10 for delivery. Was just looking for a cheaper alternative, but agree with you on negatives to sand and soil. I use sand in my sons Leo enclosure and I hate it. So I guess I will just stick with cypress. I freeze mine for a few days before using it just to try and eliminate any bugs.


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## preston897 (Dec 7, 2010)

i decided to go with a mix of soil, organic humus, and sand. it seems to be good. only time will tell. i just need to get more now so it is a bit deeper. i only have abou 2.5in now. i want about 10in


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