# best substrate



## aj12790 (Dec 27, 2007)

I use the cypress mulch,but would like to know if anyone uses some sort of dirt mix because the cypress where I live is now being sold as a blend.


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## COWHER (Dec 28, 2007)

This was taken from <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.varnyard-herps.com/">http://www.varnyard-herps.com/</a><!-- m --> a lot of good info there



> Substrate:
> I recommend using cypress mulch, orchid bark, Lizard litter, Repti-bark or eucalyptus mulch. These should not be dusty dry or wet. You can mist them a little to keep the dust down, this will also raise the humidity. Make sure it is not tacky, as to stick to their feet. Also your tegu needs to be fed where he will not ingest these substrates. You do not want him to have a intestinal blockage.



I use a mix of cocoa husk and hemlock mulch but make sure its not the poisonous kind the scientific name is Tsuga canadensis says its non-toxic alot of places but here is one place
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.prntrkmt.org/trees/hemlocktree.html">http://www.prntrkmt.org/trees/hemlocktree.html</a><!-- m -->


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## Mike (Dec 28, 2007)

I use a mix of coco, topsoil, leaf litter, cypress, and moss. Works very well.


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## DaveDragon (Dec 28, 2007)

Mike said:


> I use a mix of coco, topsoil, leaf litter, cypress, and moss. Works very well.


What is the volume you have to fill with this combination?? What is the percentage of each? What do you do with it when you change the substrate??

Cypress mulch (15 cubic feet) seems to work OK but when the top layer dryed out it gets dusty. I dump about 1 to 1.5 gallons of water on it every weekend and mix it. Disposing of it is a real hassle. We need to change another one this weekend. We have been dumping it in planted areas but that will fill up soon.


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## Mike (Dec 28, 2007)

DaveDragon said:


> Mike said:
> 
> 
> > I use a mix of coco, topsoil, leaf litter, cypress, and moss. Works very well.
> ...



Thanks for the reply. I fill 40gs and up to 6x2x2 cages. I don't really have EXACT percents. I just start with topsoil as the base, 
mix with a bit of cypress for added humidity. Then I put a LOT of bed-a-beast (Coco) over the top. I break up sphagnum moss into small pieces, then mix that in.

I add leaf litter to the top of the mix, they seem to enjoy it, they dig through it often and it is mentally stimulating. The whole "exact percent" thing doesn't last often. I keep worms and other smaller bugs (super beetles, pillbugs etc) in the substrate with them. It all breaks down into the same thing sooner or later, save for the cypress.

The bugs keep it clean and therefore I don't have to change it all that often. I guess if I HAD to put it into percents, it would be 40% coco, 25% dirt, 15% cypress, 10% sphagnum, and 10% leaf litter.

Recipe for a 40-50 gal

I just buy a big bag of topsoil (Very few additives), then sift it. Then I buy 3-6 blocks of bed-a-beast (depends on how deep you want it) and mix it in. Then I just add a medium bag of cypress. (Not very important IMO, I have to buy it at LLL reptile or a petco for a ridiculous price). After that, I get some green or yellow sphagnum moss (I prefer green) and break it up into very tiny pieces. I mix it all up, adding more of each thing until it has the right feel. Lastly, I get some nice big leaves from outside, wash them well, and leave them to dry. I give them a nice layer of it, they seem to like it. 

Works pretty well, just have to find the right feel, I have good sources for all the components. Funny thing is, bed a beast alone works fine. :lol:


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## DZLife (Dec 28, 2007)

do i sense a game of 1-upmanship?


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## aj12790 (Dec 28, 2007)

Mike said:


> I use a mix of coco, topsoil, leaf litter, cypress, and moss. Works very well.


Thank you all.I will be doing the MIKE mix in a couple of weeks.I like the way that mix sounds.Do you have any pics Mike?


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## Mike (Dec 28, 2007)

aj12790 said:


> Mike said:
> 
> 
> > I use a mix of coco, topsoil, leaf litter, cypress, and moss. Works very well.
> ...



Thanks, I think the tegus enjoy it.  

I'll try to get some pics up today.

For the soil, it is very important that it has few additives. Try to get the "cleanest" soil possible. Home depot has it.

How big of a cage are you filling?


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## DZLife (Dec 28, 2007)

I just mixed some Mike mix with..well..with Mike, and it is really great for holding in moisture, softness, digging, etc. Hell, I like playing in it.


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## Mike (Dec 28, 2007)

Ok, here's some pics.








Set up in a 40 gallon rubbermaid with 8 inches or so of the mix.






A bit of it spread out.











Close ups. See the tiny bits of perlite? They came with the dirt, no harm done. I added a bit too much cypress here for my liking. I mixed the substrate up a bit for the 2nd pic, so you could see the topsoil better, not just coco.






And some proof of why keeping a tegu with live plants is a waste of time. After one month. :lol:

These are without the leaves, as you can tell. Since mine are down for the winter, I don't have any in there. If you REALLY need pics, I could get a few with the leaves.


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## aj12790 (Dec 28, 2007)

I like the pics.It looks real good,better than mulch alone.I will be filling a 6x3 and want to have about 8-10 inches deep.Any help on how much I need would be great,Thanks.........


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## DaveDragon (Dec 28, 2007)

The mix sounds great but I can't imagine what it would cost to fill our enclosures.

I fill 7ft x 3ft x 8" deep X 3 enclosures & (1) 125G tank 4" deep. 

That's (5 x 3) + 1 = 16 bags of cypress @ $5 per 3cu ft bag = $80, changed every 2 months = $40 per month.


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## DaveDragon (Jun 4, 2008)

Our male Blue Tegu has developed an intestinal blockage (this is the second time in 6 months) and may have passed it yesterday. I don't know if it's all out of him. On Sunday we caught him eating a piece of cypress mulch. We haven't fed him much since he's been impacted, a little fruit every other day. He could be doing because he's really hungry. Or he could just not be too bright. On the advise of the reptile vet we've been giving him Laxatone (cat hairball med.) every day for the last 2 weeks. There was no wood visible in the BM yesterday, but it may have decayed. Only pieces of grapes and strawberry seeds.

On the advise of a guy with 30 years of experience with monitors and Tegus (not Bobby) I've changed his substrate to top soil. It quickly compacts and he can't burrow in it. I was thinking of adding peat moss (I have a big block) or go with Mike's suggestion above, without cypress mulch.

Any suggestions for an impaction free substrate?? Since this has happened before, and I can't say for sure it is a diet issue or substrate eating, I need to get this right before he kills himself.


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## Jsharlan84 (Jun 4, 2008)

Does anyone use the Eco Earth cocunut substrate or have any experience with it? I've used it for my savannah monitor for awhile and he seems to enjoy digging in it and hunting for crickets and things and it hold humidity well.

I was thinking of using with my Tegu that I'm expecting but am concerned about it causing impaction. Anyone have any advice?


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## angelrose (Jun 4, 2008)

hi Jsharlan84 and :welc to tegutalk. congrats on getting a tegu.
I can't see how coconut fibre alone can hold the humidity. you have to really, really wet it and you don't want the substrate to be wet. it should be moist.
cypress mulch would be better in holding humidity. you can mix the coconut fibre and cypress together. I mix about a 1/3 of top soil and cypress mulch together. to avoid your tegu from getting impacted feed your tegu in a separate feeding bin.

I have a savannah and I have changed his substrate from walnut shells which I learned was very bad getting injested daily over a period of time. now, I use top soil and sand mixed together and I have noticed a big difference in my sav.

would love to see some pics when you get your new tegu or any other pets you have.


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## DaveDragon (Jun 4, 2008)

angelrose said:


> to avoid your tegu from getting impacted feed your tegu in a separate feeding bin.


Feeding in a separate bin will not prevent impaction. We caught our 4 year old male Blue eating a piece of cypress!!


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## angelrose (Jun 4, 2008)

DaveDragon said:


> angelrose said:
> 
> 
> > to avoid your tegu from getting impacted feed your tegu in a separate feeding bin.
> ...



get outttt ! did it have some food or something tasty/smelling good on it ?


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## DaveDragon (Jun 4, 2008)

angelrose said:


> DaveDragon said:
> 
> 
> > angelrose said:
> ...


Either that or he's not too smart!!


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## Nero (Jun 5, 2008)

I use EcoEarth for the main flooring I love it. My tegu loves to dig it up on the cool side. On the warm side I have about 4 inches of cypress mulch on top of the ecoEarth. Its pretty good stuff, its cheap and it holds humidity very well.


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## DaveDragon (Jun 10, 2008)

DaveDragon said:


> angelrose said:
> 
> 
> > DaveDragon said:
> ...


Any other opinions??  

He won't burrow in the dirt. This past Sunday I broke up the dirt on one side and added peat moss so it won't get solid again. After 2 nights he still won't burrow in it. He's always walking through his water and turning it to mud. He's always dirty when I take him out.

Even though it risks an impaction again we're thinking of going back to cypress for the Tegu's sanity. He looks very unhappy on the dirt with no where to hide. I could build him a platform/hide but he'd still have the problem of his water always being full of dirt and him covered with dirt.


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