# Best Substrate for my young red tegu !



## Jflorez28 (Aug 21, 2011)

I got my tegu yesterday , I'm a first time owner and I got cypress mulch I thought any cypress mulch would work then I found out the one I was using can be harmful so I took him out right away and cleaned the tank , I just bought eucalyptus mulch , will this be fine it says it's 100% eucalyptus .


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## james.w (Aug 21, 2011)

Yeah eucalyptus is fine or you can use Eco earth. I use a sand/soil mix for my tegu as cypress is hard to find in Vegas.


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## got10 (Aug 21, 2011)

Cypress is hard to find ANYWHERE


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## jtpowers (Aug 21, 2011)

I haven't used eucalyptus, but I know folks who have and like it. Cypress seems to hold humidity well with almost no mold issues, and it's readily available in most of the southeastern US, so it has become my preference. I like Eco Earth for my arachnids because it has a fine consistency but dislike it for my larger reptiles for the same reason. I also find I have to be more vigilant about humidity range with Eco Earth as it can get swampy and encourage mold growth. My savannah gets a 50/50 sand/soil mix and from what I've read that would be fine for a tegu also and it holds a good burrow, unlike straight cypress.


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## Jflorez28 (Aug 21, 2011)

I will like to look into using sand/soil , what brands do you guys use ? And do I mix it or leave one side sand one side soil ? Sorry for asking many questions I just want to make sure my little guy is safe


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## jtpowers (Aug 21, 2011)

Any nonfertilizer, untreated topsoil would do, you just have to make sure it's plain old dirt, nothing else. You may want to sift it through some 1/4 or 1/2 inch cage screen, as I've heard of some strange things being found in topsoil. For sand, just plain untreated playground sand.

Mix them with together with just enough water that when you squeeze it, no water comes out but it holds its shape. Easier to add a little at a time than end up with too much water in the mix.


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## Jflorez28 (Aug 21, 2011)

Ok thanks a lot I'll deff look into it


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## tora (Aug 21, 2011)

Yeah I use a soil/eucalyptus mix, I have never had an issue! Holds humidity as well as anything here in the desert, and holds a burrow just fine. I've also never seen mold and I dump a LOT of water into the mix and stir it up to help with humidity.


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## Jflorez28 (Aug 21, 2011)

I think I'll try that soon because I have a big bag of eucalyptus , and does anyone feed their eggs here , because I don't know if i should cook them plain without anything added or if I need to add something to it


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## jtpowers (Aug 21, 2011)

Douchebagjeff said:


> does anyone feed their eggs here , because I don't know if i should cook them plain without anything added or if I need to add something to it


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## james.w (Aug 21, 2011)

Just feed eggs plain either scrambled or hard boiled.


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## jtpowers (Aug 21, 2011)

From all I have read, eggs are fine as an occasional food, just not a primary staple. Raw eggs aren't good often at all because the whites contain a substance that counteracts the metabolism of biotin, a B vitamin. This is partially offset by the fact that yolks are very high in biotin, but cooking evens things out better. Hard boiling for 4 minutes is recommended; 2 minutes does not inactivate enough of the biotin-reducing "bad stuff." That said, tegus do raid nests in the wild and so it isn't a horrible occasional food even raw, but why reduce biotin availability when it's easy to minimize that risk by hard boiling?

I feed eggs occasionally, shell finely crushed by rolling but left on. Mine loves the shell and membrane, and seems to digest it well as there are never any remnants in the stool. Since he likes them so much, I find that eggs are also convenient to hide supplements in (extra calcium powder, cod liver oil capsules, whatever you may need to supplement, chopped eggs are a good hide for.) I've heard of some folks using a raw egg dip to make other new foods more appetizing if he isn't initially interested, too.

You could also nonstick pan or microwave scramble and then load them with mealworms, crickets, or other inverts an adult tegu isn't as interested in anymore because of size. I would say there's no NEED to feed eggs (same could be said of many fruits) but they can be a treat in moderation. Don't let him avoid other foods because he develops a taste for eggs, though, particularly while young.



Douchebagjeff said:


> does anyone feed their eggs here , because I don't know if i should cook them plain without anything added or if I need to add something to it


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## Jflorez28 (Aug 22, 2011)

Thanks a lot today I'll try eggs with some meal worms , to change it up for him


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