Substrates

[iLovePanda265]

I was wondering if there were any good non-impactible substrates besides paper, because my tegu has currently only been on paper since he got impacted (around 6 months) and I dont want to take a risk, but I want a better looking substrate because currently his cage looks very ugly.

 

[dragonmetalhead]

Zoo Med's Eco Earth works great. Doesn't cause impaction, holds humidity well, and is great for digging in. I've used it on all sorts of reptiles.

 

[iLovePanda265]

Zoo Med's Eco Earth works great. Doesn't cause impaction, holds humidity well, and is great for digging in. I've used it on all sorts of reptiles.

Thanks for the info, just wanted to know whether it mattered if you bought the brick or just the bag of loose substrate.

 

[dragonmetalhead]

I bought the bag. I'm too impatient to deal with the bricks, lol.

 

[iLovePanda265]

I was reading online and it says the eco earth is not digestible and can cause impaction, so I was wondering when you said it doesn't cause impaction did you mean it just hasn't caused impaction for any of your animals?

 

[dragonmetalhead]

In all honesty, there probably isn't such thing as a substrate that is 100% nonimpacting; I bet you can get impacted if you ate enough paper. I don't know anyone who's had an impaction issue using Eco Earth. It's made of a material that, while not digestible, will pass out of the reptiles' system without harming it. I have never had any animal get impacted, regardless of the substrate I used. Impaction is really more of a husbandry issue. If you're worried your tegu is eating substrate, feed him/her in a separate area.

 

[iLovePanda265]

Okay thanks for the info, and by the way I actually always have fed him outside the cage, and he got impacted by accidently eating a stick/twig in the cypress mulch he use to be in. As long as this is safer than mulch and about as safe as shredded paper I think I will try it. Thanks for the help.

 

[dragonmetalhead]

You're very welcome. Hope the impaction issues clear up.