Don't do the carpet - that stuff is terrible for reptiles - especially ones that like to burrow like tegus.So I had a situation the other day with my substrate. I had 100% cypress mulch which my Tegu seemed to love burrowing and digging in. Now when I first got him I fed him in the cage in a plastic bin because I was worried about compaction, he then outgrew my tub and he didn't like the walls so instead I used the cover as a tray inside the cage but sometimes he would walk around and get a couple of chips on his food. I then started feeding him outside the enclosure since my previous methods were not working great and so there was no chance of him ingesting the cypress mulch. However the other day I notice he looked like he had his mouth just gaped open and upon a closer look it was a giant piece of cypress which he was trying to eat... This freaked me out so I took all of the substrate out and I found a "weather proof" grass carpet at Home Depot (which my vet recommended I use for substrate) I cut it into 3 pieces so I could change it out once they get too dirty. Since then he has pooped and sure enough there were poop covered cypress mulch chips in the cage. Im thankful that he isn't compacted since they are passing but it was still freaky. Other recommendations on what to use would be helpful.
Jared
I would love to use outside dirt, but these people use fertilizer as well as carrying parasites.. I do use spring tails and beetles etc etc, I run bio active cages for my lizards.. Impaction is due to the lizard eating the bedding while eating there food... I mention mold because not everyone knows how mold actually start and think think just because they use cypress mulch or aspen bark and think they are mold free..I think regular dirt from outside is best. To help with mold I would add spring tails. Most issues with impaction are either humidity or substrate related.
Is peat moss really good substrate.. I don't think they sell that in my area..just switched my tegu over from cypress to peat moss. within hours he's already constructed a burrow that holds itself.