best substrate

[HPIZZLE]

hey, this is my first post here. ive had reptiles since i was 6 years old, and have been researching tegus for 2 years now. i ordered a female varnyard tegu for my birthday last april. with her soon on the way im getting ready to setup her first growout tank.

anyways, my question is, in your own experience, what is the best substrate for baby tegus? i originally thought cypress mulch but its seems too big and bulky for a little baby to dig burrows in.

thanks for any advice

 

[montana]

They don`t stay little babies for long ...

You can try coconut fiber[coir] or any of the expensive reptile specific bedding ..

If you can get cypress I would go with that ..

 

[reptastic]

Cypress mulch is great, trust me hatchlings are great diggers they will have no problem burrowing in it, you can add some top soil to it if you want to make it easier to burrow in

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Welcome to the tegutalk forums/family btw

 

[james.w]

I use a sand/soil mix for all if my lizards and like it much better than cypress.

 

[roastedspleen]

anyone ever try aspen shavings?

 

[herpgirl2510]

No aspen is to dry. I use hemlock mulch / dirt/sand mix.

 

[james.w]

anyone ever try aspen shavings?

like herpgirl said it is too dry and does not hold a burrow.

 

[roastedspleen]

mmm i really dont have any pet stores near me except one called western farms and as the name suggests it's more for cats/dogs/horses they do have a reptile section but its mostly just snake stuff. im going over to check

 

[reptastic]

James how often do you change your substrate I hear the sand/soil holds burrow very well, i use the cypress because for $5 i can get 2 huge bags that filled a 7X4, 2 4X2 and a 2X2 enclosure with half a bag left over

 

[james.w]

I haven't been using it long enough to have to change it all out yet. How deep is your substrate?you got alot of of those 2 bags. Lol.

 

[roastedspleen]

i went to the store and selection of reptile stuff was some calcium powder, those hide logs, and a bunch of flukers products. i asked if they had cypress mulch but they just had potting soil and peat moss... i dont know if i can use that as a substrate but its possible. i also saw in the store a brick of coconut fiber but said it was for turtles and amphibians

 

[james.w]

The coconut fiber will work. You put the bricks in water and it breaks down.

 

[rrcoolj]

I love coconut fiber. It comes in bricks and you add a certain amount of water and it produces a bunch of substrate. I think it's great for young tegus because it's smaller particle and easier to dig through. It also holds humidity very well. I used it when my tegu was young. Now that my tegu is older I use cypress mulch. Cheap, easy to find, holds humidity, and it is easy for my tegu to dig through. I have heard the sand/soil mixture being used alot from varanid keepers especially sav keepers. I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[montana]

What you need to do is get away from those Idiots [the coconut fiber is excellent]

Go to a gardening place and look for cypress mulch or big blocks of coir [coconut fiber ] ..

The best places are those that specialize in hydroponics ..

I would guess that you shouldnt buy their calcium but order what you need ..

You want rep-cal [not repti cal ] green label no D3 ..

I order my supplies from LLL reptile but there are other places as well ..

 

[herpgirl2510]

Around here there is no cypress available unlees you want to pay $8 for a litte bag would take 25 bags to fill my enclosure. I was told hemlock is fine.

 

[roastedspleen]

i plan on getting the rest of my stuff from reptiledirect cuz their very cheap

 

[montana]

Around here there is no cypress available unlees you want to pay $8 for a litte bag would take 25 bags to fill my enclosure. I was told hemlock is fine.

I have a stand of hemlock several hundred yards from my cabin ..

Most of you would say they are pine trees tho they are more similar to Fir or spruce ...

I don`t know if they are ok or not but when you cut them for fire wood they are sticky pitchy stinky things ..

 

[Rhetoric]

Guru has hemlock mulch, Gary and Rango are on an eco-earth/top soil mix. Both seem to hold humidity well. I never switched gary and rango, its what they were previously on.

 

[reptastic]

I usually put the mulch about 6" deep since my tegus stopped burrowing around 2', these bags are huge and cost only $2.50

 

[Rhetoric]

The hemlock mulch is working for me, never had any impaction issues. I've got a super fine mulch. I picked it up at a bark company, it was under $20 to fill the enclosure. It might have been less than $15, I don't remember. I change it every couple months or sooner if hes been messy.