substrates.

[Dirtydmc]

I'm having difficulty finding cypress mulch here in washington. I can buy it online but I dispise buy stuff online. What is a good healthy alternative to cypress?

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Nevermind. I should pay more attention to the forum. Duh......

 

[Kebechet]

I'm having difficulty finding cypress mulch here in washington. I can buy it online but I dispise buy stuff online. What is a good healthy alternative to cypress?

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Nevermind. I should pay more attention to the forum. Duh......

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I personally recommend a compost based topsoil, free of added chemicals. From what I've been able to tell, Tegus may attempt to eat their substrate to mimic natural behaviour where small rocks are eaten to help aid digestion. My Tegu, Link, will actively start hunting for, and devouring small rock pieces/gravel after a meal. Yes, topsoil can be messy, but as long as you're washing your tegu in the bath when you put it there to go potty before you let it roam, this isn't really a problem.

I know that cypress is considered THE substrate for Tegus, but if you want to mimic their natural environment more, go with the topsoil. You may develop some little white bugs in the soil after a bit (they eat decomposing organic matter, such as bits of bark, and compost) these are springtails, and harmless to your Tegu.

Topsoil is also beneficial for another reason- it doesn't get your Tegu impacted if he/she gets a mouthful of it.

 

[Rhetoric]

Lol I feel better now, I thought they were spider babies lolol silly me... I have seen aspider or two in the enclosures before though.
Hemlock is another good option in the nw

 

[Kebechet]

Lol I feel better now, I thought they were spider babies lolol silly me... I have seen aspider or two in the enclosures before though.
Hemlock is another good option in the nw

Lol, yeah they're not spiders they're tiny little insects that fall into their own family of critters. If they're alarmed they may start hopping around like little white fleas. They thrive in warm, high humidity, and I often find them under Link's water bowl, or under his basking tile. No amount of cleaning seems to get rid of them, the only option would be to bake the substrate, and even that might not be a guarantee.

 

[james.w]

I also recommend a soil/sand mix. It is only messy if you get it too wet, but it holds a much better burrow.

 

[mrcleansheet]

i use a topsoil mix with eco earth and it works perfect , my tegu loves it !

 

[Dirtydmc]

Found cypress mulch at a pet store in Everett. Along with a tegu. Good thing I have room for two here. Moving in a couple years won't be much fun though.