top soil question

[Neeko]

I got some normal top soil (would I screen it to get lumps out?) I plant to mix with cypress mulch. I have an old bag of scotts brand top soil and peat moss is this ok to use too? Reviews on peat moss being acidic make me worry as well as fungus.

 

[roastedspleen]

As far as top soil goes its smarter to mix with sand. Another member uses the mix and is quite successful with it. It holds burrows well apparently.

 

[j.sawyer48]

wat kind of top soil u talkin about i use this stuff called jungle mix i put that under the cypress mulch so when he burrows its soft i was ussing eco earth but had some issues with that. And about the peat moss i really dont know i bought some once but didnt like it

 

[Neeko]

Normal top soil from the hardware store.dirt and small debris

 

[j.sawyer48]

i dont see why there would be any problem with that but u can pick out the debriiii if u want or u could leave it.

 

[james.w]

I use a premixed dirt/soil from a landscape company here in Vegas. I don't sift it or clean it at all, just throw it in the cage. Only negative I have found is I think this is where my gnat problem started.

 

[j.sawyer48]

ive been having the same gnat problem just started today actually i think its from my cypress mulch i dunno were they are coming from

 

[jdpFL]

The soil sand mix does hold a perfect burrow, and keeps humidity high...just don't let it get too wet. We use it for the sav monitor but tegu gets plain cypress mulch....for now. The tegu does, however, have to remake his "burrow" every time. It isn't really even a burrow, more like he's just buried in a pile of mulch. He seems content that way, even at times leaving just his face sticking out so he doesn't miss anything, lol. Our savannah has a permanent burrow under his water dish...and it holds up perfectly.

I'm inclined to agree with the posters who suggest it is the food creating the fruit fly issue for james....and those little buggers are definitely tough to get rid of.