Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

dantro · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:58 pm Post subject: Monitor substrate

I'm using a mix of playsand and jungle floor type peat (the brick stuff u soak) for my Ackies, i notice quite a few people use what looks like .. well just dirt .. is it anything special, where do u get it from or is it just plain old dirt?
_________________
Cheers
Dan
1.1.0 Ackies (10 eggs cooking) 4.9.6 Stenodactylus S. (22 eggs cooking)

DeanThorpe · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:06 pm Post subject:

Top Soil usually I think.

Usually mixed with peat, or playsand or as you mentioned coconut husk which comes in brick form.
_________________
Beardies
Rankins
Bosc
Eyed Lizard
Leo's
Tokay's
Cresties
Garg
Berber skinks
Ocltd Skinks
Uro acanthinurus
Fiji Iguana's
oplurus cyclurus+Cuvieri
Collard's
Long Tailed Lizards
Dwarf Sungazers
Water dragon
Corn's
Royal

Bohan · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:26 pm Post subject:

Hi, I was using play sand and a peat mix! but as it gets so dry i have left the peat out as it tends to turn to a fine dust and i dont like the thought of them breathing this in.
Will have to go back to plain old sieved (Mrs's culender) microwaved back garden soil Laughing

_________________
http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/Bird-fly/

2.0.0 Varanus glauerti.
1.1.0 Varanus a brachyurus.
1.1.0 Chlamydosaurus kingii.
1.3.4 Lacerta vivipera.

dantro · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:41 pm Post subject:

So if i go and buy some good old top soil is it best to oven bake it to make sure its clean and safe to use?
_________________
Cheers
Dan
1.1.0 Ackies (10 eggs cooking) 4.9.6 Stenodactylus S. (22 eggs cooking)

Bohan · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:31 pm Post subject:

It cant hurt, a lot of shop bought soil/peat/composts have addatives in them, some even insectacides (which i dunno) its just safer Smile

oh it takes a while to cool down, i've melted a few plastic tanks and dust bins in the past.
_________________
http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p17/Bird-fly/

2.0.0 Varanus glauerti.
1.1.0 Varanus a brachyurus.
1.1.0 Chlamydosaurus kingii.
1.3.4 Lacerta vivipera.

lol93 · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 6:55 pm Post subject:

I use bark chips for my water monitor. I tried the Eco Earth mix, but with the heat in his viv it dried out too quickly.
_________________

johne.ev · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:57 pm Post subject:

Dan, B&Q top soil, already sterilised. 50/50 play sand/soil mix works great for ackies.

GJ · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:13 pm Post subject:

Never tried peat or compost but I was told that peat is very acidic, particularly when dry, that and the additives was enough to put me of from trying it. Topsoil is mostly taken from building sites and can be mixed with many different building materials (glass, brick, asbestos.) so it's important to use a topsoil that has been screened and sterilized. No need to oven bake.

DeanThorpe · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:54 pm Post subject:

ah i thought all top soil was sterile.
yes, top soil that is sterile from b&q is what i use, i mix it with playsand, again from b&q but args, tesco and the like do that too. lol
_________________
Beardies
Rankins
Bosc
Eyed Lizard
Leo's
Tokay's
Cresties
Garg
Berber skinks
Ocltd Skinks
Uro acanthinurus
Fiji Iguana's
oplurus cyclurus+Cuvieri
Collard's
Long Tailed Lizards
Dwarf Sungazers
Water dragon
Corn's
Royal

dantro · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:01 pm Post subject:

Thanks alot fellas, i think i'll be down B&Q in the morning for some of their topsoil, so cos its sterilized is it ok just to put straight in the viv, or is there any prep i need to do?
_________________
Cheers
Dan
1.1.0 Ackies (10 eggs cooking) 4.9.6 Stenodactylus S. (22 eggs cooking)