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#243037
Big dady
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 Proper substrate for savannahs
Is that calcium sand substance acceptable for my monitor?I have used the bark in the past and do not care for it my monitor that I presently have is a young one 9 inches long.I would appreciate you opinions on this.
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02/07/05 10:03pm
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#243058
Flip21
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Message To: Big In reference to Message Id: 243037
Proper substrate for savannahs
No.no.no. USE GOOD OLD DIRT FROM OUTDOORS (as long as there is no pesticides). If you live in florida then use decomposed granite, becasue the soil here is basically organic sand.
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02/07/05 10:36pm
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#244324
Battousai
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Message To: Flip21 In reference to Message Id: 243058
Proper substrate for savannahs
i wanted to take Flip’s advise and was worried about parasites and pesticides,etc.that and in most of NC all we have is orange clay.
i ended up going to home depot and finding unopened bags of topsoil.not potting soil.alot of it has fertilizers in it.
luckily it was extremely cold and the bags were frozen.so any insects inside were dead.also ask the employees about which one was fertilizer and pesticide free.
i can’t remember the name,but it was a blue,white and green bag.the employee said it was free of anything i was worried about.i got about 240lbs of the stuff.
Flip also suggested decomposed granite;but it was very hard to find.so i went with the topsoil.
you could also buy a cheap pan from the dollar store or wal-mart and heat the soil in your oven @ about 350F.i haven’t tried this but it works on outdoor rocks,so it’s worth a shot.may take awhile considering you want the substrate to be very deep for excavating.my argus has 9 inches of soil in a 120 tank.of course he has moved it around.so one side is about 6 inches and the highest point is 10.
i covered reptile logs in the soil exposing a small prtion of the log,it excavated it’s own burrow.this gives it something to do in it’s cage,exercise,and helps in dulling down the claws.
be sure all cage furniture is secure to the bottom of the cage.oit crossed my mind when installing basking branches.you don’t want it to undermine the furniture or rocks and be crushed while tunneling.
i hope this helps and enjoy your monitor.
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02/09/05 05:40pm
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#244482
Flip21
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Message To: Battousai In reference to Message Id: 244324
Proper substrate for savannahs
The point of using outdoor soil is to have the bacteria that breaks down fecal matter. "Cooking" it kills it. According to Bob (treemonitors.com) internal parasites can’t live when body temperatures get 120+ degrees, so having a 125+ surface temp for your basking spot would kill any parasites. Also (just my 2 cents, I know no one said anything about vets but I wanted to share this, and battousai was talking about parasites so...) I would never take my monitors to a vet for "fecal tests" and whatnot. #1 It is extremely hard to fing a really good reptile vet. #2 what they would prescribe would be something not made for reptiles, something made for mammals (like dogs, cats, etc.), and I believe that some of these medications can shorten a monitors lifespan. You can find decomposed granite at a local landscape supply wholesale store. Many breeders have had success with decomposed granite. But if you live in an area where the dirt is thick than dig it up, many breeders and keepers on this site use it, I know that SHvar and bayou use it and they both have had great success, next time I get up to Washington state I want to dig up some soil from a creek bed aong the Columbia river, great monitor soil I would believe. Best of luck
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02/09/05 07:29pm
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#245431
Big dady
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Message To: Flip21 In reference to Message Id: 244482
Proper substrate for savannahs
Thanks alot guys.You have been a great help.I will probably be bending your ears again in the near future for advice.I have a bearded dragon that I have had for two years.I had a savannah two years ago,I had it for 14 months but it died.I decided to try it again.I had a nile 7 years ago it lived 6 years.I am wanting to expand my collection of lizards any suggestions for my next reptile?
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02/10/05 06:52pm
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#245469
Battousai
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Message To: Big In reference to Message Id: 245431
Proper substrate for savannahs
no problem.i just acquired an argus earlier this year and it is friggin’ awesome.
so there’s a suggestion.
good luck
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02/10/05 07:18pm
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#247573
Dingledork946
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Message To: Battousai In reference to Message Id: 245469
Proper substrate for savannahs
When my savannha was smaller he got a blockage from the sand and my vet told me to lust use newspaper. it has worked like a charm and no blockages. my savannah loves it too he will get underneath it and go to sleep. you might want to try that. any way good luck with your savannah.
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02/13/05 04:48pm
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#247668
Flip21
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Message To: Dingledork946 In reference to Message Id: 247573
Proper substrate for savannahs
DO NOT BE CRUEL TO THE ANIMALS AND USE NEWSAPAPER! Savs love dig, putting them on newspaper is like putting a tree monitor in a 4" tall cage, it’s cruel. Your basking temps were way to low if your sav got intestinal blackage. With the right temps monitors can digest pretty much anything.How do you know your sav loved it? Does he talk to you? LOL He was trying to burrow and that was the closest thing to a burrow he could find. I rest my case on this: it is almost impossible to find an experienced herp vet, take dingledork’s "newspaper" as an example. Do yourself a favor and the book "the truth about Varanus exanthematicus" by Daniel Bennet and Ravi Thakoordyal, best book on monitors out there.
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02/13/05 07:34pm
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#252306
Dr herp
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Message To: Flip21 In reference to Message Id: 243058
Proper substrate for savannahs
i agree decomposed granite is the best it holds borrows extremely well so i have heard i have not yet tried it i am going to after i find a place that carries it any suggestions?
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02/18/05 09:32pm
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#252326
Stiffupperlip13
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Message To: Dr In reference to Message Id: 252306
Proper substrate for savannahs
cough"drherp" uses news paper for his savannah.
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02/18/05 09:48pm
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#252351
Dr herp
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Message To: Stiffupperlip13 In reference to Message Id: 252326
Proper substrate for savannahs
i have my monitor temporarily on newspaper only while i gather wood for the 6x4x4 cage i ambuilding him because if i put in substrate it will fall out the front of the cage because the cage he is in now has metal bars in the front stiffupperlip
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02/18/05 10:35pm
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#252504
SHvar
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Message To: Dingledork946 In reference to Message Id: 247573
Impactions are a result of bad husbandry..
Not substrate being eaten. Monitors like many reptiles eat substrate on a regular basis, but they pass it. Play sand is smooth small grains, but the sharp edged man made stuff for concrete is not a good choice. Sand is a terrible substrate, reptiles dont live in sand, in deserts there is much more there than sand (wind blown smooth sand), there is dirt, organic material, etc. Plants do not grow in sand, they need soil, organic material, something to hold moisture (something sand does not do, it drains and stays dry). Use dirt, real dirt, a useful substrate, diggable, holds burrows, holds moisture but is dry on the surface to prevent skin problems.
Impactions are caused by reptiles that are dehydrated, kept too cool or especially with too cool of a basking spot and not a cool area to escape the heat. They need choices to decide what they need, not to be told what they need, when they need it.
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02/19/05 03:19am
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