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 #1779262


KsTaR
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 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

i would like to know wat is the best substrate for my argentine b&w tegu....right now she has pine shavings and she loves it...the hamster bedding but colorless....no toxins and color in it....its really hard to find cypress mulch over here in new york.....
07/01/08  12:07am

 #1779567


Mike S
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   Message To: KsTaR   In reference to Message Id: 1779262


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

Ahh i am too from new york.. I am currently using aspen for the substrate in the main section of the cage (aka where they eat) because if it is accidentally ingested it can be DIGESTED without any chemical harm to your herp, and then for the digging area i use plain old dirt, they seem to enjoy the dirt over everything else (digging wise).
07/01/08  11:59am

 #1779930


KsTaR
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   Message To: Mike S   In reference to Message Id: 1779567


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

Really...wat part of new york are u from? and aspen...hmmm...where do u buy yours from?
07/01/08  06:48pm

 #1779997


BooByVu
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   Message To: KsTaR   In reference to Message Id: 1779930


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

Umm I try different stuff for mine. See what yours like. Is there a lowes near where you live? I get the sifted soil with no added fertilizers. Its like a buck a bag and about 6-7 bags is good for my cage. But ive found a kind of soil from around here that holds moisture and holds a burrow really good for my outdoor caging. maybe you can go to a local pond or park and steal soil ahah
07/01/08  08:07pm

 #1780210


KsTaR
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   Message To: BooByVu   In reference to Message Id: 1779997


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

hahahahahaha i guess i can borrow some soil bobby...lol...yea i really like the cypress but its jus a pain 2 find...i have 2 go out to yonkers to get it....
07/02/08  12:02am

 #1781138


Mike S
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   Message To: KsTaR   In reference to Message Id: 1779930


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

Im from buffalo >.< lol

And i get my aspen from the pet shop right down the street lol :)
07/02/08  10:33pm

 #1781262


KsTaR
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   Message To: Mike S   In reference to Message Id: 1781138


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

buffalo...damn dats far...im in brooklyn...lol...and thats the best distance ever...seems like youll be a local in there..lol
07/02/08  11:54pm

 #1782189


Quique
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   Message To: KsTaR   In reference to Message Id: 1781262


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

GET YOUR TEGU OFF PINE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! PINE IS DEADLY TO ALL REPTILES AS WELL AS CEDAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
07/03/08  08:28pm

 #1783255


KsTaR
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   Message To: Quique   In reference to Message Id: 1782189


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

WTH!!!!????? are u serious? wats up with the pine? well its not 100 percent pine but its got pine in it
07/05/08  12:38am

 #1783426


Mike S
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   Message To: Quique   In reference to Message Id: 1782189


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

To Quique,
Your message was way over dramatic.. the only reason that pine can be fatal to herps is because of the dust it produces. When the dust gets lodged in the lungs and mucus of the tracea, it causes a respitory infection, and even that is rare.

For a temporary bedding it is ok, but yes you do indeed need to get cypress mulch or aspen bedding or dirt or a combo of the three.
I have aspen in the main compartment of my cage, and then in the lower end i have dirt for him to burrow.
07/05/08  11:19am

 #1785543


BooByVu
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   Message To: Quique   In reference to Message Id: 1782189


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

Yes cedar is harmful to reptiles because it contains oils that are no good. I have used dustless pine bedding for my feeders but never actually tried it on any herps so I guess I will never know if its harmful. So Mike, does your aspen ever get wet and mold? I have tried using aspen for my tegu with no success so I am now having soil/sand in there. Soon I will be using soil/hay for outside so I guess it doesnt matter but maybe I can try aspen again if I ever decide to get another hatchling or a blue.
07/07/08  09:46am

 #1785602


Mike S
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   Message To: BooByVu   In reference to Message Id: 1785543


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

To BoobyVu,

Although my bedding gets wet/damp sometimes it never molds... the only reason your bedding should mold is if there are food particles or left over fecal matter from spot cleaning. All of my herps deficate in their water so that isnt a problem and as for feeding, they are all either tong fed or bowl fed.
Umm, im not trying to push aspen on people, but it is the only digestable bedding that i know of that isnt harmful to your herp if ingested :)

Again, i only use aspen for the main part of the enclosure, you’ve all seen it, and then the bottom part of my enclosure is filled with organic sterile dirt for digging.



07/07/08  11:14am

 #1786228


BooByVu
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   Message To: Mike S   In reference to Message Id: 1785602


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

Ok well I guess there isnt really a need for aspen for me. I feed my tegus out of their cage so it doesnt matter. Ill stick with my top soil/sand mix. It tends to keep a burrow really well.
07/07/08  08:48pm

 #1791349


Mike S
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   Message To: BooByVu   In reference to Message Id: 1786228


 Help.... (mike.s) or anyone else

Yea no doubt,

I just dont like sand, just a preference of course, i just used dirt :D
07/11/08  02:58pm


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