hey I wus reading somewere that I could house gonzo(my tegu) on dirt as long as I baked it is that true? that would be cheaper than geting freshbeding every month-2 months like I have been

i used this for my mice a while ago and it helped with there smell but now im thinking maby gonzo would like it

-sara

p.s.
would it be safe to use dirt in my snakes tank with the Under Tank Heater? just wunderin

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Dirt is a mighty fine substrate for many species but because it is dirt it is dirty ....Which is one reason why many people don't use it on every reptile, much easier to use a substrate that cleans up better like newspaper.

I use dirt for my monitors, straight from the bag an bought from home depot or lowes. Make sure if you get dirt this way or soil this way that it is top soil and has nothing added but maybe some twigs. The folks at lowes or home depot will help you out.

I never bake the dirt or freeze the dirt, just straight from the bag.

Dirt would be perfectly ok with the tegu except at feeding time when you want to be careful they dont ingest to much of this substrate.

An yes dirt would be fine for a substrate for snakes but also it goes back to feeding time. You must be careful if they eat in the enclosure they do not ingest the dirt to a large extent.

Hope that helped,
-j

ok but would it be ok for on a Under Tank Heater? i just wana make shure it would becool to have a more realistic cage for all my herps

edit- oh yah I get the dirt from my back yard there is not pesdisides so im safe there

__________________
"wow and your mom lets you have all these animals?" -my grama

0.0.1 Ball Python, Akua 27"
0.0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake, Seismo 22"
0.0.1 Snow Corn snake, Sleet 27"
0.0.1 grey rat snake, Issa 31"
0.1 German Shepherd, Zanny 90 LBS
Click for Snake name plates
Wish list.... atleast some of it ;)
MORE CORNS!!!.......

For a Under Tank Heater, sure. Dirt retains heat to some extent so be sure to test out the different levels of the Under Tank Heater on a rheostat to control the proper amount of heat output before you place a reptile in the cage.

All in all, dirt makes a cage look better(more natural obviously), an reptiles seem to love it.

Go on an use it with a Under Tank Heater, will work great.

I would be a liitle apprehensive on using soil from the backyard without treating it. Though it is pesticide free it can still contain parasites and unwanted organisms. I would highly recommend baking it off to remove those.

Just my opinion.

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Ken
" The United States Marine Corps......sure we are a department of the Navy,,,,,,we're the MENS department "

i was planing on baking it I just need temps what temps should I bake it for?

thanks
smiles
sara

__________________
"wow and your mom lets you have all these animals?" -my grama

0.0.1 Ball Python, Akua 27"
0.0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake, Seismo 22"
0.0.1 Snow Corn snake, Sleet 27"
0.0.1 grey rat snake, Issa 31"
0.1 German Shepherd, Zanny 90 LBS
Click for Snake name plates
Wish list.... atleast some of it ;)
MORE CORNS!!!.......

Yeah, dirt's my all time favorite substrate. Its about as natural as you can get. If you get it from your backyard, then baking's needed. If you buy it, all you have to do is make sure you buy completely organic stuff, with no additives to it. I forget the temps needed to bake it at, I seem to recall Merlin knows though.

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I believe with dirt the temps were 325 for 30 minutes.
But get ready as it WILL stink up the house!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I personally would just go out to home depot and get yourself a bag. Around 1 doller and something cents for quite a large bag. Saves the hassel of digging and bakeing, as Merlin said, stinks like a sun of a gun.

i would go to home depot but I dont have a car and my moms out of town and my dad is muding the landrey room and I am already going to the petstore to pick up some more mice ant thats the other side of town so yah

merlin thanks I was hoping I would get an answer my this morning

__________________
"wow and your mom lets you have all these animals?" -my grama

0.0.1 Ball Python, Akua 27"
0.0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake, Seismo 22"
0.0.1 Snow Corn snake, Sleet 27"
0.0.1 grey rat snake, Issa 31"
0.1 German Shepherd, Zanny 90 LBS
Click for Snake name plates
Wish list.... atleast some of it ;)
MORE CORNS!!!.......