Pine Bedding?

[Rikki]

Would Pine Bedding be ok in a nile monitors enclosure? I have seen it many times at pet stores and I have alot of it stored right now (purchased for my hamsters). Would it be at all possible to have pine shavings (fine shavings) in a nile monitors or iguanas enclosure?

[coldblooded]

I don't think Pine is good for your monitor... I know cedar is a no-no, and I believe pine is a bad choice as well.

Don't take my word for it, though.


I hear newspaper is a great natural substrate...

Mike

[Jeff_Favelle]

It would probably be the 2nd WORST bedding you could possibly use. (The worst being Astro-Turf).

[coldblooded]

Oh, just grab some Cypress mulch from a garden store, it's like $3.00 canadian for a huge bag... so that's like, a nickel american.

Mike

[Rikki]

I understand, its just I have so much of this bedding left over, and have no use for it. Would it actually harm my monitor, or are you just saying it wouldnt look nice? Thanks for your advice.

[HeatherRose]

They're saying it would more than harm him. Pine and cedar are known to contain phenols toxic to lizards.

[Rikki]

Thank you, ill go with news paper more than likley, its much eaier to clean...

[coldblooded]

This is the first thing I found searching with "pine substrate for lizards":


"extracts of cedar and other soft woods, such as pine, contain a number of aromatic (volatile) compounds including hydrocarbons, cedrene and cadrol... these compounds are known irritants of skin, and cause... degeneration and death of the cells in the respiratory tract."


Here's a quick link to the whole thing:

http://www.anapsid.org/cedar.html

Mike

[coldblooded]

No,no,no,no...

I was just KIDDING about the newspaper, man...

Please, don't use the paper.

Go to home Depot ( or whatever they have in the states) and buy some non-sterile dirt that has nothing added to it and use that then, or get some sort of mulch.

For God's sake, don't make the thing suffer on newspaper.


Mike

[Rikki]

What? Thats the first time I have ever heard that, I have used news paper for years, most breeders and private keepers do.

[V.hb]

I personally wouldnt worry about pine being toxic.

The reason why pine bedding sucks is because as jeff said its just about as useless as astro turf. the lizard can't use this substrate. It doesn't hold moisture, so it cannot provide the monitor with what it needs to make its own burrow. Monitors are active, they like to dig and burrow. Putting one on pine is just useless. Cypress is a bit better, but still isn't as good as good ol' FREE dirt.

[coldblooded]

OK whatever, then...

Keep your monitor on newspaper and the rest of your herps on it as well...

'Cause you know that nothing beats the good ol' natural substrate we like to call newspaper.


Yes, I guess newspaper is easier to clean up, and it's cheap and hmm, easy, I guess... but, you're only thinking of yourself and not the herp! Your monitor doesn't care if it's easier to clean up or if it is cheaper... It's an issue you have.

Everyone makes a big deal about what substrate to put their feeders on and how to care "PROPERLY" for their herps, yet everyone (not all) still thinks that newspaper is great.

Why even think of other substrates when you seem to know that everyone and their brother uses newspaper and they have no problem?

I know nothing I ever say will change that, but I know that I don't use newspaper (maybe in quarantine) and at the end of the day the happiness and well being of my herps is all that matters to me.


Maybe you should use the colour comics, I hear they're extra absorbant...


Have a good evening and I hope all goes well with you.

Mike

[Rikki]

No need to go sarcastic.

[Rikki]

Potting soil seems great, it should be easy and natural. What do you think?

[V.hb]

potting soil sucks, doesnt hold burrows. Go outside and digup a bucket of dirt