Where to get dirt?

[Little Wise Owl]

Silly question but where do you get your soil/dirt/sand substrates from? What type of soil do you look for if buying it? What sort of dirt do you look for if getting it from outside? Do you treat it? lol

UNLEASH YOUR INFORMATION

[Wiggles92]

If you plan on buying soil & sand, then buy it by the truckload in order to save a ton of money over bagged soil & sand. Personally, I plan on ordering screen topsoil and sand by the truckload when I start working on the secondary grow-out for my Nile monitors as the dirt that I have by me seems to be unsuitable for their substrate.

[BarelyBreathing]

I use a 60/40 mixture of Eco Earth (purchased at any pet store) and children's washed play sand (Home Depot). Other people dig it up from creek beds.

[infernalis]

I drive my pickup out back and take a shovel after the creek bank.

No need to sanitize or treat dirt, insect larvae, eggs and essential bacteria are all pretty good things to have.

[Little Wise Owl]

I think I'm gonna have to go with what you do, Wayne. I want a more natural substrate for my tegu. Cypress Mulch is nice but I imagine the real stuff holds burrows better. Could I plant lives plants in with her?

[Bradyloach]

yes you can! they will get ruined but you can. i would just get lots of fake plants

[Little Wise Owl]

I think I'm gonna try real plants and see how much damage she can do. lol

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by Bradyloach

yes you can! they will get ruined but you can. i would just get lots of fake plants

Bad idea.....

Here is why, the first time any food scent transfers to the fake plants, your lizard will try and eat them.

Chomper used to try and eat plastic and cardboard from our yard, just because worms touched them.

at least if Cassie eats real plant material, it won't get her sick.

[BarelyBreathing]

I've never had that problem, but I've had three monitors go out of their way to destroy them. I quit using them.