Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok ok ok, this is just a question. Has anyone ever used carefresh paper bedding for their monitors. I know my sand boas like it and I know if swallowed it will pass well. I am just curious.
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1.1 Motley het butter corns
0.1 Snow corn
0.1 Okeetee corn
1.0 Anery mutt corn
0.1 Stripe Ghost corn
0.1 Amelanistic corn het carmel
2.1 Colombian Redtails
1.0 Hypo Colombian redtail
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Anery Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Normal Kenyan sand boa

I used it for a few weeks while my little guy was recovering from an infection, he seemed to like it, but it cant really get wet, or do burrows.

Forget about stuff like Carefresh bedding. If you care about your monitor then provide at least 18" of dirt. Cheers

It depends on what you are trying to do.

Just a suggestion... If you read over this forum you will find your answer or at least get a general feel for what substrates do their job. Best to you- Mike

Thanks. I think I am going to do a little work on the cage to cover the wood up with some vinyl flooring so that the wood doesnt suffer from soil.

Will just plain top soil be best or should it be mixed with something to make it better for digging?
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1.1 Motley het butter corns
0.1 Snow corn
0.1 Okeetee corn
1.0 Anery mutt corn
0.1 Stripe Ghost corn
0.1 Amelanistic corn het carmel
2.1 Colombian Redtails
1.0 Hypo Colombian redtail
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Anery Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Normal Kenyan sand boa

I use topsoil and topsoil mixes right now (like topsoil mixed with some sand and vermiculite), because I can't find a good local source yet.

I have to tell you, I don't like it all that much. It's kind of inconsistent. I'm trying to find a local soil that will work better. Keep in mind I don't keep any monitors right now, but I do have other burrowing reptiles. For example, my russian tortoises that I keep in the same conditions most people on the forum keep their monitors (trough filled with hundreds of pounds of dirt, close, hot basking spots, etc.). The tortoises have nested in the topsoil, but I still don't feel as though it is an ideal substrate. Just basically something to use until I can find a better source of dirt.

Sounds like you have a plan now... And for your dirt question, just use something that holds tunnels. I myself am going to start digging up next to where the Niles are living down here- They seem to like the dirt buy the waterways, but nest in the dirt at higher ground...Hmmm...I better try both- I'm more concerned with whether or not I will need the 8 foot sloping bank...(I hope you picked a smaller species than I)- Best to you- Mike

I hate that stuff with a passion. I had to use it with the mice I woked with for about 5 years and I think it is gross and I hate the black dust it has.
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Shannon in Reno
1 savannah monitor (Pombe-means "beer" in Swahili)
6 dogs
1 cat
32 rats
50 mice
54 chickens
2 beardies
1 black rat snake
~100 hissers
1 giant milipede

I've used in in my tegu and monitor cages in the past; its very clean. However, now my tegus are on soil/bark substrate and c/f is only in a few snake cages.