Reptile & Amphibian Forums

well i know this is going to get a bunch of differant responses from differant people,but i was wondering what the best substrate for a 6x3x3 cage for a water monitor juvy,hes a bit over 2 feet,i was thinking about using eco-earth..well if anyone has any preferances let me know please...

Good Night

I have a juvi water myself in a 6x3x2 trough enclosure. I use Cypress mulch on one half, plain old dirt on the other. A foot deep across the entire enclosure. I used to use all mulch. Mulch is much more pleasing to my eye. But it is not about me. Cooper has enjoyed the heck out of the dirt since I have put it in there. Digging, digging, and more digging. There are so many tunnels and holes in that enclosure it is insane. I will never have an enclosure without good old dirt in it again. They just use it too much. I also have 3 ackies and an argus cross and they all use dirt. Just plain dirt. Can't beat it. You just can't. That is my opinion.

What is "plain dirt"? Ill tell you one thing, if I were to use the "plain dirt" from around here, it would be about 80% clay. -Far from suitable.

Well that wouldn't be plain old dirt now would it? Clay sucks. I get bags of top soil from Home Depot or Lowes. Just plain old dirt, not sure how else to describe it. Nothing added to it. No sticks, rocks, clay, or crap. It is your call whether you want to research your backyard dirt and see if it is suitable, but dirt is the way to go.

Not sure where your "around here" is but my "around here" is much the same. I have made some mixes that see to be just okay but I have also been looking around water. There seems to be a more silty, dirt than the clay I can easily find. I have to get off my lazy arse and haul about 800 lbs to the house. I think it would work pretty well.

I use a 2:1 ratio of topsoil and playsand mixed very therally and find it to burrow great as well as hold moisture well. I seem to only have to mist it a few times a week to keep my humidity up.
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Jaye- " When you try of all your forces to make your own way, you will help some of others and will be helped by others. As long as you do not make your own way, you cannot help anybody, and nobody can help you. " (Shunryu Suzuki)

maybe a 40-60 mixed of topsoil and riversand will do.... they are good for burrowing and doesnt create "clay dust" and holds humidity well. i agree with cloudy bengal's statement that topsoil is 80% clay and when dries up, it is dusty w/c is dangerous for monitor's health....

The mention of dirt is good, Cypress mulch is ok as well but sometimes not as easy to come by (depends on your location).

No one has mentioned leaf litter. It's natural, it's free, and the monitors seem to understand it if not enjoy it. Use it with a little dirt or a lot of dirt below and see what YOUR monitor thinks.

That is my next addition. I have huge trees and will be piling in the leaves this fall.

I use plain cypress for my smaller monitors. They make tunnels in it and it works well for all of us.

I use a dirt/cypress mix for my larger ones. The mix holds nesting burrows/pits and humidity fairly well.
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^x^ Bloodbat ^x^
Monitors, monitors everywhere
and all the food they ate.
Monitors, monitors everywhere,
their parents loved to mate.