Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Since I live in Florida and large bags of cyprus mulch are only a couple of bucks a bag, couldn't I use this instead of the much more expensive Bed-A-Beast coco fiber. It just seemed if I soaked and rinsed it several times it would make a great bedding to use to increase humidity.

Also, I am getting an 8 foot yellow head tetic tomorrow, would cyprus mulch be good for her too.

Thanks for any recommendations.

Mike Miller
Brevard County, FL

Those cheap bags of cypress mulch would need to be sterilized or you'll have problems with bugs and bacteria. A better alternative to Bed A Beast is Hagen's Eco Earth Bedding. It's the same product but you can buy a 3 pack of the big bricks for what 1 brick of the Bed A Beast costs.

To sterilze your cypress mulch put it in a black plastic garbage bag and set it out in the sun. Add a cup with bleach in it leave the bleach in the cup. Seal the bag and leave it sit for a couple days. The temps in the bag and the chlorine vapors should kill everything on the mulch. Allow to air out for several days before using.

Cypress mulch would be fine for the retic just be careful not to feed on it as ingestion of the mulch would cause impaction.
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Hope this helps.

BigT
There is a difference between ignorance and stupidity. The ignorant can be taught, stupidity is beyond our control.

I use the type of cypress mulch you describe. I even bought if from a reptile dealer...a major one.
I never sterilized it. I've had the bags for over 2 years not, and no sign of bugs.
I will add though, I live in New England, and we have that winter thing here.
I kept the bags outside before using them, and when I bought them, the dealer also stored them outside.
I've never had a bug, or problem.
I use the stuff for burms, boas, Frilleds.
Just out of curiousity...what is "cheap" for a bag of the mulch in FL?

One other note...I also feed on the stuff...no problems.
Well...I feed my animals.
I prefer to feed on beef, or pasta...lol

>>Just out of curiousity...what is "cheap" for a bag of the mulch in FL?

i live in fort walton beach FL and its $1.22 for a BIG bag, we used it in the front yard

YOW!

I'm in Connecticut, that same bag is $28-$32 here!!
You should bring a truckload to us Yankess, and make a bundle of money...lol

geeze thats cheap...wish i could get it that cheap...hold humitity really well

Hey I live in CT and use it as well and no problems here as far as what you are paying that is way to much I get it for $9 a bag and get it delivered just let me know how much you need Thanks
Shane

I'm in Milford. I buy "Keepers Choice", which is a milled cypress. Great stuff.
That sells for about $28 for what I believe is an 8 qt bag.
Or about 1 cubic ft.
I also buy cypress mulch from Regal Reptiles when I'm in Providence. About $30 a cubic foot bale.(bag)
I have tried every garden shop. Nada...zip...nothing
Where do I buy it cheap?? Heck...I change one cage, that's nearly an entire bag.
I should probably be keeping everbody on paper, but they do seem happy on natural substrates.

Burmaboy
I am located in Windham and always have it on hand The cypres I get is cypress rose and I love it never any problems Let me know how much you need.You can call me at 860-481-0632 Thanks
Shane

>>Since I live in Florida and large bags of cyprus mulch are
>>only a couple of bucks a bag, couldn't I use this instead
>>of the much more expensive Bed-A-Beast coco fiber.

Our recent experiment with Cypress mulch did not go well. Several people recommended the mulch, but the reptiles had other ideas. My guess is they weren't accustomed to the strong smell. Our giant african plated lizard climbed up my arm and inside my shirt (which is moderately painful, I might add!) when introduced to the mulch.

If there's ever a nasty debate in reptile husbandry, it's about substrates. I tend to let the animal let me know what it likes and dislikes. If Clyde says no to cypress, we'll use it around the plants in the front yard and give him something else.

We use a lot of "play sand" and feed our animals such that they don't get much grit in their diet. Our Uro has been in sand now for three years, and he's never been impacted.

The sand holds heat well and is cheap enough we can replace it every week or so. The biggest problem is weight. And this being Florida, we have sand in everything *anyway*...

..Scott (Pinellas County, FL)
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Scott Robert Ladd
1.0.0 Iguana (Rex)
1.0.0 African Giant Plated Lizard (Clyde)
1.0.0 Uro mali (Wizard)
0.1.0 Corn Snake (Amber)
1.1.0 Red-Eared Sliders (Jade and Emerald)
0.4.0 Homo sapiens (Maria, Elora, Becky, Tessa)
blog: http://chaoticcoyote.blogspot.com/

Wow, do you really do a total switch out of the sand every week? No wonder you were looking for an easier solution! lol. I switch the sand in my Uros tank about twice a year. Generally in conjunction with Spring cleaning and Winter prep. I clean out the sand with a "sifter" of sorts to get the bit of food he has tossed out of his dish, and the "food byproducts". This has worked well for me, and more importantly for Archimedes. I can't imagine swapping out 50-75 pounds of sand every week! You must have very strong arms!

I could be convinced to change my practices though, if there are good reasons too, I guess I never really considered swapping it out that often.

Elizabeth
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1.0 Mali Uro Archimedes
0.0.1 Egyptian Uro Zuberi Mosca Khu (Mosca)
0.0 Fish
0.1 Sulcata Minnie
1.1 Iguanas Flik and Loki
0.1 Newfoundland Jasmine
0.1 Feline Winter
Indiana & Wisconsin

>>Wow, do you really do a total switch out of the sand
>>every week? No wonder you were looking for an easier
>>solution!

My eldest daughter (who is Wizard's primary keeper) tells me it's more like every 2-3 weeks; perhaps my achoing back makes me think it's more often?

We use a shop vac to remove the sand, while Wizard gets a soak.

Why do I change it so often? Wizard has a long history of nematodes, so we try to keep his cage as clean as possible. I suspect we're over-doing it, but we tend to be very cautious around the old fellow.
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Scott Robert Ladd
1.0.0 Iguana (Rex)
1.0.0 African Giant Plated Lizard (Clyde)
1.0.0 Uro mali (Wizard)
0.1.0 Corn Snake (Amber)
1.1.0 Red-Eared Sliders (Jade and Emerald)
0.4.0 Homo sapiens (Maria, Elora, Becky, Tessa)
blog: http://chaoticcoyote.blogspot.com/

If you are using Florida sand straight from your yard it is full of nematoads and that might be why your lizard keeps getting them .

I live in Florida too but I would not use our sand in any of my own cages for that very reason ... I don't even use our sand in my outdoors cages ... Florida sand is nasty for this .
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Stella St.Pierre
www.bluetegu.com - Ron St.Pierre

>>If you are using Florida sand straight from your yard it is
>>full of nematoads and that might be why your lizard keeps
>>getting them .

I'm using sterile play sand from Home Depot or Lowes. I don't like putting my own bare feet in "natural" Florida sand, what with ants, bacteria, microsocopic worms...

Wizard hasn't had worms in years, but we change his sand more often now.
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Scott Robert Ladd
1.0.0 Iguana (Rex)
1.0.0 African Giant Plated Lizard (Clyde)
1.0.0 Uro mali (Wizard)
0.1.0 Corn Snake (Amber)
1.1.0 Red-Eared Sliders (Jade and Emerald)
0.4.0 Homo sapiens (Maria, Elora, Becky, Tessa)
blog: http://chaoticcoyote.blogspot.com/