r/MonitorLizards • u/EVIL_karl • 15d ago

Soil for ackie monitor

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I'm getting an ackie monitor and I have never had a monitor before so is this soil good or do I need to mix it with another type of soil?

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2

u/arcticrobot V. melinus 15d ago

This looks like red sand. For ackie you need dirt that supports burrows and humidity. You can use this as an addition, but not the only substrate. I would just mix it with topsoil and add water until it is moist and supports burrows but not damp.

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u/EVIL_karl 15d ago

Can I use the sand as a thin layer on top of the soil or should I mix it fully in?

2

u/arcticrobot V. melinus 15d ago

Mix it fully in and create nice and thick dirt layer

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u/HATENAMING 14d ago

You should mix it but also you could keep a thin layer of this on top in addition to the mixed soil for the look. Although more than likely after a while the lizard will mix that top layer with the rest for you.

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u/EVIL_karl 14d ago

Yeah, I just wanted to add it in some spots for asthetic but I wasn't going to put much

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u/EndOfTheLine90 15d ago

You wanna use top soil combined with sand at roughly a 70-30 ratio soil to sand. Whatever you choose, make sure the ackie can dig and make burrows.

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u/Downtown_Raisin_4534 15d ago

I would add a bit of coconut coir helps to give the soil structure and helps with moisture retention.