Suitable Soil Mixes for Paludarium for Tiger Salamander

[Wy Renegade]

Greetings! New to the forum here, been doing a lot of research and learning on Tiger Salamanders here recently. Have a couple that have been classroom pets for a few years now, and I'm looking to improve their habitat.

I've been researching for awhile and what I've found is a recommendation for ABG (Atlanta Botanical Gardens) mix or organic soil without peat moss, vermiculite, or fertilizer. Finding such a substrate has proven to be much harder than I expected. I've found no sources for the ABG mix, and all the organics I'm finding contain peat moss. Can anyone point me in the direction or name brand of suitable soil types or a place to aquire the same.

Thanks so much.

 

[Jay Redbond]

Hi there,

I use coir blocks mixed with aquatic plant potting soil which is heat sterilised and is safe for amphibians. It seems to do the trick for the Tiger Salamanders here. I'm sure they must have similar aquatic soil where you live and they must have coir blocks.

Good luck
Jay

 

[Kaysie]

Earth-gro brand topsoil (home depot has it), mixed 50/50 with reconstituted coco fiber.

 

[Jan]

I use reconstituted coco-fiber blocks which available in just about any pet supply store (e.g., Eco Earth or Bed-a-Beast) either alone or mixed with organic topsoil as Kaysie indicates.

As you are new here, might want to read these 2 articles from our Caudata Culture section regarding care of tiger salamanders if you haven't seen them already:

Caudata Culture Articles - Tiger Salamander 101

Caudata Culture Species Entry - Tiger salamander

 

[Wy Renegade]

Hi there,

I use coir blocks mixed with aquatic plant potting soil which is heat sterilised and is safe for amphibians. It seems to do the trick for the Tiger Salamanders here. I'm sure they must have similar aquatic soil where you live and they must have coir blocks.

Good luck
Jay

Thank you - I can find the sterilized potting soil here, but unfortunately it has perlite and vermiculite added to it.

Earth-gro brand topsoil (home depot has it), mixed 50/50 with reconstituted coco fiber.

Thank you - I'll see if I can't find that particular brand of topsoil at Home Depot here.

I use reconstituted coco-fiber blocks which available in just about any pet supply store (e.g., Eco Earth or Bed-a-Beast) either alone or mixed with organic topsoil as Kaysie indicates.

As you are new here, might want to read these 2 articles from our Caudata Culture section regarding care of tiger salamanders if you haven't seen them already:

Caudata Culture Articles - Tiger Salamander 101

Caudata Culture Species Entry - Tiger salamander

Thanks Jan, I had read through the the 101 article, but hadn't seen the other. I did manage to find some coco-fiber bricks at one of the local nurseries here, so I'm just looking for the soil mix at this point.

Thank you everyone for the help and the pointers.