so i have always bought soil from a company like bio dude pre done for dart frogs. i want to make another dart frog set up but i dont want to go with a soil shipped or pet store. as i want to do a big cage and there soil is spendy. what type of soil can you use thats cheaper from like walmart or a garden store. something that would come in a large amount like 2 cubic ft bags i know the abg has multiple things in it. im ok buying multiple things im just trying to find a cheaper way than buying from pet store.
We get bags of the cheapest potting soil that Lowe’s carries. Its in a red and white bag I think. No additional chemical type extras. Just black dirt with some sticks and such in it. Topsoil is a premium item where I live. Very thin soil then solid rock.
Search around for “ABG” soil on the web. You’ll find a variety of recipes out there, but this is the basis for most soil mixtures you will find that are commercially available and targeted for dart frog vivs. You can substitute out some items. For instance I use repta-bark instead of orchid bark, while some folks may use crushed pumice. You are shooting for a soil that does not compact and drains well. Typical recipes include:
- ground peat moss
- milled sphagnum
- orchid bark, tree fern fiber
- horticultural charcoal (great for springtails)
I don’t remember all the proportions offhand, but I generally wing it these days anyway, erring on the side of better drainage. Most of my plants are epiphytic anyway and don’t really need a rich soil.
I am also a stickler for keeping as many hitchhikers out of my vivs as possible, so I try to pickup materials that are well sealed, and usually targeted for the orchid industry. I also bare root and bleach all my plants. Picking up worms and slugs really stinks, so it’s worth spending a bit more up front for materials that are free from critters.
You don’t need a thick layer of soil - over time your leaf litter will break down and mix with your base soil layer as you add more and more leaf litter to sustain your cleanup crew.
Another neat substrate alternative is turface. This is a specialty material usually found at commercial landscape supply companies - I’d buy a bag for $25 and it lasts for quite a while. I believe it is primarily used for sports fields. It does not compact, is awesome at retaining humidity, and is relatively light weight. You will get an odd look walking into a dealer asking for “just one bag”. It’s a great substrate for springtails and isopods. I’ve done a few vivs with turface only substrates below a thick layer of leaf litter and that has worked as well. Sometimes I also just make pockets of soil in a turface substrate where I want to place a plant.
Anyhow there are lots of options out there, just focus on well draining, with lots of nooks for your cleanup crew.
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