what substrate is everyone using?

what substrate is everyone using?

Postby cornsnakekeepr » Tue Apr 25, 2017 12:41 pm

Hi folks
I am just wondering what substrates everyone is using/recommended? I am going to be setting up some display vivs for a dumerils, beardies and various colubrids. I am looking for recommendations. I have been thinking about a eucalyptus mulch and bark mix. However going through all the previous posts there are mixed feelings regarding it because of smell, dust and mites. I plan to freeze it and sift out the excess dust. Do you think that will work?
For the beardies I am looking at using play sand. I can't afford to buy the 2kg bags from pet shops in the hopes of filling 3 1m vivs.
I have been keeping reptiles for 13 years but have pretty much stuck to newspaper but now want to mix it up
Open to any suggestions...
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Re: what substrate is everyone using?

Postby Mr. Whiskers » Tue Apr 25, 2017 1:48 pm

I've barely got any experience keeping reptiles, but perhaps contact ultimate exotics (if you are in South Africa) and inquire about their substrates. As far as I am aware, they have their own line of snake bedding and bark substrates. Perhaps worthwhile contacting them and asking them about their products absorbancy, humidity holding, dust % and odor reduction. Sorry I haven't got much more information besides what you have already pointed out. Personally I love aspen wood shavings, but in SA that is expensive and perhaps not viable.

http://www.ultimateexotics.co.za/product-category/reptile-products/substratesbedding/

Their website isn't very up to date, so contact them via email or phone.
Much luck to you.
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Re: what substrate is everyone using?

Postby cornsnakekeepr » Wed Apr 26, 2017 9:28 am

thanks i have checked them out but was just wondering what everyone was using for there large enclosures
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Re: what substrate is everyone using?

Postby mania » Thu Apr 27, 2017 1:53 pm

I use a variety of substrates for my snakes, some have astroturf, which is nice but the urine seeps through onto the wood and the whole carpet needs to be scrubbed often but if you can get two astroturf cuts per tank it works like a charm, but for beardies and leopard geckos its not the best as their claws get stuck in the astroturf at times.
I also use E mulch for my colubrids which helps reduce the smells and easy to clean up but when feeding the snakes, feed in a different container as I had a baby gaboon adder die from ingesting E mulch.

For my other snakes I use bark chips which i havent had a problem with besides when cleaning the faeces the calcium parts often fall apart and crumble so its takes away an amount of substrate once got all of it cleaned up.
I also use newspaper for my dumerils and a few other snakes, its not as nice to look at but easier to clean and replace.

For beardies I used fine sand that i would sieve and place in the tank (some people wont recommend it as it may cause compaction) but have had beardies accidentally swollow a bit of the sand and no harm has been done, but have a seperate clean dish in the beardies tank that you place the food in. With crickets that can jump out the dish, just damage the two jumping hindlegs and let them run around in the dish. I personally would stay away from corn cob, E mulch, bark and any larger particle substrate for beardies as I have seen in past experiences at work places, beardies miss a food item and end up with the particle in their mouth and swollow the pieces eventually dying due to compaction. Newspaper also doesnt allow the beardie to run properly as they dont get a grip.
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