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Live Plants?????
- Thread starter alxx11uml
- Start date
Personally, I was investigating the live plants option, but decided that it's a lot easier to go with plastic plants.
There were many reasons: snakes like to dig the dirt which damages the roots a bit, the plants need enough water, fertilizers and light, watering the plants adds moisture so it's a bit more difficult to control it, plants need a decent layer of dirt and a proper jar, real plants take some damage from climbing, plastic plants are easier to position and attach in any spot you like, and plastic plants will support the weight of the snake better than real ones.
There were many reasons: snakes like to dig the dirt which damages the roots a bit, the plants need enough water, fertilizers and light, watering the plants adds moisture so it's a bit more difficult to control it, plants need a decent layer of dirt and a proper jar, real plants take some damage from climbing, plastic plants are easier to position and attach in any spot you like, and plastic plants will support the weight of the snake better than real ones.
bitsy
Owned by Corns since 1991
I tried potted plants with mine a few years ago and had to give up.
For starters, plants need UV to stay alive and Corns don't. That meant I needed two sets of plants and I had to keep swapping them in and out of the viv regularly to keep them going.
Then the Corns just treated the plants as though they were standard climbing equipment. They were regularly knocked over (despite any number of attempts to anchor them upright) and the potting compost spread around. Resulted in some very muddy snakes and a couple of major clean-up jobs. The plants ended up looking squashed and ratty quite fast.
I swapped to plastic foliage after a couple of months!
For starters, plants need UV to stay alive and Corns don't. That meant I needed two sets of plants and I had to keep swapping them in and out of the viv regularly to keep them going.
Then the Corns just treated the plants as though they were standard climbing equipment. They were regularly knocked over (despite any number of attempts to anchor them upright) and the potting compost spread around. Resulted in some very muddy snakes and a couple of major clean-up jobs. The plants ended up looking squashed and ratty quite fast.
I swapped to plastic foliage after a couple of months!
Actually, plants don't need UV light. Most of them do need to sit on the window or under some other bright light to get enough light, though.
Humans do need UV light, though!
corngurl2011
Stacy Renee
Ok so I was going to ask this question but not plants I just wanted to do grass in the little square recycled cup things and make them just tall enough to put the layer of substrate on the top of it and we spray our tanks down to keep up the humidity where it should be so the grass will get water as well and the snake can't make a giant mud mess. Does that sound like it would work? If it does what grass should I use or could I use?? Thanks
corngurl2011
Stacy Renee
I forgot to add I only want to put like 4 of the cups in one corner of the tank. Just something more life like for them to crawl around on.
KingPixelmouth
Hungry for knowledge
I've thought about letting mine crawl around in the front yard of my apt complex under my supervision but decided against it because I don't know what kind of chemicals they spray it with.
corngurl2011
Stacy Renee
See I want to grow the grass from a seeds so I know that's there's no chemicals or anything on the grass.
corngurl2011
Stacy Renee
Will do. 
corngurl2011
Stacy Renee
I think the sod would make a mud mess on the bottom of the tank. And i don't if they put any kind of chemicals on it.
Here's one of my setups with a live pothos plant. These plants are very hardy. Still, it's a bit of a hassle to have live plants in a terrarium. It might be easier with smaller snakes, but larger ones may end up damaging the plants.
Plants do need light and keep in mind that albino, snow, etc., snakes are sensetive to bright light. Here's a couple of my Garter Snake setups. These have plants in pots, rather than buried in the dirt substrate.
Plants do need light and keep in mind that albino, snow, etc., snakes are sensetive to bright light. Here's a couple of my Garter Snake setups. These have plants in pots, rather than buried in the dirt substrate.