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Safe natural looking substrate?

jovamabob

jovamabob

New member
Im making a new 2-tier vivarium for my adult from a bookcase. My question is, what substrate can i use?

I want to have a kind of digging area and a non-substrate area in both tiers. Both sections will have hides in, and the hides will be filled with shredded kitchen roll for warmth/comfort. I've been using shredded kitchen roll because aspen made him sneeze. I want the substrate to look as natural as possible though because the kitchen roll doesn't look the best. Since i can't really use aspen again, is repti-bark or Coco-husk safe?
 
Repti-bark is absolutely fine. I've used something similar with my Corns for many years now. Never tried Coco-husk so can't comment on that one.
 
Agree with repti-bark I have used eco-earth also. I'm using aspen and its dusty when new I put it in a large tub and keep mixing it with my hands this causes the dust to settle to the bottom. I then transfer it to another tub vacuum out the dust do the same in the next tub transfer back to the first and vacuum it out the 2nd tub. It takes very little time and eliminates most of the dust.
 
I use coconut husk for the frogs, and it tends to the dusty side unless it's damp. It's great for holding humidity, which might be less than ideal for a corn, too.
 
I've always used reptibark, no problems and they seem to like it. They can't make tunnels in it, but that doesn't keep them from burrowing when they want to.
 
Everywhere I read reptibark was said to have bad bug problems so I've avoided it like the plague. I use Coco Husk and my little girl does just fine with it. The dust settles to the very bottom of your tank and even if your snake burrows they shouldn't disturb the dust so there is no threat of any kind of upper respiratory problems.
 
same here never any bugs I did hear something about it tho folks were freezing it or baking it cant remember but it killed them.
 
It seemed to all crop up at once so it may of just been a bad batch is all, that and I heard a few horror stories of where it got ingested and caused an allergic reaction in the snakes, but I don't know how common of a problem that would be.
 
Ah the bark would only be put on half of one tier - he'd be fed in a substrate free area so ingestion wouldn't be an issue and i'd expect him to avoid that section if it annoyed him :)
 
We use repti-bark with our boas. They don't have a problem burrowing (okay, the tunnels don't stay, but they do burrow just fine.)

My bf's usually the one that changes the corns' aspen. My allergies tend to get the better of me when I work with it too much.
 
I use eco-earth (cocoanut husk) and my corn loves to make tunnels in it. I just make sure to dry it out completely and the humidity stays at 55%. And if you get the brick form it is pretty cheap ^^
 
I can't fin'd eco-earth around here but I do find coco husk and it's great for burrowing. I've caught Rapunzel a few times acting like Jaws and just when you think its safe to close the lid, out pops her little head and she squirms her way up her log and to the open lid as quick as lightning. Some people had warned that coconut can be dry and dusty and cause nasal blockage but personally I haven't had any problems with it at all.
 
I actually have not found mine to be very dusty but maybe that has to do with me using the brick and not the pre-made in the bag.
 
Ive been using hemcore looks good easy spot cleaned and no chance of mites as aspen sometimes does so ive been told, cheap aswell
 
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