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Substrates

wstphal

wstphal

working in the Gulag
The late unlamented bammer got into it over substrates. Appparently he used pebbles or something so he would see more of his snake.

Actually the whole floor surface covering issue started getting discussed in a thread about his abrupt departure. But it's actually a cool topic. What is OK for substrates & surfaces? We know sand is bad or at least not recommended. We have lots of aspen lovers, people who use paper towels, clean shop towels, newspaper, shredded paper, Carefresh, Reptibark, reptile carpets.

I keep thinking that someday I want to build a giant display viv & put Humphrey the big flashy amel in it. Would he like a piece of slate over the UTH to recreate the warm rock/warm roadway experience? Would he like a little patch of smooth pebbles that might be found in natural environments? Could I do a a little patch of loudly colored glass marbles to set off his colors, like bright green? It wouldn't be the whole floor, but I am imagining using something like a small cookie sheet to contain them so he could have aspen in other areas, since he likes to burrow but he also likes to lie out in the open when the ambient air temp is higher.

Are paper towels not good because they don't allow burrowing? I use them with the babies but I fold several layers together so they can get between the layers if they want. Some do, some don't.

Thoughts on substrates, rocks, etc?

What about PVC pipe hides, boa type squarish hides, fake hollow rock hides? I really like the look of the fake tree stumps but Nanci had to tear one apart once to find a "missing" baby.

What about the climbing walls like people do for lizards? Some corns think they are arboreal. Some are -- somebody found a wild baby in a mailbox recently!

OK everybody tell me why my ideas are dumb and what will work!
 
I've absolutely been adoring the loose coconut fiber bedding. If you would like to mist it, it holds humidity very well plus it smells nice when misted. Its like a fresh soil smell (not too strong though). You can buy it cheaper in the bricks which works just as well, but it is a little messy. I've used the loose bedding in the bag and the brick version. Anyways it gives the tank an all natural look.

I change the bedding out every 6 months, and I then do a complete tank disinfect every year (change of bedding, cleaning of hides, wiping down of all hides and fake plants, & a thorough wash of the tank in the bath tub! lol) I do clean the hides every 2 months, or a simple wipe down along with wiping the walls with this bottled spray from petco (all natural for reptiles & small animals). Here is a pic of the tank w/ Dallas. When he does come out I think it shows off his colors quite nicely.
 

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Oh & how could I forget...

He loves to dig and burrow as well!;)

The bedding is dark under the cave in this one b/c that's his humid hide when he's in shed! :)
 

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And regarding the hides, I have a cave on the warm side & a half wood log on the cool side. He doesn't stay in one particular hide any more. For a while he was staying strictly on the cool side under the log, now he's staying only in the cave over the UTH. I think its due to weather change b/c during the summer the house would stay between 70 & 80 degrees, now that it's cooler (it's not cold enough to kick the heat on) the house stays between 60-70 degrees. Sometimes I do catch him laying stretched out along the back underneath the part I made look like a tree with the fake leaves and stick things (i forgot what they are called).
 
Hey wstphal,

I am going to disagree with you a little bit on the sand issue only because Robert Applegate uses a type of sand. He uses T-Rex Bone Aid Calci-Sand for his snakes. However, if we look at the way his snakes are housed most snake owners would not be able to duplicate his set up unless they custom make vids like he did.

So, we are back to the good old standard stuff that we have been using for years.

I like aspen for one simple reason - It works best for my snakes and me.

Love the Fatman
 
Thanks Fatman! That's the kind of thing I wanted to get going. So his snakes thrive on that type of sand? If I wanted a sand feature in a gigantic display viv, that would be the sand to use, right? After all cornsnakes are native to FL and there are a lot of sandy places in FL, so sand might be part of their natural environment that I could recreate. Cool info.
 
Hey wstphal,

Sorry, if I gave the wrong idea about the T-Rex Bone Aid Calci-Sand. The sand works for him because of the custom housing set up that he has. He has a Vid on top of a pull out drawer on bottom with a 1 1/2 PVC pipe connecting the two. The snake can not burrow on the sand but can go down into the bottom drawer to hide.

All I was trying to say and I did it very badly is that we have to be careful what we exclude. Because in the proper way it can be used.

Now I would never use the T-Rex Bone Aid Calci-Sand because I do not have and never will have the proper housing to use it. However, you or someone else may have the proper housing to use that type of sand.

Again Sorry for the miscommunication.

Love the Fatman
 
Mr Applegate has some great pictures so now I see what you mean. They are on sand but can't burrow deep into it. It seems like a thin layer of it would be suitable for some colubrids then, but maybe only in this sort of drawer system. It also seems it might be OK for a "beach feature" in a big display viv if the layer was shallow so the snake couldn't burrow. Anyway, still more new substrate info even if I never use it!
 
I would use those green "gems" that you are talking about in one part, they'll look cool

mint-green-gems.jpg


I still like my colored aspen, brings out the color in my boy

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Maybe a mossy environment would be appreciated by your snake too...

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Just some thoughts, hope you like them :D
 
Hmmmmm... where did you get your "colored aspen". THAT would be a neat and decorative idea... provided it is still safe (no fumes from whatever they "colored" the aspen with).
 
The Aspen IS safe, i got it from PetSmart... It's called Fluker's Aspen Colored Bedding

It was 10 bucks for a bag and took a whole bag to do the 40 gal (seen above) but i know you can get it cheaper online, i just didn't wanna wait... I like it though, i think it looks nice
 
Haarstad said:
The Aspen IS safe, i got it from PetSmart... It's called Fluker's Aspen Colored Bedding

It was 10 bucks for a bag and took a whole bag to do the 40 gal (seen above) but i know you can get it cheaper online, i just didn't wanna wait... I like it though, i think it looks nice
Click to expand...
Wow! They've added to their inventory since I was last there. Very kewl. I DO like the fact that you can chose different colors to accentuate the different cornsnake color morphs. Thanks for the info!!!
 
No problem, they have red too but that's it unfortunately all have... I didn't think the red looked like it would be bright enough but if someone ends up using it, Take a picture of their viv with the aspen in it and one with their snake on it so i can see what it looks like, Thanks
 
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