Substrate for reptiles

[JungleHabitats]

Ok I know this is a topic that many of us have views on. For your reptiles what is the main choice of substrate you use and why ?

Do you use a more natural setup so the animal looks and feels like it is at home in its enviroment?If so do you provide areas for the reptile to climb and explore the cage it lives in ? what type of hides do you use in there cages ?

This poll will be multiple choice.

[Seamus Haley]

The Poll doesn't seem to be multiple choice...

For me it depends on the animal being kept and where and why I'm keeping it...

For most snakes, it's bare bones essentials with a water dish, something to hide under or climb on as is appropriate to the species and a cheap and easily cleaned substrate (butcher paper, newspaper, aspen).

Some of that will change though... like my viper boas are kept on a deep mixture of bed a beast and fairly large bark chips with sphagnum in flat bunches because they like to bury themselves and it's important for their health that they be allowed to do so.

Anything which is going in a public place (and sometimes just for myself too) gets an elaborately decorated enclosure with lots of whatever cage decor is appropriate to the environment (rocks, branches, plants) and I have a tendency to put some time and effort into systems which include moving water or elaborate timer controlled misting and rain systems.

Lizards are generally kept in a slightly more elaborate enclosure than most snakes... most the species I've kept are more active and less of an ambush predator. Since they're not as inclined to sit in one spot for three days at a time, I generally add things which facilitate their activity and give me something to watch. There's nothing sadder than a tegu sitting in the corner of a bare enclosure scraping at the glass because it's the only thing in with it besides a water bowl... These additional items don't have to be as decorative or elaborate as the display enclosures but a basking area, a few additional hides or something to climb on is generally added.

Amphibian tanks, invert tanks and fish tanks are all similarly diverse. The few mammals that I like and either keep or have kept usually get pretty spoiled when it comes to space and items for environmental enrichment.

[JungleHabitats]

i will ask that a moderator please edit the poll to allow mulitple choice answers as i forgot to click the button DOOOOOH!!!!!

[Seamus Haley]

It might be better this way, the fewer responses people can click, the more inclined they are to discuss what they use and why.

[Chris Steele]

For me, it really depends on the animal and the current wad of money in my wallet. I use anything from paper towels to calcisand to compressed recycled newspaper stuff. Thats about as nice as my substrate gets though. I give pirches and places to climb, I have never used a background. I have never had snakes that need alot of 'like it is in nature' stuff for them to function well and be unstressed.

[gmherps]

For snakes I use Harlan Teklad aspen shavings. They are amazingly absorbent, also with newspaper under the shavings. I also use the same shavings for my rat breeding.

For my monitors I use aspen mixed with cypress bark mulch. It really holds humidity well. Since I only keep V. dumerlii , I needed something that can create and hold very high humidity levels.

[Clay Davenport]

I use newspaper in some of my racks. I've also used the indented kraft paper like the cage liners are cut from but I ordered it in rolls and cut it myself since it was significantly cheaper.
My substrate of choice though is cypress mulch. All my boids are on cypress and any other snakes that are in a conventional cage. I even use cypress in some of the racks.

It's as much of a substrate for me as them I suppose. Although I use newspaper, I dislike it, always have. Cypress looks good, and is a nice compromise between bland paper lined boxes and full out naturalistic cages.
Cypress can be spot cleaned and holds humidity well too, so it's all around a good substrate.

[Sunshines2day]

These substrates hold humidity. I have a large water container and hides, but nothing else.

Linda

The answers are way too vague since different species require different environments.

[sumguy]

I'm still an amateur but I agree with Seamus completely. Only have two corns right now and they make extensive use of their cage furnishings (branches). Since they are in tanks, I have a decorative background. As soon as my cages arrive, the backgrounds are unimportant since the cages are opaque. I think they would be a hassle in the cage. Plan on owning 1.1 pairs of various NA colubrids and black milksnakes so minimum cage size will be 4'x2'x15" with aspen and/or cyprus. Definitely have branches, and other furnishings because they really seem to use them. Have tried repti-bark, aspen, coconut chunks, and paper towel. Like repti-bark best but will be using aspen because of bulk pricing. I'm not in this for $ so prefer a small, varied collection in nice habitats as opposed to dozens of snakes in plain tubs.
just my 2 ¢ fwiw

[JMelissaMc]

For my babies, I use paper towels, easy to pick up and throw away daily. I also have a rock or something for them to climb on.

For the adults, I use crushed walnut shells, wood for them to climb on and a 1/2 log that they can bask on or hide in. None of my adults really like to hide. I keep my adult cages as close to their natural enviroment as I can, hence the substrate that I use. I have never used a wall design.

For some of my adults, I have taken out the wood logs because of parasites, and have replaced them with some neat plastic ones that I got at PetsMart. They are painted to look like wood and clean up really nice and can easily be disinfected, unlike the wood ones.

[Otter_23]

I know that cedar is deadly for certain reptiles. Can the same be said for a pine substrate?
Mark

[RPNM]

I feel its important to use what is safest and easiest to keep clean for the particular species you are keeping captive.
Just because it looks pretty is not a reason I would use a certain substrate.



Reptiles Reign Webring -
http://N.webring.com/wrman?ring=reptilesreign&addsite

[dwedeking]

Depends on the animal and where it's going.

1. Production. The "nursery" uses mostly paper towels (bearded dragons) due to their small size at this age and ease of cleaning.

2. Display for sale. These reptiles are kept on appropriate material for the species (sand for dragons, bark for boas, coconut fiber for various species) in set ups that are easy to keep clean and will display the animals fully for the customers.

3. Personal collection. I've been getting into naturalistic displays lately. Building them is half the fun. These are more elaborate set ups where animal display is not as important as being a "slice" of their natural habitat (which hides most reptiles). Again, I'll adjust substrate for the species and the effect I am going for.

[vscampbell]

For years I used newspaper taped on the edges to they couldn't get underneath and make a mess. Recently I've used Pine shavings. Neat and easy to keep clean. I have been considering trying indoor outdoor carpet scraps or the cage carpets I have seen advertised. Does any of you have experience in using any of the "cage carpet" types of materials. Seems to me that if they can be washed easily that it would make the feeding process a little easier?? Shavings in the mouth etc.

[Clay Davenport]

I've used the carpet and found it to be a basically satisfactory substrate. It looks decent, a lot better than newspaper, and doesn't have any inherent drawbacks as long as you aren't using the plastic astroturf stuff.
It does need to be cleaned though rather than just disposed of, so this adds a little labor to the job.
You'll want two pieces for every cage to facilitate cleaning.

Just don't go buy the official ZooMed cage carpet, or any of the other "reptile carpets" on the market, they are obscene ripoffs.
At Lowe's they carry the same carpet on 8 foot long bolts and you can buy it by the foot for a fraction of what the pre packaged carpets cost then cut it to fit.
You'll want the indoor/outdoor made of close weave fabric with the thin rubber backing. The fabric is soft and non abrasive and the rubber keeps the carpet from coming apart over time.

[jdg]

I only have a couple of snakes and they are for display in my home. Both of them are set up in homemade wood & glass cages with branches made out of dowel rods (which were stained to match the stain of the cage), fake plants, a dark colored water bowl (so as to not be visibly distracting), cork bark as hiding for the snake who might want such, and shredded coconut substrate. I have fluorescent lighting and heat panels, as they worked great both for light/heat and for the fixtures being practically invisible from outside the cages. I intend to get misting systems at some point rather then hand spraying - not as "decor", just as a convenience for me, the hand spraying is hellish for aggravating carpal tunnel.

The setups aren't what I consider elaborate, but they are very functional and look quite nice. They were designed by me and built by my husband with only two ideas in mind - they had to house the snakes appropriately and they should fit into the decor of the house. I also managed to set up the inside as to be generally attractive while still keeping the main attraction the snake itself.

There are a couple of lizards that I would like to own, but I know that cages that I would want to set up make them prohibitively expensive (though the lizards themselves are fairly inexpensive). Someday . . .

[Clay Davenport]

I intend to get misting systems at some point rather then hand spraying - not as "decor", just as a convenience for me, the hand spraying is hellish for aggravating carpal tunnel.

When I had a lot of misting to do I used one of the pressure type garden sprayers. You fill the can and pump it up, then spray using the wand, not hard on the wrists and inexpensive.
An automated misting system is still the easiest, but the garden sprayer is a fine alternative for small collections and at 10 bucks or so, a whole lot less money.

[nevermind]

i like to use newspaper on most things its quicker to clean and highly unlikely to be ingested. for my colubrids i like aspen , they seem to appreciate digging and hiding in it.and for my higher humidity herps i like cypress mulch.also use easily cleaned perches and hides. and to those who said they use pine i thought that was bad for reptiles, not quite cedar but bad nonetheless.
____________________________
we better not risk another frontal attack, that rabbit is dynamite

[WingedWolf]

This poll definitely looks like you should select more than one item, but it's only set up to allow you to select one option.
Skipped this, figured the author will fix it.
Obviously you can use newspapers AND a soaking bowl... <g>

[snakeman56]

I like to use Aspen, I have used paper but was not happy. To me Aspen is easier to clean. I get mine now at Petsmart, the big bag is $12.99. Also very little dust.


Tom Sierra

[PaulSage]

PetSmart sells Kaytee brand aspen, right?? I used to use that for the few snakes I keep on aspen until I started using LM brand aspen. If you think the Kaytee stuff is low on dust, you should try the LM. I know it's not as common, but in my experience it has WAY LESS dust than the LM. Also, it's cut a little different and yields itself better to tunnelling.

[snakeman56]

Yes Petsmart sells it, but yes LM is better. I have looked araound here and can not find it. I do like the way LM is cut. But lately the Kaytee brand is being cut alot better than it was before. I live about 20 minutes from Pro Exotics and they sell a big 30 LB bag for $30, They open the store on Saturdays and I am going to check them out. Will let you you know what I think.

Tom Sierra

[Jim O]

I just set up new enclosures for some of my monitors and at the recommendation of a friend used a mixture of coconut fiber and sand which is supposed to hold a good burrow. I had previously been using a mixture of soil and sand and found it dusty and it didn't hold a great burrow or much water.

I used two different products, Eco Earth, which I got locally, and Down to Earth, which is a potting product but which I got a case of from Bean Farm. After all was said and done they were fairly equivalent but the Down to Earth product broke up more easily and absorbed the water more quickly. The only odor that I noticed was something akin to wet soil.

[dragonchick88]

Me and my fiance use "Lizard Litter" in our bearded dragon tanks. Its low impaction rated and it doesnt look bad either. it kinda looks like hamster bedding type material but its really safe to use I recommend it to anyone!

[kmurphy]

I know this thread has been around awhile. There hasn't been a post for over a year. Just wondering what the current thoughts were on substrates.

[vscampbell]

I have tried just about everything in the last thirty years, I keep going back to using bagged shavings. I buy "White Shavings" at the feed store, they are fir/hemlock shavings. I have also used Aspen, but I have gotten mites when I did..... coincidence??

I never use Cedar, afraid of the related issues.

I occasionally use pine, never had an issue. I have an aquaintence that has used Pine for over forty years on a large collection and he has never had a problem. I hear people talking about it, mostly out of hearsay. This is actual first hand knowledge, I have witnesses his collection for over thirty years myself.

Newspaper and Astro turf carpets don't work for me, too messy. The snakes burrow under them unless I tape it down and they get crap all over themselves. I change the shavings every 2-4 weeks depending on the need.

[THEREALMIKEMOORE]

I house my snakes in sterilite tubs(bps). I can only use newspaper because with anything else I cannot control the humidity. With aspen the lowest I can get it is 85%. So newspaper works best for me because I can control the humidity with no problem, and I can see when the cage needs cleaning alot better than with usiing aspen

Sincerely,
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u97/MikeMoore83/IMG_0341-1.jpg

[MorphCapital]

For me it depends on the animal being kept and where and why I'm keeping it...


:iagree:

The substrate we use is determined by the type of animal, age and requirements, etc..

All the babies get paper towels for substrate, the sub-adults and adult BPs get chipped Aspen from Harlan (Sani-Chips). The laboratory grade chips have almost no noticeable dust. We use blank newsprint paper and a misting system for the adult chondros. And cypress mulch for the BRB. All the cages are simple, all have a water dish, we place the water dish in such a position (usually near the back corner) that acts as a hide.