Vermiculite or Peat Moss?

[www.leogeckos.com]

Hello,
For lay boxes, what do you think is better to use Vermiculite or Peat moss? Ive been using peat moss for my females, but im having trouble finding eggs in the peat moss and ruining some. If I changed the lay box substrate, do you think it would affect the female from using it since shes used to the peat moss? Any suggestions or comments would be great!
Thanks

[bleeding_sarcasm]

peat moss is better, its not toxic and/or proven to be cancer-causing. i personally use cocoa-tek [ground cocoanut husk/fiber] and have had much success.

[bro paul]

I've used vermiculite with my leos for the past 5 years and it's worked great. I can always tell when the females are stirring and digging it up and I know to look for eggs within a day or two. I use peat moss with my cresteds though and just have to look much harder for eggs!

[USAGECKOS]

I was using Bed-A-Beast but have recently switched to Spagnum Fiber.

I am not sure why, but I know some of the more experienced breeders don't recommend using vermiculite for the hide boxes.

[bro paul]

There has been a lot of discussion in the past about vermiculite and it's possible health threats if ingested in large amounts. Some brands used to contain small amounts of asbestos. If you search this forum for "asbestos", you'll see some good posts. I wouldn't use vermiculite in hide boxes, but I do use it in lay boxes. The lay boxes are only in with my females for about three or four days at a time. Any vermiculite that is ingested is pretty minimal. I stand to be corrected, but I believe asbestos is no longer found in most commercial brands of vermiculite any more.

[groovygeckos]

I think the real possible danger for the Leo w/ vermiculite, is ingestion/impaction. The latency period for an asbestos-disease is 15-30 years. So IF your vermiculite does contain asbestos (really NO way of knowing 100% for sure if it does or doesnt unless tested for asbestos fibers), it would be more of a health concern for you, and others indoors, than for the Leos.

Asbestos cannot be seen, and travels for days in the air where it can be inhaled. I do not risk it with any vermiculite, but thats just me after 5 years of working w/ asbestos itself. Scary stuff!

[bro paul]

cough cough...
Now you're getting me nervous again...thanks Dan! lol

Yes, vermiculite is "use at your own risk", for sure

I re-read a lot of the old verm/stos threads...now, I'm second guessing myself again. Is there anything else out there that works like vermiculite? I like how "compact" vermiculite is when it's damp. I can't stand looking for eggs in loose peat moss.

[groovygeckos]

Hmmmm, sooorry! I do not know if it would work(without mold), but if you can wet it first, and not have it mold when youre trying to store it. The water will keep any dust to a minimum. Thats what they tell us, just to keep it wet.

Wet ACM (asbestos containing materials)= less fibers

[Dan Lubinsky]

Tough call, it seems there's a downside to everything that works good. For example, look up sporotrichosis and sphagnum - a friend of mine got it years ago while potting orchids in sphagnum, nasty stuff. Little nodules that can travel to your lungs and....

[groovygeckos]

I started microwaving my moss after you posted something about that once before.

[USAGECKOS]

Guess you just got to "Pick Your Poison"