Poll/Questions, Problems with using vermiculite as a laying medium!

[gilberysgeckos]

Hi all, this is sort of a poll/question thread to be honest. How many of you actually use vermiculite for your female to lay into? And also what problems have you experienced if any with using vermiculite? I only ask this because i ran a test to see which my female preferred and if there were any problems with either of the subject mediums. I used Zoo Med's Eco-Earth and some store bought vermiculite. I find with the eco earth it can sometimes mould but fair's alot better than vermiculite which my female tended to lick thus her poops were coming out golden which cannot be good for her. So from the test i'd say to anyone do not use vermiculite as a laying medium. I also heard that vermiculite can contain asbestos but i'm not entirely sure that this is true any feedback guys really appreciated on all aspects talked about.

 

[ItsAHausFull]

We mix perilite w/ peat moss for humid hide and lay box. We have never had a problem w/ it showing up in poop or noticed them eating/licking it. It holds moisture well and we change it when we do the "once a month" clean and disinfecting, but never noticed mold.We weren't able to buy vermiculite any where around here. Nursery said it had asbestos and was off the market.We have been in this for almost 2 years but I'm sure there are others w/ a longer experience to base an answer on.

 

[progeckos]

I used to use vermiculite in egg laying tubs. I no longer use it and haven’t for a few years. My females were always pooping gold logs so I changed to a coconut fiber product such as bed-a-beast. There are many others and they all work the same. The females really seem to like as well. I also don’t use vermiculite as an incubation medium but instead perlite.

Here’s an excellent discussion from the beginning of the year about asbestos in vermiculite.
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60866&

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

I use the eco earth coco fiber too, never had it mold though. I used to use vermiculite but had the golden poops so I switched over a while back and have had no moe problems.

What do you think is causing your eco eath to mold? That sounds odd!

 

[g&mgeckos]

I use perlite/peatmoss mix. 1 part perlite/3 parts peatmoss. I haven't had any problems using this mix.

 

[WiteLeo]

I use perlite/peatmoss mix. 1 part perlite/3 parts peatmoss. I haven't had any problems using this mix.

1:3 In weight?

I have seen some pictures of people mixing Vermiculite and Perlite for incubating. Anyone here do that?

I still use vermiculite for laying, but I do have some coco mix...ill try that also.

 

[aliceinwl]

I had a few leos that were eating (not just licking) it so I switched to the ground cocconut fiber. I've never had probems with mold unless one pooped in it, an insect died, or some dud eggs went bad before I found them.

-Alice

 

[gilberysgeckos]

Thans for all the replies i knew i'd get some strong feedback on this matter. I think my Eco-Earth molds because my girl takes her poos on top of her hide sometimes and also pee's on top which may be going inside creating a white mould sort of thing. I have been just scopoping this out though to keep it clean. Once again thank you for your wonderful answers.

 

[g&mgeckos]

1:3 In weight?

I have seen some pictures of people mixing Vermiculite and Perlite for incubating. Anyone here do that?

I still use vermiculite for laying, but I do have some coco mix...ill try that also.

I'm sorry yes by weight.

 

[gcsreptiles]

For my leos I use peat moss for a laying medium and a vermiculite/perlite mixture for my incubation medium. 3:3:4 by weight.