• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Vermiculite or Peat Moss?

www.leogeckos.com

www.leogeckos.com

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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
 
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.
 
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!
 
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.
 
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.
 
*cough cough*

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!
 
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.
 
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
 
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....
 
I started microwaving my moss after you posted something about that once before.
 
Guess you just got to "Pick Your Poison"
 
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