Substrate Question??

[Andrew Murdoch]

Hi guys,
well here goes....
I bought a substrate the other day from the pet shop. I can't remember the make of it, but it it like a coconut chip bark type stuff. I mixed it with T-rex forrest type substrate. It is still quite moist. Its the first time I have mixed substrate like this and would like some feed back on it. I did notice that my Red-Rump T moved towards the 'older' substrate that was already in the tank. I used the new mix as a top up. Will this cause undue stress to the T. Also I need to move my L.para, would this substrate be suitable, the mix I have is 70% coco fibre chip and the rest is forrest type.
I would like your experience with this. I have more substrate which is specially for T's but I thought I would try something different....I am aware that i can get a big bag of substrate from a garden centre but I just went to the pet shop for convienience.....

[michaelmckinney]

Alrite Andrew,

Well like yourself I use coconut substrate but I mix mine with vermiculite instead. But I use forest wood chips for all my snakes, so I would say as long as your T's aren't slings they would be O.K, they won't be hiding under any wood chips.

Plus I find coconut substrate excellent for humidity and also I've heard good things about expandable forest bedding. It's like a block and it expands 8 or 9 times its normal size. I have a friend uses it for all his T's, and he says it's great for high humidity lovers, as it dosen't get any fungus or mould.

Hope this helps,

Michael.

[James Box]

i like that coconut husk stuff too. but i got some of the bark once when they didn't have the husk, and it's not as good, but a decent thing to add if you want some solid bits in there. i've used it in a few tanks without adverse reactions...
it's very oily though!

[jason holland]

i swear i posted on here last night???

well... ill say again...

i use the expandable forest bed stuff. and prefer it to most others. simple to use, and pretty cheap. (and less storage) but you can get mould. ive managed to get a bit on my avic versi's substrate....

[Peter Lacey]

Funny how different people have different experiences.
I started using Coir (coconut husk) but found it to easily attracted mould when moist and it held the moisture well. I know only use coir for dry conditions.
The majority of my enlosures have a peat/vermiculite substrate, the more vermiculite the more the moisture is retained and for my Psalmos, Pokies and Avics I also use sphagnum moss.
In reality I don't think it matters too much what you use, whether it be peat, vermiculite, coir, forest floor, sand, or earth from the garden, its a matter of whether it retains the moisture or dries out according to what the T prefers.