Coco peat from bunnings

[julespython]

Hi everyone. I just got some coco peat an I was wondering if someone could help me out. I got a few bricks of it an I was wondering, before you put it in the enclosure do you do the expanding procces first? Also would it be suitable to use with my jungle carpet python an eastern water dragons? Just a little unsure of what to do that's all. Thanks

 

[snakeynewbie]

I expand, squeeze it out and then let it dry out a bit, don't think it's a good idea to put it in too wet but it's very dusty if just pulled apart without wetting it down first

 

[julespython]

I just expanded it with water in a bucket but now it says on the instructions to water thoroughly until water runs clear. Not to sure what that means or what to do. It's currently in a bucket but I don't know how to clean it

Thanks

 

[snakeynewbie]

How coarse is it? Is it coarse enough to put it into a fine seive and run water through it that way?

 

[DeadCricket]

I would suggest that you could just keep running water through it. The water probably won't get clear but just give it a quick run through, squeeze it out until its just damp and it should be fine

 

[mummabear]

I soak it with the amount of water specified, then drain it and put it in the sun for a few days to dry it out.

 

[julespython]

So it is expanded in the bucket at the moment and is very moist. Should I lay lay it out on a towel to dry? What do you mean by 'run water through it' do I pour more water into the bucket or would that just ruin it by being to wet. I tested a little bit in a seive but it started coming through the sieve an wasn't really cleaning all of it.

But before I dry it, it should be cleaned right? Or is it not really a problem for my snake and water dragons. Because the water dragons spill there water A LOT and the area around the water bowel is constantly wet so would this be a problem with the coco peat?

 

[KaotikJezta]

I have my water dragon on coco peat, I just expand it and dry it out a bit and put it in. Just don't get the one with added fertiliser.

 

[RSPcrazy]

I use HEAPS! of this stuff for my Boyds. I expand it in a big bin, then I place it in a pasta drainer (like you would find in the kitchen) and run the hose through it until the water coming out changes from brown to clear, then I squeeze out handfuls of it until I can't get anymore water out of it, then I put it in the enclosures (still moist). It is important to drain the coco peat until clear water comes out, otherwise you will get a bad smell when it's moist.

 

[DeadCricket]

Pasta strainer sounds perfect, another way would be to put it in a bucket and keep water running into it and overflowing until it was clear

 

[julespython]

But this would mean your adding more water to the solution. Wouldn't that change coco peat somehow?

 

[snakeynewbie]

No it won't change it, cocopeat is just finely shredded coconut palm fibre so all you are doing is washing the dust out of it, then allow it to drain and squeeze it out and it will go back to being fluffy

 

[SamNabz]

One brick makes a fair bit so using a pasta strainer might take too long; especially if you have more than 1 brick.

If you have a bucket or 2 to spare, put some holes in the bottom of them, elevate the bucket(s) and run water through them until the water is clear.