Substrate

[Just_Joshin]

i used bark when i got my first snake. i wouldnt highly recomend it, particuarly if u have lots of snakes and not enough time for cleaning. i use to spot clean and that once a month clean the whole thing out and start again like serpentlady said, but i found that it got really smelly and all the pee would just got straight to the bottom and stain the glass. needless to say i gave up on that after 4months and now use newspaper.
is that marine grass like a green grass sheet made out of like plastic? i have seen stuff like that in the local petstore and was wondering if anyone had tryed it?

That green grass stuff is called astro turf and it is a plastic type of compound. I think places like clark rubber sell it.

 

[mrmikk]

Does anyone here keep Womas or BHPs on a sand substrate? I would be keen to hear what you have to say about it.

 

[spencer]

Newspaper all the way, I keep aspidites and morelias and they both to great with newspaper ITS EASY TO CLEAN!!! and thats what you need because ultimately the easier it is for you to clean your cages, the more often you are going to do it the better of your snake is healthwise

 

[pythoness]

anything other than news paper, can and has caused impaction and bacterial infection. impaction from swallowing the breeders choice or bark etc..., and bacteria from urates that gets to sit in a nice warm moist spot on the bottom of the cage, for at least a month untill a full clean is done. the infections can range from RI to skin and cloaca infections and even mouthrot.
the more snakes you have, the less likely you wil be to worry about preety and be more interested in time and resources. most big keepers and breeders will use newspaper, it's cheep (and free in local runs) and it may be ugly, but your snake is much safer and healthier.
All advice given is JMO lol

 

[stringbean]

wat about bredli on sand, caus arnt they more of an inland species???

 

[spencer]

think about it for a second how easy is sand to clean?? and are you going to clean it properly once a week which probably means removeing all the sand and replaceing and how often are you going to fork out $50 for a couple 10kilos of substrate?

 

[stringbean]

think about it for a second how easy is sand to clean?? and are you going to clean it properly once a week which probably means removeing all the sand and replaceing and how often are you going to fork out $50 for a couple 10kilos of substrate?

true, i think i might get something easier like astro turf or marine carpet.

 

[Kurto]

For my display cages in the lounge I use bark for the Jungle and red sand 4 the Bredl's. Other than that I use newspaper all the way, it can't get much cheaper....

 

[stringbean]

just read this thread

http://http://www.aussiepythons.com/showthread.php?t=41751&page=4

 

[Just_Joshin]

think about it for a second how easy is sand to clean?? and are you going to clean it properly once a week which probably means removeing all the sand and replaceing and how often are you going to fork out $50 for a couple 10kilos of substrate?

You can easily clean the sand by using an Sifter. You simply spot clean and the stuff you can see on top and then sift the rest of the sand. Also i don't know where you buy your sand from but i can get red desert sand 20KG bags for $25 so you are being WAY overcharged. Even commercial places like petstock sell 20KG bags for only $35.

Sand is acutally quite easy to clean aswell. Put it into a bucket, fill with water, let soak for awhile, place it on a piece of plastic in the backyard to dry and then put back into the enclosure. Or if you can afford it just replace it. A 20KG bag goes a LONG way in the average sized enclosure.

Newspaper is cheap and very easy to clean, this i do not disagree with. However, seeing as though i don't have 20-30 pythons i breed, i'd prefer to keep my pythons 100% stimulated and copnditioned by giving them a substrate they natural live in. They can push it around, Use it to help shedding by rubbing against it and it also also them to move around easier, whereas, newpaper is slippery so it help keep them in condition as well.

In the end it's personal choice. For me with a small collection, i'd much prefer to keep it au naturale'............

 

[Serpant_Lady]

Im with you Womanator (is that woman - ator or woma-nator?) I like that natural thing. Part of the hobby for me but I totally get the newspaper thing too. I use newspaper in clickclacks and stuff - how is a pink plastic tub natural? - but really like my tanks to be pretty. It might be a double X chromosome thing....

 

[mrmikk]

You can easily clean the sand by using an Sifter. You simply spot clean and the stuff you can see on top and then sift the rest of the sand. Also i don't know where you buy your sand from but i can get red desert sand 20KG bags for $25 so you are being WAY overcharged. Even commercial places like petstock sell 20KG bags for only $35.

Sand is acutally quite easy to clean aswell. Put it into a bucket, fill with water, let soak for awhile, place it on a piece of plastic in the backyard to dry and then put back into the enclosure. Or if you can afford it just replace it. A 20KG bag goes a LONG way in the average sized enclosure.

Newspaper is cheap and very easy to clean, this i do not disagree with. However, seeing as though i don't have 20-30 pythons i breed, i'd prefer to keep my pythons 100% stimulated and copnditioned by giving them a substrate they natural live in. They can push it around, Use it to help shedding by rubbing against it and it also also them to move around easier, whereas, newpaper is slippery so it help keep them in condition as well.

In the end it's personal choice. For me with a small collection, i'd much prefer to keep it au naturale'............

I am glad you posted, because I like the aesthetics and natural environment sand gives, particularly with Womas and BHPs. Don't get me wrong I know exaclty where the rest of you are coming from with newspaper, especially if you have a large herp collection this would make cleaning a whole lot easier, I just like the natural look.

 

[stringbean]

womanator, what snakes are you keeping on sand.
also any pics of them in their enclosures

 

[sxc_celly]

I keep my bhp on sand, its much more natural for them. I like the natural look of sand, its very easy to clean too and looks a damn sight better than newspaper. Dont get me wrong i know what you all mean about the easiness with cleaning out newspaper. My snakes have all got proper hides so they dont need to hide underneath paper :S. Im getting a big 6 bay enclosure in the next few weeks, and ill be using the green carpet grass from bunnings, i cant stand the look of newspaper lol. ALL NATURALE

 

[mrmikk]

I keep my bhp on sand, its much more natural for them. I like the natural look of sand, its very easy to clean too and looks a damn sight better than newspaper. Dont get me wrong i know what you all mean about the easiness with cleaning out newspaper. My snakes have all got proper hides so they dont need to hide underneath paper :S. Im getting a big 6 bay enclosure in the next few weeks, and ill be using the green carpet grass from bunnings, i cant stand the look of newspaper lol. ALL NATURALE

What sort of sand do you use and where do you source it from?

 

[lizzardboi]

How do you wash the green carpet grass ,sxc_celly???
do u just wash it of wiv a hose ????
mrmikk, just go to bunnings and buy a bag of "washed Sand"
cheap and looks good, its wat i have in my beardie tanks.
Jayy

 

[Aslan]

What sort of sand do you use and where do you source it from?

Not quite the same, but might be helpful...

I keep my Ackie on Botany Sand. I tried red desert sand for a while, the price was ok but I found the red sand stained the underbelly of the lizard and seemed to detract from his colours. I was also disappointed with the amount of foreign bodies I was finding in the sand and also larger grains.

Botany sand is great - $4 for 20kg or $12 80kg from my local nursery/landscape supplies...it is just like beach sand and is very fine. I am very happy with it...

 

[Just_Joshin]

Im with you Womanator (is that woman - ator or woma-nator?) I like that natural thing. Part of the hobby for me but I totally get the newspaper thing too. I use newspaper in clickclacks and stuff - how is a pink plastic tub natural? - but really like my tanks to be pretty. It might be a double X chromosome thing....

That's womanator as in woma -nator.......i totally didn't think about the whole woman-ator play on the word until someone pointed it out IN MY INTRO POST, lol. I think a name change may be in order so people don't get the wrong idea.

 

[liasis]

newspaper

 

[sweethips12]

i was wondering, i have 2 spotteds and 3 carpets, would you recomend sand or grass stuff? any opinions are welcome. thanks