Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Vicks]

Hi,

I wonder if someone could put my mind at rest, i have moved my corn snake Vince into his new viv and used repti-bark as his substrate... which last night when i put him in he seemed to love digging around in, before this i used cedar wood chips which have no odour.

I put my head in the tank this morning and it smells quite potent in there, like menthol, is this normal, and will it affect vincey? should i have done something to the bark before hand as he is now curled around the light tube thing thats in there near the vent, for most of the morning i have slid the glass door back just in case... is the smell of this substrate abnormal or am i just being an overbearing, protective worry wart!!

any input would be most welcome.
_________________
I am Blonde, Therefore I am of limited knowledge... Be kind!

[lovesnakes]

menthol

strange!? not sure that is "normal" to be honest?!

I usually stay away from that kind of substrate due to it's moisture content, can cause high humidity levels and that's not good for the corn snake.

this could be a reason why he's staying up out the way, although most corns will, to some degree, climb up somewhere and sit for hours if not days just for the sheer hell of it


the substrate, if purchased from a reptile/pet shop and is specifically made for reptiles, should be treated anyway and therefore it's safe!!

may pay to change substrate to be on the safe side, try aspen, it's a safe dry substrate and reasonably inexpensive

hope this helps
Andy
_________________
best of luck in the new season

[Vicks]

thanks for the reply.

i'm really not sure what to do now... as he seems to like it due to it being slightly softer than the cedar chips so he was burrowing in it but the smell is quite over powering when you stick your head in,

the make is Repti-bark by zoomed and the place where i got it use it as a substrate for all their snakes, just confusing why it smells so strong, i wonder weather that will go, i think i might look at getting another substrate.

thanks for getting back to me, as long as its not harmful, i worry about my boy!!
_________________
I am Blonde, Therefore I am of limited knowledge... Be kind!

[Snowy]

He doesn't like it by the looks of it. Personally I was told not to use cedar, and never have. Are you sure they are not beech chips? I ask this one as I haven't seen cedar chps for sae in my local reptile shop.

Have you tried Aspen? It is finer and they love to burrow through it.

If you are worried just take it all out and clean out and put newspaper down and see what happens. If he comes down and stays down you know he doesn't like the substrate.

[Vicks]

i am using repti-bark but was using a light coloured wood chip. but its the repti-bark that has a funny smell, and i think you're right when you've said about humidty as it feels humidy in there... he is still on the light, will give him a few days as there is no heat in his viv due to the fact that at the moment our flat is constantly between 75-78 degrees so have turned the heat off.

will try aspen maybe

thanks you two.
_________________
I am Blonde, Therefore I am of limited knowledge... Be kind!