Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[poisonjedhead]

Would like some thoughts on this if any one wants to share.

At present all my snakes are still young either last years or this years baby's, so they are still been kept in tubs however this will have to change in the future as they are all pythons and boas and i don't view it as been fair to keep these bigger creatures in tubs.

So up until about a month ago i was keeping them on paper toweling which worked great as one can instantly spot a mess whip the tow ling out clean down the tub and replace the snake back in there in next to very little time.

Then i decided to try using beach chipping looks nice and seems that its favored by the snakes, Though not as easy to clean.

So how hygienic is it?
So how absorbent is it?
how often dose one need to change it?
can it be washed and dryed and used again?
Is t susceptible to mold/fungus?

Any views would be good to hear, I'm thinking of going back to the paper towels myself
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retierd and spending my childrens inheritance.

[H.S.]

I can't help with regards Beech chippings, however, I use several different substrates.
Paper towel for those in tubs.
Aspen for my Kingsnakes, they like to burrow and they use it as another hide.
Bark chips for my Boa, purely because it looks good.

Paper towel is quite practical, but it's rather aesthetically challenged. Fine if you keep your animals in tubs in racking systems, but not so great in a three or four foot Viv.

Aspen looks better, and is easy for spotting faeces. The snakes like it because they can 'burrow' and hide amongst it.
However, I have had snakes which really don't like it.

Bark Chippings look really good, if a little dark, and is good for humidity, however, it's biggest downside is it can be hard to spot faeces and therefore raises a little hygiene issue. Saying that, I haven't used the Bark chippings for that long, so I can't comment completely as yet.

Hoppe that helps.
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[poisonjedhead]

Cheers

S often do you change the bark chipping and do you wash it and reuse it or completely change it.
I agree it looks allot better.
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retierd and spending my childrens inheritance.

[Al Stotton]

good thread and some good questions mate I agree with H.S. on his points. Here's my personal preference.

I use 'two storey' vivs and in the tray/tub underfloor area i use a paper based product to good effect with my pituophis and it siuts me as its dust free

http://www.asda.com/asda_shop/rc04_products/web_rc04_b_products_detail.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0396868622.1193348731@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccchaddmfgejefdcfkfcfkjdgoodglo.0&product_id=634814&from_panels=&trolley_page=/rc03_trolley/web_rc03_a_trolley_body.jsp&item_status=I&on_promo=

As for the main floor area i,ve been using corrugated card cut to size for years ,with the corrugated side up.Its comes in various sized rolls,in a no. of widths and is relatively cheap and very easy to change when neccs

hope this helps...........RGDS......AL
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if you like something buy it,if you don't then don't

[Lynne]

i use paper towel for those in tubs, with newspaper underneath it for the big ones, and paper towels for the corn hatchlings. aspen for the big corns, the hoggy and the ratsnake. al...any pics of the two storey vivs, i would like to see them?
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[Lynne]

al....any pics of your two storey vivs. would like to see them!
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[Al Stotton]

[Lynne]

wow i like that. i have a three foot viv i was keeping for the boa. do you think that would be doable for her! it already has a shelf halfway up as i had tubs in it for a wee while, but would boas like this?
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[Al Stotton]