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 #1542541


G.T.
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 Substrate?

Right now I’m using just a regular tank carpet in my rat snakes cage and was wondering if it would be better to use something else? Any ideas?
12/10/07  09:37pm

 #1543139


Sw1c
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   Message To: G.T.   In reference to Message Id: 1542541


 Substrate?

do not use cedar or pine.. other then that most popular seem to be aspen and ecoearth(bed a beast) both allow burrowing and easy to clean. bark mulch also used but there is controversy over whather run risk of mites. the other options are newapaper(no colour ink) and paper towel. but aspen or bed a beast look teh nicest and easiest to clean, and then bark muclh comes in after that. im sure there is more acceptable substrates out there which im sure someoen else will post later on for you.
12/11/07  01:50pm

 #1553022


G.T.
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   Message To: Sw1c   In reference to Message Id: 1543139


 Substrate?

When you use bed a beast does it have to be dry, or do you leave it damp?
12/21/07  07:11pm

 #1554542


LeucisticTy
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   Message To: G.T.   In reference to Message Id: 1553022


 Substrate?

You can leave it damp, its designed to hold in moisture and believe it or not but you can actually grow live plants with it as well.
12/23/07  02:47pm

 #1564111


G.T.
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   Message To: LeucisticTy   In reference to Message Id: 1554542


 Substrate?

Is it OK for ratsnakes to have such a damp environment is what I was asking, not whether you can leave it damp or not. Thanks anyway though.
01/01/08  02:46pm

 #1566128


JackAsp
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   Message To: G.T.   In reference to Message Id: 1564111


 Substrate?

No, with snakes you want the tank to be just humid enough, with dry substrate. Too dry is actually better than too wet. they don’t have as much ventilation in captivity as they would in the wild.
For rat snakes I suggest paper. They’re perfectly happy with branches and hide boxes, and if they really want to burrow anyway they’re smart enough to go under the paper. Not everything is, but rat snakes are pretty clever. If you don’t like the look of newspaper, you can use paper grocery bags. The brown is somewhat less glaringly artificial, and it’s just as easy to replace as newspaper.
Reptile carpet lets too much stuff through, making a quick change less effective than with heavy paper.
If you want something the snake can really dig in, I like Carefresh best. It doesn’t trash the water dish like Eco-Eath/Bed-a-Beast and it doesn’t have any hard splintery bits like aspen does. I reccomend it highly for kings, pines, hognoses, and other serious tunnelers, but for a rat snake I really don’t think paper is at all deficient.
01/02/08  10:54pm

 #1621843


Whallj
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   Message To: JackAsp   In reference to Message Id: 1566128


 Substrate?

I use forest bed for my yellow and great plains with plenty of branches to climb.

Mine love to burrow in the forest bed better than the repti carpet turf.



02/13/08  04:27am


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