substrate

[amandamari]

Today, I was looking at different stuff that they had at the pet store and I saw reptile litter made up of tiny tiny pieces of walnut shell? Does anyone know anything about this stuff and if so, would it be any good to use as substrate?

[savannah_babe]

i suppose it would depend on what you had. what do you keep?

[amandamari]

I have a kenyan sand boa.

[amandamari]

Know anything about the walnut stuff? I'm just curious.

[RevMojo]

Here's the first thing I saw wrong with it..."I was looking at different stuff that they had at the pet store"

Odds are, if it was at a pet store, it can be bought cheaper elsewhere. Frankly, I don't know a thing about the stuff, but pet stores tend to give considerable markups. Off the top of my head, it would seem better for something more inclined to a humid climate. But I've never kept KSB's either, for what it's worth.

[peruvianfanatic]

We use crushed walnut for are beardies and it works great but for a burrowing snake it might not be so good .It can be dusty if stired up.I dont know much about sand boas and what sub. works best.

[LdyDrgn]

Crushed walnut and corn cob are not the best substrates for snakes and some lizards. It can cause the same problems as sand.

[SnakeBabe]

I have found that Drydeck (the rubber mats used behind most Bars and in kitchens at restaurants or in shower stalls) work great. I posted a pic here (http://redtailboa.net/gallery/showal...id=428&uuid=58 ) for you guys to see them on the bottom of my Dragons cage. They are raised off the ground so the pee runs under and your pet is not always walking or slithering through it and it hoses off easily for disinfecting. Wood chips or bark can hold mites..
These rubber mats have lasted me over 10 years now

Hugs and Hissessss,
Maria

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[LdyDrgn]

DriDeck is awesome for larger boids like burms, boas, etc., that leave LARGE amounts of urates and fluid. It is a bit expensive though.

Amamnda is looking for an alternative substrate for her Kenyan. I think aspen is great for Kenyans as long as it is washed first to bring the dust down.

[LdyDrgn]

rinsing and a very low heat (or sun) bake to dry. You can use a hairdryer with a diffuser on it, too, if you're careful, otherwise it'll blow everywhere, LOL. Donnie tried the aspen thing, and it was just too dusty and too messy. We don't bother with it anymore. I would probably end up shredding newspaper if I kept any sand boas, heh.

[LdyDrgn]

Yeah, that's fine.