The Best Substrate

[adamanteus]

I've always used natural slate as a substrate, not chippings but large pieces cemented into place and neatly pointed in. Very attractive, easy to wipe clean, impermiable to water, faeces etc. helps to retain heat and keeps heating bills down (heat cable or mat is fixed underneath, so if it blows, you need to buiild a new floor!).

[CrazyHedgehog]

A pic of that would be nice adamanteus!
Do you not find that it adds too much humidity? (with having nothing to absorb escess moisture?)

[Cazador]

I added some text for astroturf on the care sheets, but feel free to modify it as appropriate.

[adamanteus]

Originally Posted by CrazyHedgehog

A pic of that would be nice adamanteus!
Do you not find that it adds too much humidity? (with having nothing to absorb escess moisture?)

On the contrary, it keeps humidity low, as it's non absorbant, water simply evaporates off the surface, especially with under-floor heating. Works for me.
James.

[Stefan-A]

Switched the female's substrate from peat to paper towels yesterday. She didn't take it all too well, she has spent the last 24 hours up on a branch and refuses to come down.

[Snaky]

Well, now that Stefan-A switched to newspaper, I'm checking out peat. Let's see how good it is to absorbs odors and how easy it will be to clean it...

[GGarter]

Have any of you ever used the BSS (Bioactive Substrat System)?

I think it was developed by Philippe de Vosjoli.

I read about it in the book "The Art of Keeping Snakes- from the experts at advanced vivarium systems".

It sounded like a really interesting theory of creating a population of nonharmful microorgsnisms that would outcompete any harmful organism colonies, before they "settle".

[adamanteus]

I haven't read it....but wouldn't cleaning destroy the non harmful organisms as readily as the harmful ones?

[GarterGuy]

Originally Posted by GGarter

Have any of you ever used the BSS (Bioactive Substrat System)?

I think it was developed by Philippe de Vosjoli.

I read about it in the book "The Art of Keeping Snakes- from the experts at advanced vivarium systems".

It sounded like a really interesting theory of creating a population of nonharmful microorgsnisms that would outcompete any harmful organism colonies, before they "settle".

I have used this before, and it does really nice, but with something as large as a garter (I know garters aren't really considered large, but when you're talking about naturalistic vivaria they can be kind of "big") you need a fairly large enclosure to ensure that the soil doesn't get "spoiled" too quickly. I've personally used it for anoles, toads and tree frogs with good success and I imagine for smaller types of garters it might work.

[GGarter]

Originally Posted by adamanteus

I haven't read it....but wouldn't cleaning destroy the non harmful organisms as readily as the harmful ones?

I definatly think it would, but the point about the BSS is that you only remove the feces an then stir the rest of the remains into the substrat, where it will be processed and eventually degraded, by the microorganisms.