What is Better

[mtolypetsupply]

Hey I'm Alexis, with a lot of questions...

Okay with is better?

Live plants or fake plants?
Pine shavings or reptile wood stuff?
Branches from the store, or outside?
Rocks: Smooth or rough? (Big rocks!)

I will provide pictures soon.

No one can say what is better for YOU. Only you can make that decision. There are pros and cons to most things.

LIVE OR FAKE PLANTS:
Fake plants are the absolute in ease of care. They'll never die, never outgrow the enclosure, don't need pruning, water, fertilizer, or light, and are easily cleaned in the dishwasher.

Live plants are fun, look more natural, readily available, and help keep humidity up in the enclosure. However, you need the lighting, fertilizer, water, pruning and other maintenance to keep them happy and healthy and looking good. And your snake may kill them by digging them up, since they'll probably at least try to burrow into the soil in the pots.

PINE SHAVINGS vs. BARK STUFF

Pine and other sappy wood, and black walnut hulls are advised against. The pine/cedar can kill your snake. Black walnut contains toxins as well.

I like the repti-bark, and it can be washed. I have never done so, opting for the more expensive option of replacing it rather than washing it, but if you have a small income, you can wash and reuse it. I also like to get leaves, bake them up and add a layer of those ontop of the bark. They seem to like to play in the leaves.

BRANCHES FROM THE STORE vs. OUTSIDE

Branches from the store should be more sterile and not contain parasites. However, they can be super expensive ($25 for a STICK????? You have GOT to be kidding me!).

Branches from outside are my preference, baked in the oven a good long time. They usually have more "character" in my opinion, than storebought ones. Also, you can get a bunch of textures, so they have smooth ones to climb for fun, and rough ones on which to rub for shedding.

ROCKS

Some of the rocks you buy in the store are NOT rocks but resin castings of rocks. That does NOT help one bit as they are too smooth to help in shedding, and won't retain heat to help with digestion and basking. Make sure you get good real rocks if you're going to pay for them.

Rocks from outside should be sterilized, too, but DO NOT BAKE OR BOIL. I have heard of rocks "exploding" because of pockets of water inside becoming heated, producing more steam than the pocket can accomodate, and bursting open. Easy to get hurt that way. Instead, a bleach solution soak and scrub should do the trick.

Hope that helps you make your decisions!