Peat-moss

[GarterGeek]

Thanks for the advice everybody! I will definitely be switching back to aspen for the majority of my snakes.

It's such a pity though, the peat-moss is so attractive and my hognose slides into it as if it were water. It's so cool to watch. However, the health of the snake is priority.

I am concerned about using aspen with my garters though. I once dislodged an inch-long piece of aspen from a vent and it just didn't seem like a good idea after that.

Would unfertilized potting soil be okay? My snakes were wild-caught as adults, would bacteria still be a problem? How problematic is bacteria in substrates? I mean, it's everywhere and they're bound to be exposed to it. Are there specific types of bacteria found in soil that are more dangerous?

[Sonya610]

How problematic is bacteria in substrates? I mean, it's everywhere and they're bound to be exposed to it. Are there specific types of bacteria found in soil that are more dangerous?

Let me say I am NO EXPERT but two things: First of all if you baked the substrate in the oven you could kill most all bacteria or other things like parasites.

Secondly realize an enclosure is not the same as in nature, which is why weird things growing (i.e. mold, parasites, bacteria, etc...) is an issue. In nature things typically stay balanced due to the elements, other natural predators, etc... In a small enclosure the balance is lost and mold, bacteria, parasites, etc...can grow wild.

As stated the bacteria thing can be fixed. The dust that others have mentioned, and the humidity are more of a factor. I bought eco-earth and would love to use it as a substrate. I read about carefresh and everyone seemed to LOVE it but the stuff looks like what it is, recycled trash. I also would like to find a fun, natural looking, interesting substrate that they can burrow in and enjoy.