artificial grass in the enclosure?

[Brently]

I am thinking about adding this artificial grass in my enclosure. Can anyone think of a reason not too? I am going to cut it to fit and I will be able to take each section out for cleaning excrement and also remove them all for periodic cleaning. The link is to the amazon page I found it at.Amazon.com: 30" x 24" NewGrass® Ultra S Indoor/Outdoor Artificial/Synthetic Grass: Patio, Lawn & Garden (http://www.amazon.com/NewGrass%C2%AE-Indoor-Outdoor-Artificial-Synthetic/dp/B00DSPC01Q/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=O97JS3Z80Y4H&coliid=I1CZHIGIRXEFMG)

[bpAddict]

I guess it would aid in shedding for your animal because it is much stiffer and sharper than real grass but I think the only problem you might have is if its treated with certain chemicals that may be harmful to your pet

[Kera]

I was wondering about that too. Hope for responses.

[Hotchkiss]

I know my ball HATES grass... but I don't forsee any problems...

[slowhite03]

I always wanted to get this for my frogs but always forget about it

[Kera]

my IJ loves to be in grass :)

[MDT]

Not very sanitary, regardless of how you clean it...well, I guess you could run it through the dishwasher, IDK...I've used it before, but I stick w newspaper now. Cheap and easy. You know when you "clean" it it's clean.....

YMMV


edit: I didn't click the link...now that I see it, it may work. I think I'd stick w NP personally.

[Mikoh4792]

If you can keep it sanitary I don't see why not. Personally I like disposable substrate such as newspaper,paper towel, indented kraft paper and loose bedding.

[Brently]

Thanks for the responses. My BCC seems to like the grass I think, when she goes outside I put her in the grass and she seems content or sometimes she will head for a tree. As far as cleaning goes I had planned on rinsing them off with a hose and then using a light bleach solution and then rinse again before putting back in. Would that be enough? I suppose I could always put them in the dish washer. Not sure how the wife would take that though.

[Terranaut]

They make those artificial grass dog mats. That mihht work but personally I would stick to scoupable substrates. How are you going to spot clean a carpet withou removing it every time the snake goes?

[Brently]

They make those artificial grass dog mats. That mihht work but personally I would stick to scoupable substrates. How are you going to spot clean a carpet withou removing it every time the snake goes?

I will be removing it each time. The carpets are 30" x 24" I think. So I will simply take out the section that the snake excreted on and clean that as needed. The main reason I don't want to use scoopable substrates is mainly financial. It will take a lot to put in an enclosure this size and I just don't want to have the hassle. As far as things like news paper and things of that nature I don't want to use those for purely aesthetic reasons. I want something that looks good. The size and location of this enclosure make it somewhat of a center piece and I would like it to look good as well as function well.

[Terranaut]

I use aspen for my 2 adult carpets and an adult boa. This is 24 square feet of floor space and I tend to keep it at least 6"thick. Every 3 months or so I do a full gutting of the substrate. I get the nepco beta chip and it costs me about $15 total and I have enough left to do spot cleans. That cheap to me. Plus I can re use the reptibark I have in the rest of my enclosures so it is cheap too.

[Brently]

I use aspen for my 2 adult carpets and an adult boa. This is 24 square feet of floor space and I tend to keep it at least 6"thick. Every 3 months or so I do a full gutting of the substrate. I get the nepco beta chip and it costs me about $15 total and I have enough left to do spot cleans. That cheap to me. Plus I can re use the reptibark I have in the rest of my enclosures so it is cheap too.

Okay well honestly I don't have any interest in using aspen and I use reptibark right now and I don't think that it is that easy to spot clean. The urates sink and disperse which basically just spreads in a large spot across the bottom. And I don't reuse it when I clean I replace it. I am sure reusing it is fine but if that's the case then washing this grass should be equally fine.

[HoldenC]

Do it! and let us know how it works. ;)

I would buy two of everything, so I have a clean section ready to replace a dirty section at any given time. That would make routine cleaning less of a task. Maintaining fake turf is going to be more disgusting (for you) than any other substrate, but if aesthetics are important then it might be worth it.

[Mikoh4792]

Okay well honestly I don't have any interest in using aspen and I use reptibark right now and I don't think that it is that easy to spot clean. The urates sink and disperse which basically just spreads in a large spot across the bottom. And I don't reuse it when I clean I replace it. I am sure reusing it is fine but if that's the case then washing this grass should be equally fine.

That's why you gotta use cocohusk bedding! Very absorbant and easy to spot clean. And holds humidity well.

[Brently]

Do it! and let us know how it works. ;)

I would buy two of everything, so I have a clean section ready to replace a dirty section at any given time. That would make routine cleaning less of a task. Maintaining fake turf is going to be more disgusting (for you) than any other substrate, but if aesthetics are important then it might be worth it.

I actually plan on doing that. I am going to start off with just what is necessary and then buy more when I have a little more wiggle room with cash.




That's why you gotta use cocohusk bedding! Very absorbant and easy to spot clean. And holds humidity well.

I have used it before and I guess if this doesn't turn out how I want it to that will probably be a fall back for me. I just don't like how dusty it is. But both that and reptibark do look nice so I will definitely use one or the other if these turn out to be problematic.

[Mikoh4792]

I actually plan on doing that. I am going to start off with just what is necessary and then buy more when I have a little more wiggle room with cash.






I have used it before and I guess if this doesn't turn out how I want it to that will probably be a fall back for me. I just don't like how dusty it is. But both that and reptibark do look nice so I will definitely use one or the other if these turn out to be problematic.

Are you talking about eco-earth? That does tend to get very dusty due to how small the particles are.

I use a product called Kritter's krumble and it doesn't get dusty at all.

[Brently]

Are you talking about eco-earth? That does tend to get very dusty due to how small the particles are.

I use a product called Kritter's krumble and it doesn't get dusty at all.

Awesome, thanks I will look that up. And if the grass is a flop then that will likely be my alternative.

[RandyRhoads]

I've used it before and it was a nightmare to get clean. Good luck not worth the time to me.

[simpleyork]

it tends to get stinky, at least back when I tried it, one poop and it's done for. I think it lasted all but a week. then I went to newspaper for that snake.

[rhiannon79]

I just changed from the eco earth to newspaper because of how dry and dusty it was getting I like the look of it though and the newspaper works great but I dont really like the look of it so im going to look up the critter krumble that was mentioned before my question is can I feed inside the enclosure with tgat crumble stuff because when I tried to feed bo my ball in that eco earth my snske got a mouth full of dirt and really worried me because I've read tgey can breath it in while feeding

[marvelfreak]

I used that kind of carpet years ago and the problem i had was it never lasted long. The acid in the urine would slowly dissolve the glue that held it together. Between that and cleaning it with a mild bleach mixture it never lasted more than two to three months and i have to replace it.

[Brently]

I used that kind of carpet years ago and the problem i had was it never lasted long. The acid in the urine would slowly dissolve the glue that held it together. Between that and cleaning it with a mild bleach mixture it never lasted more than two to three months and i have to replace it.

Was what you used a carpet or was it an actual outdoors artificial grass that is made to be used in dog runs and athletic facilities? As I understand it this is designed to be a permanent/long term outdoor artificial grass.

[dbank999]

Have you considered switching to a bioactive set up? This would look natural and appealing, not to mention you wouldn't have to worry about cleaning/replacing. They do take some time to establish a good colony of "janitors"..

There was a really good thread on here about how to set up and start a bioactive enclosure..

I plan on doing this once I'm in a more long term location and have final adult enclosures built for my snakes.

Edit:

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/natural-vivaria-plant-forum/97041-media-bio-active-substrates.html

[Brently]

Have you considered switching to a bioactive set up? This would look natural and appealing, not to mention you wouldn't have to worry about cleaning/replacing. They do take some time to establish a good colony of "janitors"..

There was a really good thread on here about how to set up and start a bioactive enclosure..

I plan on doing this once I'm in a more long term location and have final adult enclosures built for my snakes.

Edit:

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/natural-vivaria-plant-forum/97041-media-bio-active-substrates.html

I have read that thread before and while I am interested in perhaps one day setting up a bioactive terrarium I don't think that it is very realistic for my boa. I am sure that I am wrong but I don't think that her feces or urates could be broken down efficiently enough to keep it up. Not to mention I am certain that if I put any plants in there she would crush them almost immediately. Perhaps a moss or something like that would work for a short term but that is all that I would believe could survive her.

[marvelfreak]

Was what you used a carpet or was it an actual outdoors artificial grass that is made to be used in dog runs and athletic facilities? As I understand it this is designed to be a permanent/long term outdoor artificial grass.
It was out Carpeting. About a 1.5 inches thick.

[Brently]

It was out Carpeting. About a 1.5 inches thick.

Is that basically the same stuff as the link I provided or is it something different?