Is this a real Vermiculite?

AlexPan · 03-21-04, 11:02 PM

I got a bag of vermiculite today from Canadian tire, and i have a strong feeling thats its the wrong one. I need it for incubating the snake's eggs and to poot in my snakes cages. Here are two pictures of it...
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/sh...cat=500&page=1

and these is how it looks like
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/sh...cat=500&page=1

If this is not the wright one then whats the proper name for the vermiculite that i need for my snakes. Thanks every one.

geckoguy157 · 03-21-04, 11:14 PM

ummm thats vermiculite there is one kind of vermiculite you can get it in difrent grades with smaller and larger peices

Jeff_Favelle · 03-21-04, 11:48 PM

That's vermiculite. What were you expecting?

AlexPan · 03-22-04, 12:03 AM

Ok thanks guys. I was expecting a soil looking substance that is made up of Coconut shavings, I heard thats also called Vermiculite. But probably i just got mixed up or something. So is this stuff safe to use for my snakes as a substance cause after a looked at it it kainda looks like its made of hard plastic or something?

Jeff_Favelle · 03-22-04, 12:54 AM

No, there's no coconut shavings. Vermiculite is vermiculite.

There's thought that there might be asbestoss in the dust of perlite and vermiculite, but it shouldn't be that dry for the use in incubators anyways.

I wouldn't use it as an adult substrate, if that's what you're intending...

AlexPan · 03-22-04, 01:36 AM

Thanks Jeff_Favelle. So are the Aspen Shaving the best for the snake's substrate? Or should i use something like big rocks on their floor so they will not swallow anything accidently?

Jeff_Favelle · 03-22-04, 01:54 AM

Quote:

So are the Aspen Shaving the best for the snake's substrate?

I can't answer that because I don't know what kind of snake we're talking about. All snakes are different, and thus have different requirements.

Quote:

Or should i use something like big rocks on their floor so they will not swallow anything accidently?

I can't think of a single species of snakes that would benefit from being kept on large rocks.

dave68 · 03-22-04, 02:00 AM

Aspen shavings are a great substrate to use if you have minimal cages to keep up on with cleaning. The coconut fibre you're thinking of is sometimes called Bed a Beast and can be found in pet stores or grow shops. It comes in a solid brick that needs to be soaked in water. I myself prefer newspaper as it allows for easy cleanup and is much more affordable.

AlexPan · 03-22-04, 02:34 AM

Kool thanks for the info dave68!

I got 3 California King Snakes Jeff_Favelle.

Jeff_Favelle · 03-22-04, 02:42 AM

Aspen shavings and/or chips (beta chip) ROCK for Cal. Kings. Best substrate for those snakes as far as I'm concerned.

AlexPan · 03-22-04, 02:45 AM

Kool thanks Jeff_Favelle!

C.m.pyrrhus · 03-22-04, 02:46 AM

I use aspen..works like a charm. All my colubrids and my crotes are on it...and doing fine. I like to save any rocks for throwing at old barns.

Jeff_Favelle · 03-22-04, 03:46 AM

Stupid old barns. Take that!

Bighead · 03-22-04, 05:01 AM

I was building a barn last summer. I was throwing away just about every other nail because I thought the idiots at the nail factory put the head on the wrong end. I realized later that those must have been for the other side of the barn. Oh well.

MouseKilla · 03-22-04, 07:41 AM

LOL! I hate when the mix the North nails with the South nails!