Why The Hell...

kevyn · 02-09-04, 07:41 PM

Why the hell does mold keep growing in my Temple Viper vivarium? I'm using soil for substrate and mold keeps growing on it. It is really humid in there, probably around 90%-95%. Keep in mind this is my first attempt at a vivarium so if the answer is really obvious, be patient with me, as I said it's my first time.

snakehunter · 02-09-04, 07:55 PM

there are probably spores in the soil you are buying, that ad heat and humidity and you are almost saking for mold. i would try jungle mix, i have not used it, but it was recomended to me bya breeder, and i would think that it would have alot less chance of molding over, BUT i only keep balls and westerns so i maybe wrong!
-Jacob

Dozer · 02-09-04, 07:58 PM

store bought soil aint the beast, use somethin' like bed-a beast and make sure now you disinfect everythin in your vipers cage . Its a pain in the *** but you wont have it growin' once you clean it all :P

Mike

Kyle Barker · 02-10-04, 01:57 AM

Bed-a-beast can become a problem after a while. If kept moist for a while it can, seemingly overnight, explode with mould. Same goes for all coconut fibres.

I would guess its growing mould because there is something on the dirt that is roting away (dead bug, crap, leaf etc). Spot cleaning is the best way when using dirt.

best is the stuff people use for monitors, i think. I have never had mould growing on that....

kevyn · 02-10-04, 02:52 AM

The funny thing is, since I posted this there hasn't been any mold. I posted this morning and expected to come home and find mold in the vivarium, but nothing. Weird. I have found that T.wagleri needs an extremely high level of humidity. I liked the idea of using soil for obvious reasons. Thanks guys. Any other help and suggestion are very welcome.

What stuff do people use on monitors?

KrokadilyanGuy3 · 02-10-04, 05:16 AM

For my Wagler's I use Jungle Mix which is also evenly filled with water and everything has been working great for me..

~Xain

Dozer · 02-10-04, 09:42 PM

can we see pics of the enclosure on a side note?

KrokadilyanGuy3 · 02-11-04, 02:21 AM

Mine or Kev's?

kevyn · 02-11-04, 02:37 AM

What is jungle mix? Soil I take it? I'll post some pics tomorrow. Getting late...

Double J · 02-18-04, 12:38 AM

I think junglemix is crap personally. I hate using anything with vermiculite in it to begin with... and you can make a better soil mix for about a third of that price that will be great for plants AND promote the growth of beneficial bacteria. Mold comes and goes on occasion.... humidity and organic matter is a great place for mold to make a living. That said..... I haven't had mold in ANY of my vivariums for quite some time (over a year).. and I have a good number of dart frog vivaria... which are always over 85 percent humidity.
Potting soil is crap. I don't use it for anything. When it dries out it clumps, it drains poorly, and gets that awful sulphury smell when it stays moist. Here is the soil mix that I use n my frog and gecko vivariums......
2 parts coco-husk fiber (eco-earth or bedabeast)
2 parts peat
1 part crushed oak/maple leaf litter
1 part milled sphagnum moss
1/2 to 1 part playsand
This makes for a well draining, nutritious soil that plants go wild in. It looks very natural as well. The only fertilizer you will ever need to add is more leaf litter every so often. Keep in mind..... I have a bed of gravel for drainage underneath my soil which prevents the soil from getting soggy. This allows me to drain off the excess water that comes from misting as needed. Now...... this is a note to snake keepers..... you will likely find some small whitish insect-looking creatures in the soil and your viv. There is nothing to worry about as these are not mites.. but are isopods called springtails. They are normal.. and eat the decaying matter in the soil mixture. You may also find some small things that look like fruit flies... these are fungus gnats which eat fungus growing in the soil. They too are a healthy part of a moist soil substrate and are nothing to worry about.
So... good luck
Double J

kevyn · 02-19-04, 01:50 AM

Kind of moot now. I got the mold under control and came home today to find her dead. I'm quite upset as she was one of my favourites. I'll get the necropsy done, but I'm pretty sure I know what killed her.

boa · 02-19-04, 01:52 AM

Sorry to hear about your loss kevyn.

Double J · 02-19-04, 09:19 AM

What do you think killed your snake?