Fir Reptibark

siz · 03-20-09, 07:37 PM

With the store closing I decided to get some extra substrate and give my BPs cage a good clean out but we didn't have any Forest Floor. I got Reptibark instead but I noticed today it was Fir..is it ok to use for my snake?

Chu'Wuti · 03-20-09, 09:17 PM

Better to not--fir, pine, & cedar contain phenolic compounds that are toxic to snakes. I've been told the compounds can irritate their skin and lungs.

siz · 03-20-09, 09:34 PM

Ahh crap that's what I thought. I didn't even think when I grabbed it off the shelf the other day..is there anything I can use it for or should I ditch it?

I got a new BP by the way!!

mykee · 03-21-09, 02:56 PM

Fir is far better to use than pine or cedar. Use what you've got and if you must use a loose substrate, then get some aspen in any of it's many forms (cuts).

Chu'Wuti · 03-22-09, 04:39 PM

So fir is not as toxic as pine or cedar, Mykee? I suspected it wouldn't be as bad as cedar, but I thought it is equivalent to pine, and I've always heard that all three are bad for snakes. Nice to know that using fir isn't a disaster.

Siz--you got a new BP? What did you get? Post pics!

mykee · 03-22-09, 07:14 PM

Chu; nope. Pine and cedar are really the two you should stay away from. Repti-bark is very commonly used with reptiles. I prefer paper towels and unprinted newspaper stock, but I don't have decorated fish cages and function trumps form over here.

Chu'Wuti · 03-22-09, 08:07 PM

OK, LOL! I hear you!

If I were in the breeding business, I wouldn't try decorated fish cages either! In fact, won't try them . . . waiting for summer & a show to go figure out what I want!

Kmef07 · 03-22-09, 08:10 PM

well darn! i was hoping that the reptibark was going to be the answer to the spots on my brb. oh well the neosporin seems to be helping. Could the reptibark still be contributing do you think mykee? im going to pick up some coconut husk tomorrow and change out all the bedding on wednesday.

Smilts · 03-22-09, 08:59 PM

fir is better than pine and ceder still not great though over the long run.

siz · 03-23-09, 07:50 AM

Someone dropped off a normal 2 and a half yr old (they thought) BP at the store I guess they had bought it for their kid, who is now 7, and he didn't know how to take care of it. They fed it mice 3 times a week, never misted, it was constanly in shed from eating so much..etc. Apparently he was a biter but he has been totally fine with me. Anyways I only had to pay for the tank and it was super cheap cause the store is closing. I kept him at the store for about a week and I brought him home about a week ago. He's already looking alot better but he won't take rats. I'll try and grab some pictures of him when I get a chance.
His name is Mitch lol.

mykee · 03-23-09, 09:55 AM

I prefer a substrate that is non-abrasive, like a shaving or a fiber, only because it rubs too much for my liking. It can cause skin irritation but nothing that can cause any long term issues. I like smooth bedding as mentioned, paper towels or unprinted newspaper stock.
I might also add that it is much more difficult to maintain proper temps with a substrate that can be moved or pushed out of the way.

Kmef07 · 03-23-09, 12:26 PM

question about substrate:

I just ordered some t-rex coconut bark and it is loose cubes of substrate that looks pretty good. the cubes are about the size of the repti-bark i have now. but i also ordered forest floor to put under the coconut cubes so it would hold moisture and release it and the cubes would be more dry and keep the snake out of the wet substrate but keep the humidity hi and also im going to get some pythos ivy and that will go in the forest floor.

the question is:
Is it good to layer the substrate like that?

siz · 03-23-09, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykee

I might also add that it is much more difficult to maintain proper temps with a substrate that can be moved or pushed out of the way.

This is what I was wondering about in relation to UTHs. Is this something I need to take into consideration when using a UTH? Mitch's enclosure has an aspen substrate that often gets pushed away to the point you can see glass, and this obviously happens easily.

Kmef07 · 03-23-09, 03:35 PM

Ya you have to make sure that the snake cant come in direct contact with the UTH because it might get burned.

citysnakes · 03-23-09, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siz

This is what I was wondering about in relation to UTHs. Is this something I need to take into consideration when using a UTH? Mitch's enclosure has an aspen substrate that often gets pushed away to the point you can see glass, and this obviously happens easily.

really a UTH, or any heating element, should be used in combination with a thermostat. sadly this is not the case in with the majority of reptile keepers out there.

anyways, if you have no thermostat you need to measure the temp of your UTH above the glass. this way you will know the exact temperature that your snake will contact if it decides to move the substrate away and sit directly on the glass above the UTH.