Beach Sand for Substrate

nev · 01-22-11, 06:25 PM

My mother lives on a beach which isnt public and has really nice sand. Question is, could I use this for my Sand Boa? It I boiled and baked it? Seems like it would be the safest sand like substrate to use no?

Damion930 · 01-22-11, 06:37 PM

Id be concerned about the high salt content in beach sand not sure if it would be an issue but still somthing to think about I suppose if it was cleaned and compleatly rinced and sanitised it should be ok but that's just a guess I can't be positive im new to sand boas as well

NennaMeerkat · 01-22-11, 06:50 PM

As Damion said I would clean it thoroughly. Though I am not sure on how to do that.

nev · 01-22-11, 07:03 PM

Id think rinsing it with fresh water and boiling the crap out of it with more fresh water would do the trick... I think.

NennaMeerkat · 01-22-11, 07:04 PM

I am sure you can look it up somewhere...

totheend · 01-22-11, 08:22 PM

I know that they are called sand boas, but sand isn't the best substrate for them.....it is heavy and gets all caught in their mouths and eyes. Best substrate for a sand boa is aspen.

NennaMeerkat · 01-22-11, 08:27 PM

Dually noted.

nev · 01-22-11, 08:38 PM

Im on crushed walnut right now, not sure if ill go the aspen route. Id like to see what theyre natural substrates are because it isnt aspen or newspaper. And while Im a firm believer in doing whats best, Id like to also go half way and keep it somewhat natural for them.
Thats why I thought sand might be ok. I should just go to Kenya and being back a bucket of earth. :P

belovedboas · 01-23-11, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by totheend

I know that they are called sand boas, but sand isn't the best substrate for them.....it is heavy and gets all caught in their mouths and eyes. Best substrate for a sand boa is aspen.

I agree, being someone thats owned a few SB' s aspen is the best...sand is known for causing impaction...

nev · 01-23-11, 05:18 PM

The sand that causes impaction isnt natural sand, its man made such as reptisand, because they are machine cut giving them a square shape which isnt digestible. It ends up playing tetris inside the animal where as natural sand is round. Otherwise all the animals around the world would die from impaction since they naturally get some earth in their meals most of the time.

slingsnthings · 01-23-11, 05:52 PM

i work in a foundry that uses sand for castings, anyway we clean our sand there by baking it. im not sure how hot you would need to cook it though, ours has chemicals in it so we bake it alot hotter.

Shmoges · 02-02-11, 01:31 PM

I read that they actually burrow in dirt and lay in ambush for small critters to come into the hole they dig thinking its a nice place to live