Bark!

[Sel]

Ive been calling all these different places this morning, looking for shredded bark or something similar. They all seem to sell barkchip mulch, which isnt what i want..

Does anyone have any idea where i could buy shredded bark, or something similar..?
Ive tried Bunnings, KMart, Big W, sand and soil.
Has to be on the central coast..and i really need it today

 

[Sel]

Looks like i might have to deal with just woodchips...

Are they ok to use as substrate for a small python ?

Anything else i could use as substrate? I want it to look as natural as possible

TIA

 

[tenacres1100]

What kind of substrate should I use?


There are many different flooring substrates available. Here are a few of the Pros and cons of some of the more common types available.

• Astroturf: Although it is good looking, it can be very sharp, and has the ability to cut the cloaca causing problems for your python. It also tends to come apart over time when regularly washed. Advised to have 2 or more precut squares for cleaning.
• Newspaper: A very cheap and easy substrate, easy to replace, lacks in the looks department. Good for large numbers of enclosures. Also doubles as a good hide. However does not absorb or lessen the smell.
• Chip Bark: Looks good but tends to smell. Pythons may also consume some of the bark which can give them a splinter in the gut or cloaca.
• Gravel: Looks good easy to clean, can be eaten by your python though and block their digestive system. Does not absorb liquid waste
• Marine Carpet: Looks good, needs a bit of a scrub to get clean, but most users of marine carpet switch a new carpet for the old. Highly recommended, but can be costly.
• Breeder’s Choice/Kitty Litter: Okay looking, very easy to clean and replace. The paper absorbs everything and should do no harm to the python if swallowed. However tends to suck moisture out of he air and can cause serious shedding problems. Reports of plastic and even metal paper clips in bags surface from time to time so be weary.
• Shredded coconut shell: Looks great environmentally friendly and holds a little moisture just like dirt. If consumed passes easily through but can be time consuming to make up and needs to have boiling water added to kill micro-organisms. Purchased in bricks from Bunnings (ensure to buy one without any added fertilisers, etc.) easy to spot clean. Great plus is it helps with the smell
• Sand: Looks good easy to spot clean but can cause bacterial growth if all of the faecal material is not removed properly. Also it is not recommended to keep non-desert species (i.e. not naturally found on sand) on sand as it has been known to cause blockages or impaction in the gut a serious problem.

 

[Renagade]

dont let anybody make you paranoid about bark chips. my snakes don't seem to love sitting/lying on it. my female sorf of wriggles into it soshe is touching the plastic liner of her enclosure.i've been using it with my snake since he was out of his 20cm x 15cm click clack. it looks good. you can get it in sydney. i like aspen snake bedding too and sometimes i mix the both together and it looks good. probably some pics in my user profile.

 

[Noongato]

I used pine bark chips in my BHP enclosure for ages, it does have live micriobe warnings n stuff though, but i generally let it dry out before using. Although i just recently had to de-mite my BHP, it might have been the pine bark or it might have been something else. I dunno, but i took out all the substrate for the moment, just in case

 

[Sel]

Just bought a huge bag of woodchips from the sand n soil place.

Im going to bake it in the oven (Yes i know how crazy it sounds lol) before putting it in the enclosure, just incase theres some nasties in it.

Anyone else use bark chips? Renegade, do u have any pics?
Pics of enclosures with bark chips would be fab

thanks all

 

[Sel]

probably some pics in my user profile.

Oops , just read that. Will go have a look now