Bio-active substrate for carpet python?

[Sebastiannn000]

Hey! I was just wondering if putting my 12 month old carpet python on a bio-active substrate was a bad idea. I have been advised against it by the people at the place I got her from (the Gully Reptile Centa, Tea Tree Gully, SA) as it can create a too humid environment and cause respiratory issues. The tank I've got her in is 800w, 500d, 1000h and she usually hangs out near the top where the heat lamp is. The tank doesn't hold humidity very well as it is made of particle board with a (I think) melamine coating. And her last few sheds haven't been very good even though I misted the tank twice a day and sprayed her with Vetafarm's HerpaShed when she was close to shedding. Low humidity is the main reason why I was looking into bio substrates.

I did a bit of an experiment and in a small glass fish tank I put in a drainage layer, separation layer and a mix of sphagnum moss, coir, sand, charcoal, orchid potting mix (without fertilizer) and dried leaves as the substrate. I also put in some isopods and worms and other critters from the worm farm and I planted a couple plants in it all which seem to be doing well after about a month.
My python likes hanging out in it and she'd sit in there for hours if I'd let her.

I'd still like to do a bio substrate in her tank as it would look naturalistic and I would be able to plant directly into it and it would help with humidity. What do you guys think? Is it a no-go?

 

[CF Constrictor]

You don,t want high humidity, as you have stated , it can lead to health issues , vets are expensive and prevention is better than a cure. Plastic plants can look just as good . I mist my enclosures once a day, only when my snakes are in pre shed, and they have plenty of rough edges to rub against to assist in shedding. The humidity in my enclosures averages about 30% most of the time and they never seem to have any issues.

 

[reptileandsodaz]

You don,t want high humidity, as you have stated , it can lead to health issues , vets are expensive and prevention is better than a cure. Plastic plants can look just as good . I mist my enclosures once a day, only when my snakes are in pre shed, and they have plenty of rough edges to rub against to assist in shedding. The humidity in my enclosures averages about 30% most of the time and they never seem to have any issues.

this is absoulutaly what i think

 

[CF Constrictor]

You still havn't answered my questions ???

this is absoulutaly what i think

 

[reptileandsodaz]

yea we basicaly told you not to go bio active.....

 

[CF Constrictor]

Hi Sebastuannn000
Just ignore this [Deleted] , I think his mummy and daddy must have forgotten to lock their computer or something !!!

yea we basicaly told you not to go bio active.....

 

[Herpetology]

Hi Sebastuannn000
Just ignore this [Deleted] , I think his mummy and daddy must have forgotten to lock their computer or something !!!

A bit harsh...
I don’t agree with 99.9% (I can’t think of anything to be honest) of the stuff he’s commented so far... but no need to go call him that

He’s tried to do his research, but I think he’s been caught in the classic online dilemma where everyone has different stuff to say whether right or wrong

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Sorry but I just burst out laughing and woke half the house up ay. Lol

 

[Rob]

Hi Sebastuannn000
Just ignore this [Deleted] , I think his mummy and daddy must have forgotten to lock their computer or something !!!

No need for this. All they did was agree with your post and here you are bringing up beef from a different thread which they're clearly not even aware of. Let it go.

 

[CF Constrictor]

Yeah , maybe ? F P please give my most sincere apology to your family for waking them this early on a sunday.
[doublepost=1589667464,1589667316][/doublepost]

No need for this. All they did was agree with your post and here you are bringing up beef from a different thread which they're clearly not even aware of. Let it go.

Please consider it let go !

 

[Kpeters2801]

Hey! I was just wondering if putting my 12 month old carpet python on a bio-active substrate was a bad idea. I have been advised against it by the people at the place I got her from (the Gully Reptile Centa, Tea Tree Gully, SA) as it can create a too humid environment and cause respiratory issues. The tank I've got her in is 800w, 500d, 1000h and she usually hangs out near the top where the heat lamp is. The tank doesn't hold humidity very well as it is made of particle board with a (I think) melamine coating. And her last few sheds haven't been very good even though I misted the tank twice a day and sprayed her with Vetafarm's HerpaShed when she was close to shedding. Low humidity is the main reason why I was looking into bio substrates.

I did a bit of an experiment and in a small glass fish tank I put in a drainage layer, separation layer and a mix of sphagnum moss, coir, sand, charcoal, orchid potting mix (without fertilizer) and dried leaves as the substrate. I also put in some isopods and worms and other critters from the worm farm and I planted a couple plants in it all which seem to be doing well after about a month.
My python likes hanging out in it and she'd sit in there for hours if I'd let her.

I'd still like to do a bio substrate in her tank as it would look naturalistic and I would be able to plant directly into it and it would help with humidity. What do you guys think? Is it a no-go?

Your snake isn’t getting enough heat or humidity as the enclosure is far too big. Downsize

Your snake isn’t getting enough heat or humidity as the enclosure is far too big. Downsize

You need to do what’s best for your snake, not what looks the best. If it’s not shedding etc well then bio is no go.

 

[Wolfgang5]

Hey! I was just wondering if putting my 12 month old carpet python on a bio-active substrate was a bad idea. I have been advised against it by the people at the place I got her from (the Gully Reptile Centa, Tea Tree Gully, SA) as it can create a too humid environment and cause respiratory issues. The tank I've got her in is 800w, 500d, 1000h and she usually hangs out near the top where the heat lamp is. The tank doesn't hold humidity very well as it is made of particle board with a (I think) melamine coating. And her last few sheds haven't been very good even though I misted the tank twice a day and sprayed her with Vetafarm's HerpaShed when she was close to shedding. Low humidity is the main reason why I was looking into bio substrates.

I did a bit of an experiment and in a small glass fish tank I put in a drainage layer, separation layer and a mix of sphagnum moss, coir, sand, charcoal, orchid potting mix (without fertilizer) and dried leaves as the substrate. I also put in some isopods and worms and other critters from the worm farm and I planted a couple plants in it all which seem to be doing well after about a month.
My python likes hanging out in it and she'd sit in there for hours if I'd let her.

I'd still like to do a bio substrate in her tank as it would look naturalistic and I would be able to plant directly into it and it would help with humidity. What do you guys think? Is it a no-go?

Having had mostly "smaller enclosures" 3x2x2, 4x2x2, I didn't realise how much harder it was to get appropriate temp gradient in much larger enclosures. It took me a few weeks of not eating and careful fiddling before I eventually got it right, so maybe you need to work on that.

Bio active enclosures might look cool but they are not practical for general use as eventually the pythons with grow and end up damaging your plants, best to stick with artificial plants, they look great and are easy to clean, not to mention it's easy to deal with low humidity, high humidity is a bitch, it fogs up the glass and can cause the melamine to warp and rot long term, and can create mould in the substrates.

Personally I use coco husk for all my substrates and a decent size water bowl and so far I haven't had an issue with humidity, not that I have ever actually measured, perfect sheds all round. See below.

Maybe it might be better for you to look into a smaller enclosure just until you learn how to set up the larger for a better quality of life, at the end of the day everyone is saying the same thing, our aim is for the best quality of life for our animals, not for what we like best.

Best of luck.