Breeders Choice

[Lunar_Psycho]

I use astroturf for my snake, and newspaper for my dragons. Too many stories of lizards dying from compaction, Ill wait till there bigger for a different substrate. Ive got the same problem fuscus. I clean my snake`s mat once a week (or sooner if wasted on) and she always seems to crap the next day. Usually able to pick it up, but the really large ones need the whole cage cleaned again.lol

 

[grahamh]

I use BC and have done for a year now. I have found staples and bits of plastic but I generally check it as I put it in the enclosure. I've had to pull bits out of my guys mouths while they were eating in the past and I tend to try to feed them on their rock shelves or while they are suspended from their branches. There is a fair bit of dust especially when you get to the bottom of the bag and I must admit I don't like that much. Most of my snakes spend most of their time off the ground. I've talked before about using a natural wood mulch (sterilised) but I haven't started using it yet. I think the dust aspect could probably be minimised if you spray the BC once it's down with a fine mist of water every day or so - that should settle and probably bind any surface dust.

In short I think BC is still my first choice but I'm still looking for the perfect answer - maybe sphagnum moss on top of an under layer of BC to soak up any liquid.

G

 

[wattso]

Ive not had a problem with monty craping in his newly cleaned cage since the first few times, ive worked out his feed/crap cycles so well that there is rarely crap in his cage now, i take him out on the back lawn an in a few minutes Bingo! I use newspaper and change it when i clean the cage once a week. I noticed the first few craps he would just drop it from a branch and make a hellish mess all the way down.
some say there snakes always do it on the floor in a corner but monty never did...yet. good timing out on the lawn makes for easy maintanance.

 

[Slateman]

yep watso. Doing well. Older snakes are easier to watch for cycle and movement make them to go more than hatchlings and juv.
Your crapmaster spoken.

 

[Rina]

We have had no problems with Breeder's Choice and Shane uses it for display animals in the park.
Just needs to be cleaned out regularly. Please don't anyone stick the boot in for me stating the obvious, but this is where the problems can start with BC when after having successive amounts of body wastage on it, it will break down and then the impact on respiratory system could start to be an issue.
Don't imagine that the manufacturers of this product even imagined the widespread usage it would gain in the herp community. :wink:

 

[craig]

they must of had some idea, because when it first came out a spokes person came to my herp society and gave out free bags of the stuff!
thats what got me hooked!

 

[Parko]

Has anyone out there actually had reptiles get respiratory problems from Breeders choice?
Has anyone used either tea tree mulch or sugar cane mulch for substrate? Or if not what are your thoughts on it anyway?

 

[Amy]

As many of you know, snakes can be particularly prone to respiratory problems, as long as you take care of the dust aspect, I think it comes down to personal preferance. I like the idea of using woodchips as long as the wood isn't treated, the same would go with mulches and what not, you'd have to make sure that nothing was ever treated with pesticides etc. before it became mulch. Either that or you could sterilize it. How would one sterilize mulch though? Messy job.

I personally haven't ever used BC so I cant comment.

 

[Parko]

Could you soak the mulch in diluted bleach then strain it to sterilize it?

 

[Rina]

Just curious, but would there be any kind of gaseous or substance residue left after using bleach as the mulch would absorb the liquid.
As for using sugar cane mulch, does that get rid of any of the hairy mary component to cane which may irritate your animals. :?