Burrow

psycho_maggot · Mar 8, 2006

My B.Smithi has recently started to dig a burrow, which in the 8 years i've had her she has never done before, but the problem is the substrate is just wood chips (beechwood), after an emergency substrate change 2 days ago, it is just in the corner of the tank, if the woodchip burrow were to collapse or something they aren't going to harm my T are they?, and and the woodchips are very small,a similar size to Vermiculite

Fierce Deity · Mar 8, 2006

Get rid of the wood chips. And I wouldn't be worried about a burrow, it is usually normal. But get rid of those wod chips. Use peat, coconut fibre, or a mixture of peat and vermiculite.

psycho_maggot · Mar 8, 2006

i know that. i'm trying to find some, if you read some of my previous threads, i had to do an emergency Substrate change after a huge mite infestation and they are the only stuff i had, and the few pet stores that are around my area stock almost no arachnid/reptile products.

Wikkids_Wench · Mar 8, 2006

If you have another huge mite infestation, you're probably better off keeping the T on kitchen towel for a few days while you source some more substrate rather than putting it on bark chippings (not suitable for burrowing and small chippings can be very dusty as well) - if you can't get hold of coconut fibre or peat locally, try online suppliers. In the meantime, keep an eye on your T and see if the woodchips seem to be holding up - if her burrow collapses I very much doubt she'll be trapped by it. Wood chips are light enough for a healthy T to 'escape' from...

bonesmama · Mar 8, 2006

Most Home Improvement stores, some Hardware stores and all Garden Centers will have Peat--buying stuff from a Petstore or Reptile store is really uneccesary and alot more expensive. Just make sure there are no additives-fertilizers or

pesticides

I stick with peat/vermiculite as I haven't been able to find any organic potting soil around here.

xgrafcorex · Mar 8, 2006

for the most part i use coco fiber....but i tried using potting soil once, it was an organic kind. it was working great for a while, but after a couple months or so, it started sprouting little white mushrooms or something. in the end i removed the a seemani and rehoused her...going to (someday) empty all the soil out..clean the tank, and try again with a different kind.

definetly a must for larger enclosures...trying to fill big tanks with those bricks of expanding coco fiber isn't very cheap.

psycho_maggot · Mar 8, 2006

Another thing is i can't really afford to buy Coconut Fibre, and i don't really have anywhere to keep a bag of soil/peat after i've used some of it, what would be my best option?

Windchaser · Mar 8, 2006

psycho_maggot said:
Another thing is i can't really afford to buy Coconut Fibre, and i don't really have anywhere to keep a bag of soil/peat after i've used some of it, what would be my best option?

A small bag of peat moss from the home improvement store or garden center is fairly easy to store. Small bags are about the size of a large family size bag of potato chips. They cost about $2.00 or $3.00 dollars at the most. Depending on the size of the enclosure, you may not have very much left over.

psycho_maggot · Mar 8, 2006

erm the tank is around 22in wide, 12in deep and 12in tall

PA7R1CK · Mar 8, 2006

Try getting a brick or two of "Bed-A-Beast" it works great.

psycho_maggot · Mar 8, 2006

It would cost me 20GBP+ to buy the Bed-A-Beast though

PA7R1CK · Mar 8, 2006

Go to a hardware store/Garden store and pick up some potting soil. Thats cheap and still works great.

Mina · Mar 8, 2006

We use a mix of organic soil and peat moss. About 3 parts peat to 1 part soil. We also eithe freeze, bake or microwave any bedding before we put it in with the T's. So far it has worked, not bugs or small plants have turned up.

Wikkids_Wench · Mar 8, 2006

PA7R1CK said:
Try getting a brick or two of "Bed-A-Beast" it works great.

Basically the same stuff as coconut fibre, which you can get for about $4 a brick. When you consider that it expands to 8 or 9 litres of substrate (as opposed to your $3 chip-bag sized pack of compost), it's really not that expensive, and it does cut out the risk of pesticides and most soil impurities.

Wikkids_Wench · Mar 8, 2006

£10? Where the heck have you been shopping?!

If you're buying in the UK, try ordering from http://www.cornishcrispa.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_170&products_id=557 (£2.99) or from http://www.livefoods.co.uk/default.php?cPath=34 (£4.00)

psycho_maggot · Mar 8, 2006

no it's 4GBP a block, but the p+p is rediculous, after i've added the P+P it equates to about 10GBP a block, and none of my local pet shops stock it

Wikkids_Wench · Mar 9, 2006

From Livefoods.co.uk you'll pay £6.63 in total (£4 + £2.63 for 1st class postage).

Have you tried asking your local shops if they'll get some in for you? It might be they just don't realise there's any demand for it.

GREF · Mar 9, 2006

psycho_maggot said:
no it's 4GBP a block, but the p+p is rediculous, after i've added the P+P it equates to about 10GBP a block, and none of my local pet shops stock it

Most garden centres stock "Erin" peat which is a mixture of as dug Irish peat and sphagnum moss. Costs about £2.50 for a large bag. If you don't have room to store then fill the tank and use sandwich bags to store enough for a couple of refills.

Cheers

Gref

psycho_maggot · Mar 9, 2006

If i stored it in like Lunchbox Tupperware things, it wouldnt go mouldy/smell would it?

GREF · Mar 9, 2006

psycho_maggot said:
If i stored it in like Lunchbox Tupperware things, it wouldnt go mouldy/smell would it?

Should be ok. Don't see any difference to storing in bag that you buy it in or tupperware boxes.

The Erin is the same stuff my local pet store uses and i'm told that Chester Zoo uses it as well.

Cheers

GREF

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