Potting Soil

BelfastScorpion · Oct 17, 2006

Hi all,

I have always used bark chips for my Emperors. I have noticed that most people use potting soil. Is potting soil from a Garden centre safe to use?

Thanks

BelfastScorpion.

Mr.Scorpion · Oct 17, 2006

Yes, just make sure it has no unorganic additives.

maxident213 · Oct 17, 2006

Every time I've used potting soil in any kind of enclosure, it's gone moldy within a few days. I recommend peat moss instead. Higher acidity = less chance of mold.

BurrowDweller · Oct 17, 2006

I have been using a mix of one third potting soil, one third peat moss, and one third coconut coir for my Ts, millipedes, and V. carolininsus. Seems to do fine even with a lot of misting (the milli tanks and the Vaejovis not the Ts). The coconut coir can be pricey but if you watch specials yoiu can get it cheap sometimes.

pandinus · Oct 17, 2006

i always either use topsoil or peat moss. I dont want to use the potting soil because of the vermiculite etc they add in it

EAD063 · Oct 17, 2006

I bought the best potting soil they had at the store making sure it had little additives, (my home deport had about 30 differnt "scotts" soils and I sorted through ALL before picking this one, so look around, use common sense.. i then took a small mesh screen and sifted all of the rocks, sticks and most of the styrofoam out (the stryofoam helps a tad with moisuture, but seems to be a nuisense because of the extreme amount they put it) after this i soaked the soil in a bucket and screened it out again to drain it and my emps love it, doesn't really stick to them, easy to shape and so cheap you can cheat a little and add more to fill up the first 3or4 inches of a large tank.. like i said use common sense and you should be okay... any sign of stress or irregualar behaviour then consider something else like expandable substrate or just spend the money at the petstore..they always have safe products

jimmysp4des · Oct 17, 2006

I highly reccomend using peat moss, I stay away form vermiculite because it's just so damn ugly.

BelfastScorpion · Oct 18, 2006

Thanks everyone for your advice.

BelfastScorpion.

Michiel · Oct 18, 2006

You can use it, but I do not recommend it. When you moisten it, it tends to become one hard cake. When it is to dry, it gets dusty. Vermiculite is indeed ugly when you use it solely as substrate. I use humus, the fine one and the flakey one, this is great stuff and does not mold very quickly. For the moisturelovers I mix in some vermiculite to retain even more moisture.

BelfastScorpion · Oct 25, 2006

Hi everyone,

I think I will go with peat moss. I'm scared though incase I get one that is full of chemicals and stuff and it harms the scorp. What exactly am I looking for?

BelfastScorpion

Flubber · Oct 25, 2006

oki think i got the hang of what potting soil is now!

but can enyone tell me what Peat moss is? a picture of the bag woud help.. ore the best of all, someone explained it to me in norwegian

Gonna rebild my tank, were thinking of using peat moss, if i youst coud figur out what it is! !

kahoy · Oct 25, 2006

Flubber said:
oki think i got the hang of what potting soil is now! but can enyone tell me what Peat moss is? a picture of the bag woud help.. ore the best of all, someone explained it to me in norwegian

Gonna rebild my tank, were thinking of using peat moss, if i youst coud figur out what it is! !

peat moss is dry moss that is shreded into tiny pieces to be used as soil/dirt for plants

Charlie_Scorp · Oct 25, 2006

Hey Belfast scorp, Ive been using Homebase Household Compost. Its a mixture of Peat Moss and some added dolomitic lime. It comes in 10 litre bags and is cheap. Obviously you can then add gravel, sand etc if you wish.

People seem to have mixed views of the added lime but I haven't had a problem with it so far and Ive been using it for about 4 months. No mold/fungus and my herps, tarantulas and scorps seem happy and healthy.

I would have gone for 100% peat moss but in Edinburgh I just cant find it. Been to B&Q, homebase, flower shops and called the garden centre out of town. No joy.

Good luck!

EAD063 · Oct 25, 2006

"Canadian sphagnum peat moss (CSPM) is partially decomposed sphagnum moss. It’s large cell structure enables it to absorb air and water like a sponge. Although peat moss does not contain nutrients, it adsorbs nutrients added to or present in the soil releasing them over time as the plants require. This saves valuable nutrients which are otherwise lost through leaching." -excert from the first page I found about "peat moss"

I hate to be a jerk, but we could probaly go on for days and days about peat moss... use google!!! look you can even change it to search in your native language http://www.google.com/preferences?q=peat+moss&hl=en&lr= and if you can read good in english, http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=peat+moss&btnG=Search you should also look through the "enclosures" thread to get an idea

Arachno Kid · Oct 26, 2006

a TINY bit of sand some coco fiber and some peat moss should do it

BelfastScorpion · Nov 13, 2006

I have just purchased a bag of Organic Garden Compost. Should this do the trick? I could not find peat moss anywere, and I was concerned about the mould issues of potting soil.

Will Organic Garden compost do the trick. If it is organic then there should be no chemicals in it.

BelfastScorpion.

EAD063 · Nov 13, 2006

hmmm I'd assume theres manure in that too if it's organic.. you might want to check that (wether thats bad or good I dont know) (but im sure it dont smell great lol) let us know how you make out !!

BelfastScorpion · Nov 15, 2006

I read the back of the bag last night and indeed there is manure in it. How come I didn't notice that when I first read the bag. There doesn't seem to be too much of a smell off it though, but I still don't like the thought of it. That will be going in the bin. I have found a pet stores selling Forest Bed Expandable Substrate, I am going to get a block of this. This seems to be my best bet as I can be certain that it is 100% safe. Just wish I had of seen it earlier.

I have three scorps arriving on friday.

Scorpio maurus fuscus
Nebo histrionicus
Pandinus imperator

I can't wait!

Michiel · Nov 15, 2006

Just loose the potting soil, bark, compost and that stuff.
Buy the humusblocks that expand when you throw water on it. You have them in a fine and a coarse version. It is sterile, can hold moisture and is naturalistic.......
Just a tip.
Nebo hierochonticus, BTW

BelfastScorpion · Nov 15, 2006

Thanks Michiel for the spelling correction on Nebo hierochonticus. The place I am getting it from has spelt it wrong.

Potting Soil

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