Ben,



Well thats my experiance shallow dirt, both in keeping snakes years ago and currently with dragon's, I use shallow dirt but I use dirt, firm believer it mother natures dirt works best IMO.



Also like I mentioned I frequently turn my dirt, and replace my dirt something not very easy in a monitor cage, nor in the Iguana's cage I would assume.



I'm sure I would have more opinions if I had a large enclosure with active dirt but than again I don't.



Its also my opinion taht in nearly all enclosures from the largest monitor cage down to a cage with Dart frogs active living soil is very hard to maintain. Even in Dart tanks its necessary to replace soil ever 1-2 yrs based on the decay and waste material. Based on evidence I've seen even in a 10' sq monitor cage with 2' of soil I would still cahange the soil every 2 yrs.



With or without drains the active cultures required to break down the waste material wouldn't survive in teh enclosure, perhaps if the enclosure was built for Ackies but who has that kind of space.



When we force the animals to be confined within a smalller enclosure its necessary to remove waste and do soil exchanges periodically to remove waste, nitrates etc. Before those levels become toxic, so If I am going to perform soil exchanges anyways its my opinion that rather worry about a comprimised drain. I will practice appropriate water intake into the system as well as monitor spills from water sources. I do feel a drain for the water source is a luxary I can't live without.



My feelings are based on a indoor enclosure with a wood based contruction. Indoor enclousres with concrete slabs and brick and mortar walls are a completly different story. A faulty drain will not comprimise the integrity of the enclosure as it would with a ply floor. In such and enclosure I would use a drain, while I would still exchange soil because there is no worry of structural comprimise. My worry with ply constrcution is the integrity of the seal and potential abuse from a large clawed lizard. Again no practical application but it is my experiance that with any enclosure if there is a weakness the animal will exploite it.



Cheers
-----
Jeremy



"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer



0.1 Sunglow "Khal" RTB

0.1 Snow "Khal" RTB

1.0 Double Het "Khal" Sunglow RTB

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's

1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's

0.0.13 Hypomelenistic RTB's

0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's

1.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's

0.1 Suriname RTB

0.0.7 Normal Suriname Hybrid's

0.1 Anerthrystic RTB

3.6.14 Red Bearded Dragons

1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's

1.0 Green Iguana

1.0 Ball Python

1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers

1.0 Pomeriaian

0.3 Catus Terribilis

0.1 Spouse

1.0 Child

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