Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can you use dirt for substrate,if no why not.

dirt is dirt and ok.........

bagged topsoil should be dirt..make sure

potting soil has additives, at times fertilizers.......no good..

......dirt is dirty and heavy........

cypress and aspen are better........cypress can be wetted.......

newspaper is free......
-----
...............
.........
.................too many babies left .......

Dirt can work as a substrate, but don't expect to go out and buy a bag of topsoil and call it good. You have to figure out what type of soil compostion the animal prefers, and you may never get it right. Soil from a dry river bed that holds water for some time during the year is a good place to start, but your still going to have to tweak it untill you find a happy medium

I would not use dirt only because you never know if some one has used toxic chemicals such as pesticides. These chemicals can really do damage to a snake and then you can end up either with a expensive vet bill or a dead snake. It would be best if you were to buy a substrate at a pet shop that has been treated and is safe for your pet.

I use Eco Earth from Zoo Med in my cages. It comes in a small brick but when water is expanded it makes quite a bit. It is not actually dirt, it is a coconut fiber mixture, but it looks likes dirt. It can be a pain to clean sometimes, which is why i use aspen shavings in my racks. Overall it works well and is rather inexpensive, plus it is safe for reptiles.

Courtney

One problem that i have come across with the Eco Earth is if you feed in the cage. I take my juveniles out to feed them, but i have an older aggressive red tail boa that i cant always get out (especially if he is hungry) and he has gotten a couple mouthfuls of dirt. So if you decide to use this substrate i suggest feeding a separate box.

Courtney