Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I went to Wal-mart today to pic up some moss and vermiculite. They didn't have any so I picked up some perlite. Is perlite still ok to incubate in? Also, all they had moss wise was peat moss. I don't like it at all but for $2 it was ok. Should be ok to lay on shouldn't it? I may as well have just got dirt from the back yard

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.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
.1 MO Locale Black Ratsnake "Molly" (Flogging Molly)

"Have you ever tried simply turning off the T.V., sitting down with your kids... and hitting them?"

I've had lots of people tell me lately that the Perlite they bought had fertilizers added to it. I'm pretty sure that would kill the embryos.

Peat works fine, but it stains the eggs. That's not a problem though. It appears to have a slightly higher acid content than regular sphagnum which is not inherently bad, but since more of it is in contact with the eggs per square inch, I wouldn't use it to incubate. I know many people that use it to incubate and don't have problems, but I prefer inorganic incubation substrates. Most female corns will sweep away the nest materials to lay their eggs on a clean, smooth surface anyway, so it's not like the eggs will be in contact with peat for long.

Good luck,

Don
www.cornsnake.NET
South Mountain Reptiles

I examined the bag very closely before buying it. It said nothing of additives and I believe if I remember correctly it said "100% perlite." So hopefully nothing to worry about. Other than that would you recomend it?
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.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
.1 MO Locale Black Ratsnake "Molly" (Flogging Molly)

"Have you ever tried simply turning off the T.V., sitting down with your kids... and hitting them?"

You got the pure Perlite. The other one tells on the label what products have been added to facilitate plant growth.
South Mountain Reptiles

Perlite is all I use in my next boxes and incubation containers. I highly recomend it so long as it has no added chemicals. My incubators are looked at on nearly a daily basis and not only by me. The perlight seems to hold in moisture good and looks nice, clean and profesional when others are looking at your clutch. The only problem I ever had with it is dont let it spill on your carpet) I spilled some and it was a pain tring to vacume it up. It just wanted to grind further into the carpet.
Foot Hill Reptiles

I used 100% perlite without a problem.

perlite is a cooked and exploded rock......(so is vermiculite and asbestos).........

perlite is popped and is jagged and really rough textured........Rich Zuchowski told me long ago (*I think it was him) ...that if you use it get the babies out of it before they shed because it will scratch them all up....sounds likely......it is really coarse......

I personally find that it does NOT hold moisture all that well....the top layer dried out fast and I had to keep wetting it.all the water would sink down into it and the top stayed too dry........vermiculite worked better...yet all I could ever find is the fine stuff not the bigger ,courser vermic......

to solve all troubles I mixed the perlite with the vermic.......works better ......or as well as all else........

I mixed it to get rid of the perlite...I went to a supply store near here and asked for a bag of "block fill".....the bag is HUGE.........(they fill cinder blocks with perlite as they lay each course to make the room more soundproof......).....

.......so....use it...just watch the moisture and get the kids off it as they hatch......

.........good luck...........

oh......and don't breathe the dust from any of them as much as possible........
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If I am keeping the eggs in a sealed rubbermaid do you think I will still have moisture problems? It should be ok anyway. This is going to be my first clutch so I am going to sit right next to it until they hatch. It's going to be a long 2 months... She should lay in about 2-3 weeks so I hope all goes well! I need to post pics of her so you guys can tell me if she is knocked up or just fat
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.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
.1 MO Locale Black Ratsnake "Molly" (Flogging Molly)

"Have you ever tried simply turning off the T.V., sitting down with your kids... and hitting them?"