Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone use peat moss as an egg laying substrate?

Whenever I use it I seem to get egg retention and then eggs layed all over the place. Anyone else have problems with it? Or could it be additives to different brands??

Whether in a box or FR style with a board it seems to drive my snakes crazy. They tunnel around in it and seem to be generally unhappy. I don't generally use one method for eggs laying but last year I used the peat more and this year I noticed the same reactions from the peat in my snakes. So far I have had one lay under the lay box and in another cage I spread it out and the snake tunneled like crazy for two days and then only laid one egg. Then three days later I get the rest of the eggs but they are already bad. The best of my recollection I had this happen last year with several snake I placed in with the peat moss. I am beginning to think the coincidence may be the peat moss that is causing problems. I think I am going to stick with my old method and that is no lay box with just some water added to the pine shavings. This always worked fine for me and the snakes are not upset with this arrangement.
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I still don't need no spell chack.

My snakes do fine with it. They push it all to the sides of the box and often leave a somewhat perfect circle in the center with a wall of the moss on the edges.
They usually completely bury themselves at the bottom of the box the final hours before laying, then come up and make the nest. I have never used anything but peat/sphagnum moss. I went to purchase some yesterday but what they had was laced with miracle grow and other chemicals........I use Schulz brand all the time with no problems.
Tom Stevens
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TomsSnakes.com

"I use Schulz brand all the time with no problems

The stuff I have has miacle grow and other stuff. I just took it out of all the snake cages and dumped the bag. I guess that was my problem.
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I still don't need no spell chack.

It very well may be, and also check into your vermiculite or perlite for extra chemicals. Tom Stevens
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TomsSnakes.com

I don't know about peat specifically but all my cal kings love the spagnum moss.

Is the pH of peat different then spagnum? I know that they are both pretty acidic but maybe thats the problem?

I have also had great results incubating on the spagnum. The acidity really cuts down on mold and other gross stuff. You just have to be really careful about getting it too wet.

I am pretty sure peat is more acidic than sphag. moss, we actually sell peat for people to put in there filters for a media that will reduce PH and water hardness, in their aquariums

Adam

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6.6 THAYERI
1.2 SPLENDIDA
1.3 ALTERNA
0.0.1 CORN SNAKE
0.1.1 PYXIE FROG
0.0.1 MEXICAN RED KNEE
1.0 CHILEAN ROSE HAIR

i have used peat moss and sphagnum moss for nest boxes and incubating. peat moss was kind of messy,like vermiculite so I stopped using it. never had any nesting or incubation problems. I do not know what is added (if anything) to moss. wouldn't surprise me if they tried to sneak something naughty in there.

what is your water to moss ratio? too wet? too dry? it has to be DRY water, if I understand it correctly,hahaha.
don't copy FR or he'll post you here for doing that, do what's right for your snakes. if wet chips work then stick with wet chips.
good luck
daveb

I only used the peat for egg laying. Not incubation. I have always used perlite for that.

Anyway I never used peat moss for egg laying until I saw FR's posts that showed the cage filled with peat and a board for the snakes to nest in. This setup drove my snakes crazy and the last thing my snakes wanted to do is lay in that medium. Like Tom said, its probably the chemicals. This "nesting" experiment with peat moss actually caused the opposite effect since that the last thing the snakes wanted to do. I just lost an entire clutch of Blaze goini to this and last year I lost a whole lot more. Last year was a tough year on my personal life so it took me until now to figure out what was wrong.

Big shout out to FR....THANKS FR!!.. .......sheeeeeesh!

Anyway,,, hard lessson learned on my part. Glad I shared so that anyone else reading this will not make the same mistake.
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I still don't need no spell chack.

I never had luck with Peat moss. I have alway had good luck wih laying containers with moist vermuculite inside.

L8r Shannon

I normally use sphagnum moss as well but has anyone ever tried using green moss? I picked some up at a show and added it to some nesting boxes. I'm still weeks away from my first clutches to start dropping but I like to keep a moist moss box in my cages most times of the year anyways.

Rob Haneisen

I used a lay box with some dampened paper towels in it. Worked just fine.

Peat moss is HIGHLY acidic!,....your snakes seem to not think that is the place to lay, although many people use it as nesting box substrate(including me) I think this could explain the fact that alot of snakes become egg-bound in their effort to find a more suitable place!.......this is more than likely many snake breeders problem!....although they are totally unaware.

~ Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

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TomsSnakes.com