Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm planning to trade out the tank of invisible leopard geckos that's in my living room for one with one of my BP's in it. Since it will be a focal point of the main room, I'd like to make it as realistic looking as possible. Are there any reasons not to use topsoil or potting soil as a substrate? I know it needs to be sterilized and have no chemicals. I'll probably mix it with cypress mulch or bark.

Also, can anyone think of any live plants that wouldn't be totally smashed? Obviously it needs to be something that could live in the relative low light of a terrarium. I have a jade plant in my leo tank, but that's too fragile for a ball python. I'm really drawing a blank on this one. Any ideas?
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0.10.0 Ball Pythons
0.1.1 Leopard Geckos
0.0.1 Egyptian Tortoise

I think the main reason not to use it would be the possibility of impaction if it were ingested while feeding. Left dry it may get dusty, and moistened it may muddy. In either case it could leave the BP looking dirty.

As far as plants you could use. I think anything you put in there will be either destroyed by the nightly cruises or at least knocked down, causing you to have to set it all back up every morning .

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

you don't need to sterilize it actually.
make sure it has no chemicals (fertilizer usually)
keep it the correct moisture.....

......as for plants.......most will be ripped up and smashed..try looking around the local nursery/garden center.....grasses would do but need too much light probably,little palmettos would get too big, not sure of a plant at the momment......GOOD silk plants look real enough...make sure they don't have wires in them that could stick a snake.....

.......you could get off with rocks and wood or cork bark even......

.
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US born and bred balls have less calories
US born and bred balls have less cholesteral
US born and bred balls lead to less hair loss for owner
US born and bred balls speak English also.....Yep

soil will work fine, but not every soil will work.

potting soil has additives, stay away. you want something based around topsoil, backyard dirt, creek bed dirt, that type of thing.
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

Stay away from creek bed dirt because every toxin that has flowed down that creek can settle in the soil ! David of DS Reptile Rescue

Something in your post caught my attention..you want to trade out your invisible leopard gecko for a ball python display cage....Well, you will find a ball python can just be as invisible as a leopard gecko during the day.

If you are looking for a good display animal people can see during the day, I suggest radiated rat snakes (very active snakes, don't get too big and cool looking), any of the tree snakes (tree boa, tree python) even if they have attitude and are nippy, they are still very cool to see coiled on a branch all day..even if it doesn't move. Tiger rats are good too though they are big snakes, or at least in length, not much more girthy than a corn snake but I believe they reach bout 6 feet in length.

Day active lizards would be great display animals. Day geckos, Tokays, bearded dragons, and many others. It all really depends on how big of a cage you want to set up and if you want to do the extra work to make the cage a active vivarium (bioactive that is) or just a planted cage. Dart frogs are cool too, and don't need a large space, but being amphibians, their care needs are more specific.
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PHLdyPayne

Yeah, I know the BP will hide most of the time too, but here's the deal: I set up a very naturalistic vivarium for my leos. It was complete with rock ledges with soil behind the rocks, live plants, etc. The problem was, they were TOO comfortable. They made burrows under and between the rocks back into the soil. And they NEVER come out. I rarely even see them at night. They just sit in their burrows and wait for crickets to come to them. The real problem was though, that I couldn't even get to them when I needed to, without tearing the entire tank apart.

SO, I decided to move them to my rack, and put one of my balls in the living room for now. It's ok if she hides, but I'm not going to make the set up so elaborate that I can't get her out when I need to.

Oh, and I decided to just use cypress bedding for now. I started with the topsoil but I didn't like the way it was turning out. I may do it later. I'm actually planning to put a bearded dragon in that space as soon as I can come up with the scratch to build a nice enclosure worthy of the living room. Setups cost way more than beardies.

Thanks for all the info.

--scott
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0.10.0 Ball Pythons
0.1.1 Leopard Geckos
0.0.1 Egyptian Tortoise

tiger rats = 8 foot and some and 3 or 4 times as thick as a corn......they get alot bigger......be careful....

........
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US born and bred balls have less calories
US born and bred balls have less cholesteral
US born and bred balls lead to less hair loss for owner
US born and bred balls speak English also.....Yep