Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have some vivarium questions and i can't find the answers on the net, cuz most vivarium people are frog owners who don't care in the least about mold. I emailed a zoo or two and i don't think they are going to respond. does anyone know anyone who works in a zoo? (hopefully the denver zoo so i could talk to them in person)
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-Jasmine

1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
(Mercutio and Kajika)

works at a zoo if I remember correctly. he just moved to Alexandria La to work in their zoo there.

What is it you are wanting to know about mold?

ROb
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For Sale cheap: One (1) 6' 19 yr old male. Does no house work. Has no job and will complain. Constantly.
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa-Ziggy
1.0 Creamscicle motley corn--Cozmo
0.1 Creamscicle corn--Wanda
0.0.1 Normal corn
0.1 Black Pine - Spazz
1.0 Eastern King-Ozy
1.0 Bearded Dragon - Gomer

mold in substrate. I have been experimenting with different substrates, trying to see which ones don't mold and i haven't found any yet. my straight cocobark substrate didn't mold for months, so I thought it wouldn't, but i was expecting to have to change the substrate anyway cuz of the set up i had for my plants. anyway the cocobark did end up molding pretty badly when i didn't drain it for a few days (out of town). and i suspect it would have molded soon anyways because cocobark holds water so well, and if it being slightly more soggy caused so much mold, than with the standard amount of wetness in the substrate it wouldn't have been long till it would have molded regardless of draining. I have been using fans but that doesn't make a difference when the problem starts in the substrate. my next experiment will be Rex Lee Searcey's mix from the most recent issue of reptiles I don't think it will work, because leaf litter and orchid bark mold like crazy. but there was a snake in there so that's the only reason i'm trying it. i am starting to feel like it can't be done. at first i just thought i would change the substrate for the plants and for any mold growth every few months. but its such a pain and that's not how vivariums work, and i know it can be done, cuz it's done in zoos. and i am about to give up and just keep my snakes in ugly racks, cuz i don't want to change the entire cage out every few months. below is the substrate formula i will try next that i don't think will work. i'm keeping kajika in a temporary cage for the time being.

(2 parts partially composted leaves. (Partially composted leaves consist of the dead leaf litter in various states of decomposition found around the base of trees and scrubs. The best kinds of leaves for this are live [scrub] oak, alder, elm, birch, aspen, poplar, beech, apple, ash, holly and privet.)
2 parts medium grade orchid bark, Xerimulch or similar bark product
1 part ground coconut husk fiber (coir), or ½ part coconut husk fiber and ½ part ground palm)
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-Jasmine

1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
(Mercutio and Kajika)

I live in Loveland and work in Longmont. If you are from the Denver area, did you get your BRB's locally? If so when/where?

In answer to your question though, I don't know anyone that works at the zoo. You may try contacting the Colorado Herp Society though, I believe they meet at the Denver zoo, some of the members may work there too.

Milo

Reason I ask about your BRB's is that I've been giving my litters of non-morph rosys, normal redtails and BRB's from the last couple of years to a reptile store with multiple locations throughout Denver. Just curious if you could have any of my previous years babies.
Milo

no, I live in a small town named Ouray, it's by Telluride and about 6 hours away from denver. I'm just in denver for the weekend but it would be awesome to meet someone else on the forum, and see ur animals! I'm only free today but you can call me if you feel like showing off ur rainbows. 970-301-3924 (ask for Jasmine)
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-Jasmine

1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
(Mercutio and Kajika)

i only bought one locally, i bought my first one from jeff clark, i bought my second one from the denver reptile show, and my third brazilian and my first peruvian from brian hummel. (paid for, but have not received yet, i'll post pics of my hummel babies as soon as i get them)
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-Jasmine

1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
(Mercutio and Kajika)

Hey I work at the Alexandria Zoo in Alexandria Louisiana. We use cypress mulch for most of our cages and other enclosures. I have not had any mold problems. Just stay away from pine and cedar bark.
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1.1 Motley het butter corns
0.1 Snow corn
0.1 Okeetee corn
1.0 Anery mutt corn
0.1 Stripe Ghost corn
0.1 Amelanistic corn het carmel
2.1 Colombian Redtails
1.0 Hypo Colombian redtail
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Anery Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Normal Kenyan sand boa

just cypress mulch? nothing else? are these planted enclosures? how well do the plants respond to this substrate?
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-Jasmine

1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
(Mercutio and Kajika)

you can try putting down stuff like top soil and plant in that and then put cypress mulch over the soil.
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1.1 Motley het butter corns
0.1 Snow corn
0.1 Okeetee corn
1.0 Anery mutt corn
0.1 Stripe Ghost corn
0.1 Amelanistic corn het carmel
2.1 Colombian Redtails
1.0 Hypo Colombian redtail
1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Anery Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Normal Kenyan sand boa

yeah, i've tied that with no success, I think I need to just have a thinner substrate and more springtails. I am in denver this weekend so i got to see their snake vivariums(lame!, my FIRST viv was better than theirs, but they make up for it in awesome animals, no rainbows, but i did see a squamigera and a boeleons python(sp?)) and that's what they did(what you suggested), i think mine didn't work just cuz you can't get much airation in a substrate that's a foot deep. so i'm just gonna rebuild it with a 2inch substrate.
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-Jasmine

1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
(Mercutio and Kajika)