Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just put the boys back in natural terrariums, after a mostly gnat-free summer on paper towels. They're very thrilled and have already made their burrows. In response to a message posted in another forum, yes, it is a lot of work to sift out all the poo from these tanks. Sure, I could put them on aspen or keep them on paper towels to make my job easier... but since I have the time to scour the tanks every day, why not.

Lyle & Lyle's tank:

Erik & Erik's tank:

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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake (Eddie Gein)
0.0.2 Cornsnakes (Lyle & Erik Menendez)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Black Cat (Shadowfax)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan) (Deceased )
1.0 Tennessee Walking Horse (Durango)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

I think the natural terrarium looks sweet!!!, it would be to much space and too much work for me though. I'll stick with my rack and free recycled newspaper substrate, but too each their own, I do admire your set-up and I'm sure your snakes enjoy it.
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Jeff Benfer

1.0 pastel Python regius
1.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
1.3 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.2 double het albino and anerythristicThamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
2.2 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
0.2 het Christmas albino Thamnophis radix
1.1 double het cherry erythristic, albino Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 melanistic Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
1.1 triple heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 Okeetee Pantherophis guttatus

Hehe, I don't have anywhere NEAR the number of animals you do, or I certainly wouldn't have time to maintain it either. I started doing the natural terrariums mostly because I have a lot of houseplants that I also take care of and when I discovered which ones I could put in a tank with an animal, it worked out perfectly. The burrowing snakes actually aerate the soil for the plants. Because their poo is pretty massive and I don't have any of the microorganisms I would need for fecal matter to be broken down into the soil, I check the cages every day, sometimes twice or three times a day, to find all the poo.

It works for me. I only have four cages like this.
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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake (Eddie Gein)
0.0.2 Cornsnakes (Lyle & Erik Menendez)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Black Cat (Shadowfax)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan) (Deceased )
1.0 Tennessee Walking Horse (Durango)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)

I'm moving my corn to a naturalistic terrarium soon, so I was wondering if you could tell me:

Do you have any problems feeding in the tank (or do you take the snakes out to feed)? I'm worried about my guy ingesting some soil.

Should I invest in one of those poo shifters you see on sale at PetSmart and other places like that? Is looking for the poo kind of like sifting through a litter box?

Thanks in advance - your setup looks awesome and I hope mine will turn out looking/working half as nicely!

I have used a sifter that Clarence bought for the sand in the beardie's tank, occaisionally... but usually I just look thoroughly, then use a wad of papertowels and get the lump of poo and the surrounding soil out.

For feeding, I make sure I either have a log or flat rock that is free of substrate and place the mouse on it, then observe. If you're a little paranoid about it, or you don't have time to sit and watch them, just pull them out of the tank, stick 'em in one of the clear critter boxes with a lid, and let them eat in that. A few flecks of dirt aren't going to hurt a 4 foot snake, just make sure he doesn't get a mouthful or so.
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Holly

0.1 Lavender California Kingsnake (Lizzie Borden) (missing )
1.0 Florida Kingsnake (Eddie Gein)
0.0.2 Cornsnakes (Lyle & Erik Menendez)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Black Cat (Shadowfax)
1.0 Egyptian Arabian (Bagan) (Deceased )
1.0 Tennessee Walking Horse (Durango)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)