Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What substrates do you use?
-Phil
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Work is the curse
of the drinking class!

Hey Phil,

I use aspen, just like all my ohter milks. They seem to do well on it. I have also kept them on newspaper without problem in the past.

Dave
DNS Reptiles

I use Keeper's Choice cypress mulch... the big bags are usually pretty cheap at shows, it looks good, the snakes seem to like it, it holds moisture well without rotting, and you gotta love that hypo-erythristic Sinaloan logo.

Nate

Philbert!!!

When i HAD them many moons ago I used a combination of shredded aspen and cypress mulch (holds a bit of moisture given their natural range containing cooler/moister habitat). But they seem to be very deliberate and aren't finicky like most wives. They also like the occasional multicincta as a snack, so be on your toes. lol......

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Jerry Kruse

"Yesterday is history.....tomorrow is a mystery.........but today is a gift -- that is why it is called the present". - Master Oogway

I use newspaper with mine. Unfortunately, it seems that after every time I clean the cage they proceed to defecate almost immediately!

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Joe

Joe, did you learn that gaigeae holding technique from Niles? It seems to be in vogue lately, lol.... Nice snake. How's that amel Ltt?
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Jerry Kruse

"Yesterday is history.....tomorrow is a mystery.........but today is a gift -- that is why it is called the present". - Master Oogway

They seem to be easier to handle than most triangulum when it comes to photo time. Here's another similar one of the same female from about a year ago, I need some better lighting though.

The Ltt is doing very well, hopefully hets next year, if not definitely 2010.
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Joe

So much for the black snakes -- boils down to Nigrita, nigra, mussuranas, the occasional mel thayeri, hog, and garter, gaigeae, and couperi. The latter two being my faves.....
I had my gaigeae back in the 90's and were from an awesome guy named Al Zulich. Wish I still had 'em sometimes....and they never missed a meal unless in shed.

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Jerry Kruse

"Yesterday is history.....tomorrow is a mystery.........but today is a gift -- that is why it is called the present". - Master Oogway

Not familiar with that one Jerry. What is that? I know it is not but its head looks like a black tailed cribo. (drymarchon corais)

Verrrry close. E. indigo. How's the weather down there? Nice snow we had last night, but just a coating. Good hot cocoa weather. Now for snowmen and dog sledding......

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Jerry Kruse

"Yesterday is history.....tomorrow is a mystery.........but today is a gift -- that is why it is called the present". - Master Oogway

Brumating weather!!

Snow bunny weather......BULLY!!!!! Boy are we wayy off topic....LOL.....but I always say: what cold water does to us fellas makes up for what cold weather does to a snow bunny in a constricting sweater.....i know Patton or Howie will jump in on this....wait for it.......wait for it.......
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Jerry Kruse

"Yesterday is history.....tomorrow is a mystery.........but today is a gift -- that is why it is called the present". - Master Oogway

Jerry, you kill me man! Wait for it! W a i t f o r it ! ! ! !
-Phil
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Work is the curse
of the drinking class!

Just read the post from yesterday. Guess it is not hard to see that I have never seen a baby indigo!! Man, don't go snake hunting with me, you might be bitten by a eastern diamondback that I called a pine snake!! Ha Ha.

Joe, it sounds like you need a little spring herping weather
to kick in. LOL!!! I think the cabin feaver is getting to you.
-Phil
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Work is the curse
of the drinking class!

Its killing me!!! I have some new good spots and cannot do anything!!! ARGGGGGGG! Maybe if I get a shovel and start digging close to some rock piles!!

I use newspaper also. To me it is the cheapest and easiest thing to use. Buddy.

I use shredded aspen for most of my colubrids
and cypress mulch for my arboreal Boidae.
The problem I have with aspen is that it is to dry
for Gaigeae, yet the cypress that I get is too
dense for them to burrow through. Back when
I used to work with geckos I used coconut fiber.
I'm thinking of trying a mixture of coconut fiber
and cypress, but I was wondering what other people
used as well. Thanks for the input.
-Phil
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Work is the curse
of the drinking class!

Hey Phil,
I use newspaper with both a moist and dry hide. I use a plastic container just big enough for the snake to squeeze into, and I use moist paper towels. They stay in the moist hide a good deal of the time. I change out the paper towels and sterilize the containers 1x per week.

I like aspen for other snakes, but my gaigeae go nuts when they eat and I don't want them picking up any aspen as they slam their mice around.

My favorite snakes by far Man.

Michael

Hey Mike,
It's great to here from you again!
I'm still working on getting a decent
rhombomaculata collection going.
How's your's doing? How are those
Scarlet/Coastals? that you found this last season
working out for you? They sound like an exciting
project no matter what they are.
I hope you and your's have an awesome holiday
season!
-Phil
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Work is the curse
of the drinking class!

Hey Phil,
Good to hear from you too.

I have released, given away, or sold everything that I was keeping except for 2.2 black milks and 1.1 andeans. Work responsibilities and new hobbies (fighting, fishing, etc.) have forced me to take a step back and look at what I was keeping and how much time I was putting into the snakes. Decided to narrow down my collection to the snakes that I just couldn't live without.

I'm still planning on hitting the field a good bit in April and May this year, including a couple trips to the NC coast and maybe the sandhills, but will likely spend more time taking photos vs. collecting.

Talk to you later,

Michael