Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Vermiculite is getting harder and harder to find around where I live (central Florida). I see Rainer uses Perlite in post below. What are some preferences on Vermic or Perlite? Has anyone here used HatchRite for colubrids? I know many Python breeders use it.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

>>Vermiculite is getting harder and harder to find around where I live (central Florida). I see Rainer uses Perlite in post below. What are some preferences on Vermic or Perlite? Has anyone here used HatchRite for colubrids? I know many Python breeders use it.
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>>King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
>> J Sierra

Perlite works just as well....
I remember folks using Damp Moss or Damp Paper Towels with success.......It really doesn't matter what you use just as long as the temperature and humidity is correct.....

Hatchrite is overrated and expensive when all you need is perlite.....
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John Lassiter
Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part...
www.coastalbendcaptivebreeding.com

I use pearlite also with no problems. Visually it looks nicer because it it white.. but that has no bearing on anything.

But don't get your hopes up because it is getting harder and harder to find it with out added chemicals in it. Last year my usual spots only had the kind with fertilizer.
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"The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think. Oh by the way, which ones pink?"

Yeah I noticed that also1 The perlite I find has added fertilizer.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

I sent you pm with a link to where to get this online. I am not having any trouble finding the 3.5 Cu. ft. bags of asbestos and fertilizer free vermiculite at my local Lowes, but I am in California. I use this to hatch lizards and crickets. I use Perlite for starting cuttings of plants. The only issue I have with vermiculite in hatching lizards is it does tend to get on the babies when they come out of the egg but it falls right off and does no harm.

Thanks I'll check my PM. I have found it on E-bay but the shipping can add quite a bit to the price.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

I can't find the pm, Here is my e-mail> a153fish@aol.com, thanks again.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

Am emailing you the link now.

Perlite is superior in my opinion because it does not mold like vermiculite and it has more breathabity (aka airflow) and is easier (more forgiving) with water % mixture. With vermiculite you have to squueze the wter out to get the correct ratio.

the bad thing about perlite is the ones most easily avliable have miracle grow. Best to find a nursery and pre order the pure stuff. It is cheap at $20. for a HUGE bag.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

You can get the 3.5 cu.ft. bag of perlite at Lowes as well.
Does anyone know if perlite would work for hatching cricket eggs? Perlite is a bit cheaper than vermiculite. The medium has to be able to stay moist near the top as the crickets don't lay their eggs very deep. Guess I will experiment.

Careful that the perlite from Home Depot or lowes does nopt have Miracle grow@ additive. Everytime i look i can't find it there in pure form.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

I bought some a long while back there too without really looking at the bags good first when I was in a "pinch" to get more quickly, then fortunately later on read the "miracle-gro" additive label on it. Needless to say, that got saved for planting ONLY..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Therm-O-Rock 3.5 Cu. Ft. Perlite does not have the additive. It is pure.
http://www.thermorock.com/perlite.htm
If you get the little Miracle grow bag by mistake you of course get the fertilizer.

Perlite looks like little balls of styrofoam. Does it actually absorb water or does the water sit below the Perlite and just keep the hunidity high?
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

The water goes into all the porous material of the perlite.

I personally like to use about a 1:4 ratio of perlite to vermiculite. "1" being the perlite to keep the medium nice and loose and airated. It can be done any number of different ways, but I like this way myself. I also prefer course grained vermiculite, but most you can even find now is the fine. My buddy got a HUGE bag of course grain from somewhere though. I need to check into exactly where he got it one day.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

I did find some nice course Vermic on ebay but the larger the bag the more the shipping is.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

LOL!,...yeah, the stuff certainly doesn't weigh anything, so alot of it is BIGGG!..LOL!

Man!, Many years ago, the construction company I used to work for had literally HUNDREDS of huge bags of the stuff that we poured down every single block cell before we formed the tie-beam of this giant multi-million dollar home to insulate it with.

That stuff got blown all over the place in the slightest wind, and was stuck all over us because of us pouring sweat in the summer. We had to wear masks to keep from breathing the crap in too.

Sure hated the stuff back then as insulation, but sure wish I still had tons of it lying around like back then at the construction site. You could barely get your arms around these monster bags..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

I had to get a new battery for my wife's toyota and the thing came packed in a box full of large grain vermiculite. I still have some for this year, but not enough.

Who would have thought that your battery would have came with free snake egg incubating substrate?..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

A few years ago a number of zoos started switching to perlite. I've talked to several keepers who feel the coarse nature of perlite allows for better air circulation to the part of the egg that's buried, thereby creating a better hatch rate. I've been using it for awhile now and I like it.

Tim

Third Eye

A few years ago a number of zoos started switching to perlite. I've talked to several keepers who feel the coarse nature of perlite allows for better air circulation to the part of the egg that's buried, thereby creating a better hatch rate. I've been using it for awhile now and I like it.

I used vermiculaite for years to. Then when i switched to perlite, it is foolproof. The vermiculite cuases fungus and nasty growth on my eggs.

Also with perlite i don't measure water ratios or anything. it is way forgiving. Whereas perlite you have to get the right ratios.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

you can find it at most any store that sells gas log fireplaces...
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