Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Was changing around my cages a bit and was wondering if top soil would be an ok substrate?
I am using it for some of my humidity loving geckos and was thinking about putting it in my rainbow boa's cage. Right now I currently am using a combo of aspen (as an overall bedding) with moss on one side to boost humidity. My BRB seems to spend most of the time on the mossy side and I personally think he might enjoy the soil quite a bit.

Just wondering before I switch him over if it would be an ok substrate to use...
Thanks!
Charlotte

Not a good idea. Even if it were packaged you could not be sure that it didn't contain chemicals, harmful decaying organic matter, fungal spores, insect larvae, and who knows what else. Okay to use substrates of organic natures like sphagnum moss have a low ph and I think cypress does as well. I don't know if it really matters, but soil ph will vary and it may be harmful. Even if the geckos do well with it, I wouldn't even consider it for my rainbows.

Maybe you could get by with a soil-less potting media, but I wouldn't ever want to clean it out. The particles are way too small.

Linda

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