Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I can use any of these to incubate eggs. I know I can use Coconut Fiber for the substrate but can I use the other two as a substrate?

Perlite is really white and I like white bottom.

Vermiculite is more fine than Coconut Fiber.
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I will be back!

Don't use vermiculite or perlite as substrates. Both have a lot of fine fragments that tend to stick to lizards and food items and they don't break down. These could lead to impaction over time. Many lizards also seem to confuse perlite with calcium and will ingest large quantities. Several years ago I had to remove a potted plant from my al tank because some of the babies were picking the grains of perlite out of the substrate and eating them.

-Alice

Thanks for that info!
I'm actually planning to add spider plants to my lizard tanks - I'll try to use perlite free potting mixture.

I used vermiculite for my cal kings to lay in this year - never again, they got it all over themselves, all in their water dishes, very hard to clean them off properly.
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11.14 L. getula californiae (Cal. King)
2.3 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 L. getula floridana (Brooksi)
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
4.2.14 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata - (Cal. Alligator Lizard)

So are you going back to coconut fiber next time? I notice and you mention this before, but the coconut fiber stains the eggs. Do you think this might be a hazardous sign?
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I will be back!

I'm still going to use vermiculite to hatch eggs.
Just not as nesting material for the mothers to lay in.

I will use coconut fiber and moss as the laying substrate.

Egg staining isn't a big deal.
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11.14 L. getula californiae (Cal. King)
2.3 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 L. getula floridana (Brooksi)
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
4.2.14 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata - (Cal. Alligator Lizard)

Funky,

Do you use natural moss or are they plastic moss? Will really natural moss introduce any type of parasites?
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I will be back!

The moss I use is pre-packaged natural moss from the pet store.
I suppose it is possible such moss may include some bugs in it, but I doubt any that are harmful to the reptiles. I've never heard of the pre-packaged moss containing stuff harmful to reptiles.
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11.14 L. getula californiae (Cal. King)
2.3 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 L. getula floridana (Brooksi)
1.1 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
0.1 Heterodon nasicus nasicus (W Hognose)
4.2.14 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata - (Cal. Alligator Lizard)

Thank You, that is good info to know and that is why I asked.
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I will be back!

What over substrate can you use? I heard Funky mention wood chips.

My lizards eat crickets and sometime they digest coconut fiber with it. I asked this question before but is it safe and will it cause impaction?
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I will be back!

coconut fiber is safe for them to ingest.
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11.14 L. getula californiae (Cal. King)
2.3 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 L. getula floridana (Brooksi)
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
4.2.14 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata - (Cal. Alligator Lizard)