Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For bedding do you recommend ZooMed Repti Sand or ZooMed Aspen Snake Bedding? For heating, should I put a piece of rock or slate directly under the heat lamp? Which heat bulb should i get for a 40 gallon, and how long should I leave the heat lamp on (12hrs)? Should I use a ceramic heat lamp or an undertank heater?

40 gal tanks are tall - you would be using lots of power to heat the cage floor from a bulb above. And sandboas pretty much only use the heat on the cage floor.

If you want to use a bulb, ceramics do the best job. Snakes do great under ceramic bulbs. They are able to thermoregulate better than with any other type of heater. But you would need 60 watts (plus a dimmer) to do what an 8-watt heat pad could do. So in this case, I would consider the heat pad option.

Substrates: Sandboas will do well on anything. I like krinkled Kraft paper or newspaper for boids (uline.com). Sandboas love to hide in and under paper with their noses sticking out of the edge waiting to ambush the next thawed rodent being dragged by.

I find aspen too dusty, but I am in the minority, as most keepers use aspen. Sand is fine for the snake (conducts heat well, stays cooler in hot weather) but gets all over everything so is tough on the keeper. Some folks use Care Fresh or the other many paper by-products. All of those can work. I still find paper sheets the best with undertank heat and fat boids.
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Mark

Thanks. I will get a 30 gallon, with sand and an under tank heater.

I am using aspen, but dont really like it that much.

Anyone out there using aquarium pea gravel? I used it years ago and used to wash it (w/ 10% bleach) to keep it clean. I remember liking it because it created a more even heat gradient and was not prone to being eating along with the mice. Buts its been a while and that memory could be off

Vinny
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“There is a grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that whilst this planet has gone on cycling according to the fixed laws of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” -C. Darwin, 1859

Natural Selection Reptiles

I tried it. The pea-sized gets smelly fast, since liquids pass right through it and cannot be seen.

The better gravel is the more sandy type. The grains are large enough to not stick to everything like play sand does, but small enough to clump when the snake defecates. Certain stores carry it. I think it is also sold as sandblasting sand.

I ended up using my mixture of Sani-Chip and dry pine in place of gravel. If you want to use gravel, do look for the smaller grain type (basically very large grain sand).
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Mark

Vinny,
I used fine sand for a colony of Eryx conicus for 20 years with newborns to adults and never had any issues. After millions of years on sandy soils, their systems have evolved to deal with it and can pass small quantities with absolutely no issues. I also believe they feel more secure under it than shavings or gravel, and newborns will start feeding more readily on sand than with any other substrate.

Kelly