Need Suggestions For Substrate

[kormath]

Eco earth is kinda dry and dusty, I dont care for the consistency so I moved away from it some time ago. I do like potting soil, and jungle mix, which is fir peat but it does have bark in it. You can even get splinters running your fingers through it, which some folks may not like.. But it feels like and looks like forest floor to me, and mixes well with both clay and potting soil. I think the bits of bark seperate the soil and allow moisture to spread well, plus it looks good. Thats some fine looking dirt.

i mix a bit of water with mine if i'm in a pinch and can't mix the eco earth with something else. that takes away the dry/dusty part. Thing i don't like with that though is it dries out faster than peat or soil, and then it shrinks and forms a hard brick you can't do much with but throw it over the balcony rail and watch it explode on the patio

Never had a problem with eco-earth if i mixed it with soil or peat.

 

[IamKrush]

There's another type of "eco earth" thats suppose to be better then it. Ill post link once i find it

 

[IamKrush]

http://www.herptopia.com

 

[kormath]

Only difference i can see between the 2 is Herptopia is made in Missouri, Eco Earth is made in Sri Lanka. The price page won't load for me, so i can't check that. Eco earth is cheap though, $12.99 for 24qt. That's 6 times the amount of what Herptopia is listed on Amazon for ($10.50ish with shipping for 4qt bag, only 1 in stock) and i haven't found any other place to buy it.

I think i'll stick with Eco Earth.

 

[IamKrush]

Only difference i can see between the 2 is Herptopia is made in Missouri, Eco Earth is made in Sri Lanka. The price page won't load for me, so i can't check that. Eco earth is cheap though, $12.99 for 24qt. That's 6 times the amount of what Herptopia is listed on Amazon for ($10.50ish with shipping for 4qt bag, only 1 in stock) and i haven't found any other place to buy it.

I think i'll stick with Eco Earth.

Gotta check reviews. From what ive seen the herptopia is less dusty and holds water but not drippy like eco earth. Ihave not tried it yet. But will pick some up once i run out of eco earth which i still have like 6 3packs of stil

 

[kormath]

Gotta check reviews. From what ive seen the herptopia is less dusty and holds water but not drippy like eco earth. Ihave not tried it yet. But will pick some up once i run out of eco earth which i still have like 6 3packs of stil

7 reviews for herptopia vs hundreds for eco earth. they almost all say the same thing, absorbs well, no odors, better than mulch they've been using for their snakes or lizards

 

[MassExodus]

I forgot to mention the smell. Potting soil and jungle mix have that nice fresh earthy dirt smell, I love that smell. Eco earth, meh, not so much..I have a tendency to inhale a deep breath of it when I open their enclosures. That's how my little genic haired me once and I inhaled it..

 

[IamKrush]

I forgot to mention the smell. Potting soil and jungle mix have that nice fresh earthy dirt smell, I love that smell. Eco earth, meh, not so much..I have a tendency to inhale a deep breath of it when I open their enclosures. That's how my little genic haired me once and I inhaled it..

 

[kormath]

I forgot to mention the smell. Potting soil and jungle mix have that nice fresh earthy dirt smell, I love that smell. Eco earth, meh, not so much..I have a tendency to inhale a deep breath of it when I open their enclosures. That's how my little genic haired me once and I inhaled it..

that's why i mix the peat moss in, get that fresh earthy smell like diggin a hole in your back yard after the thaw is over.

 

[MassExodus]

View attachment 22410

Ahhahah! Perfect.

 

[kormath]

Got a bag of the Herptopia substrate. Much more coarse than the eco earth, and lots more fibrous, really rough scratchy feel to it also. Only thing I can come up with as comparison is this sub is like wearing burlap for a t-shirt, and eco earth is a Hanes tagless.

Few pics of it.

Close up

In the enclosure.

I tried mixing in some peat moss but it just sifts to the bottom except for the larger chunks like this substrate.

Not impressed with it. Rehoused my LP in it this afternoon. Here he is with the cosmetic jar I got as a water dish.

He seems ok with it, he ate shortly after being rehoused.

 

[IamKrush]

Got a bag of the Herptopia substrate. Much more coarse than the eco earth, and lots more fibrous, really rough scratchy feel to it also. Only thing I can come up with as comparison is this sub is like wearing burlap for a t-shirt, and eco earth is a Hanes tagless.

Few pics of it.

Close up
View attachment 22553

In the enclosure.
View attachment 22554

I tried mixing in some peat moss but it just sifts to the bottom except for the larger chunks like this substrate.
View attachment 22555

Not impressed with it. Rehoused my LP in it this afternoon. Here he is with the cosmetic jar I got as a water dish.
View attachment 22556

He seems ok with it, he ate shortly after being rehoused.

Interesting. Maybe its better for reptiles then?

 

[MassExodus]

I always feel its necessary to mention that flat stones are great toppers for any substrate. My gbb has a huge boulder he loves to perch on. They love rocks, and naturalistic cover. Rocks, clay, sand, the inch or two of gravel in the bottom of the moist enclosures, all of that makes for a heavy enclosure though, so noobs be warned. My two stirmi enclosures are quite hefty. My H paucidens has clay, bricks and rocks in a ten gallon standard aquarium. I know many folks worry about falling injuries with rocks but ive never had the problem. Plus they look awesome all webbed up Im working on desert sand and clay terrariums for my newest Brachypelmas. Fake cactus, clay caves, rocky hills, should be fun.

 

[IamKrush]

I always feel its necessary to mention that flat stones are great toppers for any substrate. My gbb has a huge boulder he loves to perch on. They love rocks, and naturalistic cover. Rocks, clay, sand, the inch or two of gravel in the bottom of the moist enclosures, all of that makes for a heavy enclosure though, so noobs be warned. My two stirmi enclosures are quite hefty. My H paucidens has clay, bricks and rocks in a ten gallon standard aquarium. I know many folks worry about falling injuries with rocks but ive never had the problem. Plus they look awesome all webbed up Im working on desert sand and clay terrariums for my newest Brachypelmas. Fake cactus, clay caves, rocky hills, should be fun.

I heard sand is no good. Tho ive seen people us rock at the very bottom for a drainage. you have said you had success with the clay material . How big of an enclouser are you useing with the clay?

 

[IamKrush]

I always feel its necessary to mention that flat stones are great toppers for any substrate. My gbb has a huge boulder he loves to perch on. They love rocks, and naturalistic cover. Rocks, clay, sand, the inch or two of gravel in the bottom of the moist enclosures, all of that makes for a heavy enclosure though, so noobs be warned. My two stirmi enclosures are quite hefty. My H paucidens has clay, bricks and rocks in a ten gallon standard aquarium. I know many folks worry about falling injuries with rocks but ive never had the problem. Plus they look awesome all webbed up Im working on desert sand and clay terrariums for my newest Brachypelmas. Fake cactus, clay caves, rocky hills, should be fun.

Also what are you going to be using on that set up ypu just explained?

 

[MassExodus]

The klassi, boehmei and smithi are getting a sand/excavator clay mix, hevy on the clay, with a very small amount of jungle mix and gravel thrown in. I'll be using balloons to make multiple tunnels and caves, and using a heavier clay concentration to form hills, valleys and cliffs. Plus fake desert vegetation, some wood and a skull half buried. Ten gallon tanks, i think 20 is overkill for a Brachy

 

[IamKrush]

I hope you share some photos when you have things set up. Sounds interesting

 

[MassExodus]

I hope you share some photos when you have things set up. Sounds interesting

I will for sure. Im already picking up good looking rocks around work. Finding a lot of latrodectus too for some reason. Winters over, soon its going to be A. moderatum hunting season. Im hoping to have a plumbers cable camera by then.

 

[kormath]

I always feel its necessary to mention that flat stones are great toppers for any substrate. My gbb has a huge boulder he loves to perch on. They love rocks, and naturalistic cover. Rocks, clay, sand, the inch or two of gravel in the bottom of the moist enclosures, all of that makes for a heavy enclosure though, so noobs be warned. My two stirmi enclosures are quite hefty. My H paucidens has clay, bricks and rocks in a ten gallon standard aquarium. I know many folks worry about falling injuries with rocks but ive never had the problem. Plus they look awesome all webbed up Im working on desert sand and clay terrariums for my newest Brachypelmas. Fake cactus, clay caves, rocky hills, should be fun.

Yeah i like the look of rocks in there also. I wasn't sure what i wanted to put into the LP's new home so i left it open for options once the 5ft of snow melts off the shale hill behind my house i'll run over there and get a few to put into these larger enclosures. Also i'm going to go on a few skull/bone/antler searches this spring, see if i can find any skulls out there from squirrels or other small animals to use as decoration.

 

[IamKrush]

Yeah i like the look of rocks in there also. I wasn't sure what i wanted to put into the LP's new home so i left it open for options once the 5ft of snow melts off the shale hill behind my house i'll run over there and get a few to put into these larger enclosures. Also i'm going to go on a few skull/bone/antler searches this spring, see if i can find any skulls out there from squirrels or other small animals to use as decoration.

I have a squirrl skull some where. Unless i gave to as a gift to someone.