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Atrox substrate
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by StevenO on October 18, 2010
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What kind of substrate/cage furnishings do you guys use for your Atrox? Most my snakes are on cypress or aspen but since these snakes are from a fairly arid area i was wondering what would be best for them. I don't like paper or carpet.
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RE: Atrox substrate
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by venomrob on October 18, 2010
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I've always kept mine on playsand that you would use in a sandbox for kids. Mainly for the "natural" look of their surroundings. Just my preference.
Rob
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RE: Atrox substrate
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by Cro on October 18, 2010
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If you travel to the western states where western diamond-backed rattlesnakes are found, you will find that a large portion of the ground is made up of fine rock, not sand.
I am not sure why folks think sand is a natural substrate for the west ? Sand is natural on a beach, and in a very few western areas, like white sands, N.M., but even in deserts, you will find tiny grains of rock, not sand.
If you want a naturalistic substrate for your western diamond-backed rattlesnake, then use something like the natural small sized gravel mixes that can be found in pet stores in the aquarium section. Go with the lighter shades as they will better match the actual rock that is found out there.
Best Regards
John Z
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RE: Atrox substrate
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by StevenO on October 19, 2010
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This is kind of why I was asking. I'm not quite sure how best to replicate it. I was thinking of mixing a small amount of sand with a larger amount of very small rock and a little of the small pea stone. Would that make a fairly good replica? I'm from NC so I've only seen that type of landscape on 2 vacations and the movies.
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RE: Atrox substrate
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by Cro on October 19, 2010
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Yes, a mix like that could work well.
In the past, when I made western reptile collection trips to the western states, I would take a shovel, and bring back boxes of the local gravels, along with larger flat rocks, and things like dried cholla cactus skeletons.
Those helped construct naturalistic looking exhibits.
A lot of the rock structure in the west is Caliche, which is a sedimentary rock, and somewhat similar in looks to the lime stones that are found in areas like NW Georgia in the Lookout Mountain aria. Those light colored lime stones can be found in other areas in this part of the country, where caves are abundant. Although they are not made up of cemented particles like Caliche is, they often match the general coloration of the western minerals. You might want to check out areas like that in your state, as you could probably harvest gravel from a creek, and also flat stones for cage rocks.
Best Regards
John Z
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RE: Atrox substrate
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by agkistrodude on October 19, 2010
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Yes, you could also use it for any SW ssp.I would add that anytime I bring in something from outside, I either bake it at a couple hundred degrees for a couple hours or freeze it for a week or 2 to kill any bugs, parasites, etc. You don't want any unwelcome critters. Take care Marty
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RE: Atrox substrate
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by snakeguy101 on October 22, 2010
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I prefer the play sand mentioned before. Even though it may not be 100% natural, it looks nice and holds humidity about the same as the fine gravel would. It is also easier to clean and cheaper.
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RE: Atrox substrate
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by theemojohnm on October 22, 2010
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Gravels are the absolute most sanitary substrate type, and my all-time favorite. Gravels may be more expensive initially, but can easily be cleaned and reused, and will pay for themselves the first or second time the enclosure is cleaned.
For tropical enclosures it is easy to make a thick gravel bed. The inside of the cage can be misted, and any water (or urates and moisture from fecal matter)that contacts the surface of the gravel, will drain downward, pulling it away from the animal(s). But, since gravels absorb no water themselves, the surface of the gravel substrate bed will remain dry. (Which is essential for ANY snake, and is much more sanitary than a sand or soil substarte bed). This will still keep the humidity in the enclosure in the right parameters, especially when using heat pads. As the moisture will still exvaporate and humidify the enclosure, but you get the sanitation and the fact that it's surface will reamin nice and dry.
For desert setups, simply use less gravel, and limit how much water contacts it. (Obviously, no spraying)..
Sand/gravel mixtures can work well, and help to better replicate actual desert substrates, for those looking for a close natural match.
Also, gravel will not stick to a moist prey item like sands will. This limits the ammount of substrate that the animal(s) will ingest during feeding. (Most snakes can pass small bits of sand fairly easily, but it's always a bonus if it can be eliminated.
In my opinion, sand is only useful for extremely fossorial species, and gravel is FAR superior.
This article that I wrote some time back for another site may be useful:
http://www.venomousreptiles.org/forums/Experts/45042
It's a bit basic, but is a reminder of some key points to remember when designing a naturalistic display enclosure.
Take Care,
-John Mendrola
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