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LIVE SOIL
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by pictigaster1 on December 3, 2008
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Would like to know about using bio active soil /isopods or other natural items in a habitat for hog nose vipers.There was a thread a while back but I cant find it.
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RE: LIVE SOIL
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by theemojohnm on December 6, 2008
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Archie, I personally have experimented with this a bit, and it ties directly into perhaps the only subject am I far more educated in than reptiles, saltwater reef aquariums...
I have my own methods of harvesting my own natural decor from the wild and eliminating parasites. In the past 4 years, I may have had a mite outbreak once or twice, due only to introduced specimens to my collection. I can honestly say that I have NEVER had any problems which I can conclude came from my techniques to safely prepare "natural" substrate, moss, rocks, branches, etc...
I used to use the living, bio-active substrate in amphibian tanks, with many live plants, but rarely ever use it for single or multi-specimen cages anymore. But, it certainly can be done.
And, if done correctly, with help to break down natural wastes that the animal(s) produce. It is a bit of work to get started (much the same way you would "cycle" an aquarium), but is very useful for large exhibits. I speculated that many zoos do this without even realizing it, as it is a natural process.
Email me at JohnMendrola@yahoo.com, and I can explain what is needed, and how to get the nitrate/nitrite cycle started.
PS:
Philippe de Vosjoli wrote a book entitled “The Art Of Keeping Snakes”, and is considered the inventor of the BSS, or the “Bio-Active Substrate System“. It honestly is not the best book, but it looks almost exclusively at the “naturalistic approach” to setting up enclosures. Personally, I set up every one of my enclosures as naturally as I can, and use a lot of décor I can find in the back yard (after taking my proven “parasite safety measures“, of course). Well before this book came out, I had been using the EXACT same method, that Vosjoli based this book on. But, it is a n interesting read. Not the best snake book, because it is constantly “off-track”, relating to “his” BSS method. I can send you this book if you would be interested in it. But my own experimentation with this method proves to be just as comprehensive as Vosjoli’s approach.
Take Care,
~John Mendrola
(Pennsylvania Woodland Herpetological).
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RE: LIVE SOIL
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by choppergreg74 on December 7, 2008
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I use cypress mulch in most of my enclosures. However I place it in a plastic shoe box and microwave it for a miniute and a half. Even though I do this. I can still find som wood lice a week or two later. They are so minute one would not recognise them. They look like small white or grey paper lice in a note book. In my 20 something years of keeping reptiles they never bothered a reptile. My branches I take from outside. I go out a couple of times a year and cut nice big branches or logs, and put them in a 55 gallon garbage pail with a no pest strip for 2 weeks. I also leave the pail open a crack. To prevent moisture. With leaves I wet them and microwave them for 30 seconds. Becareful not to get burned. And dry ones go on fire. If you select isopods by hand from the yard, I think that would be fine. But you still need to clean the enclosure. These isopods wont keep bacteria levels down totaly. In fact they may make cleaning harder. Infact with snakes they may bother them by crawling in them. I would not like that sensation. My friend has a giant Water Monitor. He lives in his garage. The enclosure is as big as the garage. It has big Anderson sliding windows as doors. He uses isopods. In my opinion they dont make a great diffrence. But they cause no harm either.
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RE: LIVE SOIL
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by pictigaster1 on December 7, 2008
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Im no newcomer to a natural setup.I have been doing this for over 30 years.I have kept salt reefs and at one time was a major producer of soft corals.Greg I do not like cypress very much,tho at times I use it.John you had some good imput I will email you later on this subject.I was just a little bored with my sterile method of keeping most of my snakes.I have so many hognose vipers thatI thought I might try something new. Rob had talked on this subject a time back.I do appreciate all who have given me imput on this subject and would like more.Bio active soil just fascinated me .I am almost sure I have done this before when I kept mantilas .THANKS TO ALL .ARCHIE
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