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Sand or not???

P

poshey22

New member
Just wondering what s the best thing i can use for the bottom of my tank 4 my corn???? they have sand down the end of them in our local pet shop.. is that good or bad??? what could i use??? wood bark, stones like in a fish tank???? need that help thanx
 
use Aspen shavings. Other woods are toxic to corns, and sand is a no-no.

You should also get and read Kathy Love's Corn Snake Manual. It's got all kinds of important info. :)
 
Sandra, I see you didn't waste any time adding that signature line at the bottom! WOOHOO!
 
how come??

how come sand is a no-no???? they use it in my local pet store.. what will it do 2 the corn??? is bark ok 4 the tank and stones that u use 4 fish tanks mix them like??
 
Re: how come??

poshey22 said:
how come sand is a no-no???? they use it in my local pet store..
Click to expand...

Sadly Poshey, that just shows how little most pet stores know about herps.
 
Sand, unless it is heat sterilized, can hold a wide variety of bacteria and fungus. It can also be very dangerous if you feed your snake on it (swallowing sand is a big NO NO). Sand is also very difficult to keep clean. Fish tank gravel can also be very difficult to keep clean. If you want to have a small part of your snake's tank covered in this, fine IMO, as long as you completely clean/sterilize it or replace it when dirty. Also watch feeding on it (swallowing a stone is also a bid NO NO). Aspen or other made for reptiles bedding material is fine, but again, don't feed on it since ANYTHING foreign being swallowed is a big NO NO. My personal favorite material, due to the number of snake tanks I have, ease of use and cost, is just plain newspaper. Not as fancy to look at, but suits me fine. Bark, depending on what kind and how clean/sterile it is may be okay to help decorate an otherwise plain tank.
 
Poshey i have aspen chips in MR LEE's tank it allows him to burrow very easily and allows for eays clean up of fecal matter left behind from him. its neat when he just comes from nowhere to feed on his prey . and when he strikes then coils up his victim he just as easily slithers hisself right out of the chips. the feeding factor on the chips is a concern but till i get his big tank ready i leave him to do what he has proved 2 be able 2 do . like i said b4 he kills then moves off the prey and aligns hisself nose 2 nose with it and takes it in and slightly picks it up off the chips. knock on wood should have his big house reday in bout 2 weeks got the glass gotta get the aluminum angle to wrap the base and top
 
I've also heard sand can be quite drying and irritable for your snake. I keep my babies (less than a year old) on paper towels and have the older guys on hemp bedding (kida like woodchip). I'll be changing all of them onto paper soon as it cheaper, safer if you feed in tank, and easier to clean. Feeding in tank with any other substrate is just asking for trouble, no matter what your snake has 'proved' it can do!?!? I also agree that it just goes to show how uneducated pet stores are if they are keeping corns on sand. If I were you I'd go somewhere else to buy your snake.
 
Then I guess it's up to you to try to educate the people (or at least one person) at the pet store. Be nice and very tactful. Make suggestions, don't tell them outright they're wrong, and give plenty of reasons why your suggestions will improve the snakes' over-all health, and definately mention why it would be better for business to have healthy snakes. If possible, volunteer to help set the snakes up properly. Remind them that a satisfied customer will keep coming back and recommend them to others. A dissatisfied customer will not return and will tell EVERYBODY not to go there.
 
Poshey, you can get snakes on the net...try Phil Drapers site at ecorep.co.uk (or maybe .com I can't remember) or Hawg n Herp. There are many online breeders who ship to Ireland. The snakes you buy will be of better health, quality and are cheaper than 150 euro (depending on what you buy). Obviously, you'll have to pay shipping too.
 
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