Eco eath substrate?

[Radix97]

Havent been on the forum for a while!
:D

I saw in the garter snake care sheet that you cant use dirt from
outside but im just wondering your opinion on zoomed eco eath.
I dont see any problems with it if its not from outside.

[guidofatherof5]

I think there are a number of members that use it. Don't myself.

[Selkielass]

My naturalistic terrarium contains a mix of coco just economic earth and plain potting soil w bits of bark and dry leaves mixed in the surface. It works well, but may easily become over saturated and if it does it takes quite a while to dry put.
be sure your snakes have truly dry as well as damp areas in their cage.

My only complaint with it is it sticks to the bottom andsides of plastic and glass dishes. Every time I change the water a few teaspoons of the substrate go down the drain despite mybest efforts. I hope its not building up in my drains.

[infernalis]

Why would natural soil be bad??

and please don't say germs.............

[Selkielass]

Some people expressed fear of bringing in parasites and bugs a while ago (re the care sheet)

I add a few scoops of compost and good bugs from my compost pile to my naturalistic set up- all the snakes in it have been exposed to far worse in the great outdoors, and I keep a fairly chemical free compost heap, so its cleaner than most of the vacant lots and tracks I find snakes living.

Might not be a good idea w clean room raised captive born and bred snakes tho- depend on how you feel about letting 'kids' get exposed to dirt and germs.

[d_virginiana]

I just don't like how particulate Eco-earth is when dry. I use it for both my frogs, but it's totally saturated for them, and even then it gets everywhere. I imagine it'd be even worse as dry as you'd need it for a garter. For me, newspaper with plenty of fake vines/leaves to hide in is the only way to go.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Coco fiber mixed with composting leaves and sand works very well. I prefer it over natural soil because it will support all the beneficial microbes that soil will but is lighter and doesn't tend to clump together.