KathyM
Achatina tincta
Posts: 709
|
Post by KathyM on Feb 27, 2006 15:23:01 GMT
Sorry to post another thread, but having searched I couldn't find the info I was after.
I'm wanting to stop using compost for the snails and wondered if anyone could weigh up the alternatives for me? I've read the Petsnails page on substrates but it'd be really good to hear views on here too.
The idea is to have something on the floor of the tanks that is easily cleaned/reusable, and something that doesn't have to be deep. And then a big bowl of something softer to dig in.
My idea for digging material is sphagnum moss as it doesn't mucky them up and is soft on their shells. But I don't want to use sphagnum on the floor as well, because it gets squished around by bigger snails and the tank bottom is left bare in places. I'm not keen on compost for flooring any more, and coir seems rough and doesn't hold the water as well as I'd like.
Has anyone here used vermiculite on its own? Or capilliary matting? Lisa's used capilliary matting and had a poor experience with the snails trying to eat it - is this a problem anyone else has faced?
Thanks
Kathy x
|
|
|
Post by sezzy5889 on Feb 27, 2006 15:25:24 GMT
I use capillary matting in all my tanks and have never had problems and still have a high laying rate
|
|
KathyM
Achatina tincta
Posts: 709
|
Post by KathyM on Feb 27, 2006 15:26:46 GMT
Fantastic, thanks Sarah - that's back on the list then! How reusable is it? Is it a couple of changes reusable or long term reusable?
Sorry for all the questions!
|
|
|
Post by sezzy5889 on Feb 27, 2006 15:33:28 GMT
if you don't let it get plastered with crap, lol then it's easy to clean, i shouldn't think you would let it get that bad anyway What i do, cuz of the cold weather lol, is lay it out on the patio and jet wash it with the hose, that gets all the rubbish off it, turning it over and doing the same, then i soak it in a bucket of boiling water for a couple of hours, then hose it again, rinse and reuse... There is other ways but thats easy for me ;D and without the soaking part it only takes 10mins but then again you don't have to do anything while it soaking although while i'm waiting i bath the snails and get dinner ready, lol and blah blah blah is blah blah (thats how i probably sound) rofl
|
|
KathyM
Achatina tincta
Posts: 709
|
Post by KathyM on Feb 27, 2006 15:35:34 GMT
Naaa, that's not how you sound at all - that's really helpful ta Sarah.
Sounds no worse than what I have to do with the tanks as they are now, except I don't have to deal with the compost and muddy snails *lol*. Sounds a lot cleaner. And they'll still get to bury in the pyrex bowls of moss I'll put in ;D
|
|
|
Post by sezzy5889 on Feb 27, 2006 15:37:46 GMT
oh and i forgot, obviously you have to clean the tank to, just wipe the sides with a wet sponge and dry, what i do
|
|
KathyM
Achatina tincta
Posts: 709
|
Post by KathyM on Feb 27, 2006 15:38:55 GMT
Yeah I do it under the shower lol - piece of cake then. Not that I encorporate showering with cleaning tanks *lol* ;D
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2006 18:15:12 GMT
to support what sarah said: i've just moved most of my snails to cappillary and they love it! i've never seen them this active isn't too thick for them to eat?
|
|
Val
Archachatina dimidiata
Posts: 2,498
|
Post by Val on Feb 27, 2006 18:25:33 GMT
Yes I use capillary matting as well, with an amount of sphagnum moss in the corner for them to burrow under. Cleaning is easy providing you put their food on plates, I bought some plastic plates on ebay specially for the snails, if you put the food on the matting it will start to go mouldy in places. When I clean it I just pick off the poo, take out the moss, then shake the matting over a bin to get rid of bits then I just rinse it under the tap - EASY!! I find that I need to top up the moss as well because my snails eat it. Hope this help
Val
|
|
|
Post by section8angel on Feb 27, 2006 18:56:59 GMT
I use the matting with moss and it is sooooo great ;D I have trouble cleaning the tanks out if I'm achey, so soil/coir/bark was just a no no as A: it got heavy and B: it took so long to get all of it out (I hate those bits that stick in the corners!!) I just run the matting under hot water and smush it about a bit lol. It gets any stuck bits out of it. I also put the food in bowls to make it easier to clean up. I also pick the poo out every day if there's some there. It makes it easier to do the whole tank clean then too. (Which I do every month to two months depends on how messy they get lol) Apart from it making the tanks heavy, I always had the same problem with soil, coir and bark, it would pool the water underneath and not stay damp all the way through. And where it pooled it smelt quicker. I'm wanting to try vermiculite in their tub at some point, just need to find some well priced. Until then I'm using moss in the tub and throwing a load more over the rest of the tank lol (they also have dried bamboo leaves now which makes it look nicer lol). Freddie and Izrina hide in the flowerpot and seem happy with that, other times they go into the tub. They're not totally hidden but they seem safe enough. I think with the eating of the matting it might just be Lisa's insane snails Lol sorry Lisa. I haven't seen any bits missing from mine in any of the tanks.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2006 19:01:14 GMT
you can get vermiculite in wilko. i didnt know it cud be used as a substrate *confused face* i thought it was just for eggs?
|
|
LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
|
Post by LisaLQ on Feb 27, 2006 19:08:19 GMT
Yeah, they rasped it away in both the tanks (when I just had the two that is). I like the sphagnum on it's own currently, but as Kathy said, it's getting squidged down and compacted in Boycie and M's tank, and I'm having to sort it out a few times a day. And they tend to burrow into it underneath their food dish, or squidge it all up to one end of the tank so the other side's bare, and generally make it look like they're living in substandard conditions I'm seriously thinking about getting bigger tanks for the biggies (well, so far I only have two biggies - Boycie and M), not because they're too small for them, but for me to put them back on capillary, and piling moss into a bowl for them, that would take up a lot of floor space, as well as their food dish. Hmm. If anyone has any 2-3ft tanks spare, that they can deliver (ha - unlikely!), then bob them over to mine *lol*
|
|
Stacey
Achatina achatina
To Do List: Get Avatar....
Posts: 54
|
Post by Stacey on Feb 27, 2006 22:07:12 GMT
Ive tried vermiculite before and i have to say its pretty messy, well i found it to be messy anyway. Plus its extremley dusty when dry, and i know when its damp it keeps the dust away but i dont like the thought of it. Oh and i wanted to wash and drain it before usuing it.....never again! lol bits ended up everywhere. I use capillary matting aswell, and like it the best from all ive tried so far
|
|