# Zoomed excavator clay for scorpion?



## Abhorsen (Apr 9, 2017)

Is zoomed excavator clay good for hot/dessert scorpion?


----------



## soldierof4cheese (Apr 9, 2017)

Yes, just mix it with clean sand. A little goes a long way, I mixed my setup with over two parts sand to one part clay or less. If you mix to much clay, it will turn very hard and would be hard for the scorpions to burrow thru.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Abhorsen (Apr 9, 2017)

soldierof4cheese said:


> Yes, just mix it with clean sand. A little goes a long way, I mixed my setup with over two parts sand to one part clay or less. If you mix to much clay, it will turn very hard and would be hard for the scorpions to dig in.


Do you have a picture of it?


----------



## Abhorsen (Apr 9, 2017)

If no zoomed excavator clay, can you use the clay like soil from the mountains?


----------



## soldierof4cheese (Apr 9, 2017)

I will post a pic shortly.


----------



## soldierof4cheese (Apr 9, 2017)




----------



## soldierof4cheese (Apr 9, 2017)

Abhorsen said:


> If no zoomed excavator clay, can you use the clay like soil from the mountains?


You could use natural clay found outside, just make sure it comes from a organically clean source.


----------



## Abhorsen (Apr 9, 2017)

soldierof4cheese said:


>


Thanks, but im referring to the san/clay mixture that you did


----------



## soldierof4cheese (Apr 9, 2017)

I used 3/4 sand to 1/4 clay or for harder mixture use 2/3rds sand to 1/3 clay.


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Apr 9, 2017)

Excavator clay.  White sand. Cocofiber mix

My baby . P Transvaalicus loves it
Dont compress too hard or add too much clay

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## RTTB (Apr 9, 2017)

I've used it and you need to use a little with a lot of sand or else it gets like cement.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Abhorsen (Apr 10, 2017)

ArachnoDrew said:


> Excavator clay.  White sand. Cocofiber mix
> 
> My baby . P Transvaalicus loves it
> Dont compress too hard or add too much clay


Nice substrate, by the way. . Did you make those tunnels or the scorp did?


----------



## Abhorsen (Apr 10, 2017)

soldierof4cheese said:


> I used 3/4 sand to 1/4 clay or for harder mixture use 2/3rds sand to 1/3 clay.


Basically, you need to combined them first before adding water?


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Apr 10, 2017)

Abhorsen said:


> Nice substrate, by the way. . Did you make those tunnels or the scorp did?


Nope that's all the baby scorp. I only started a small indentation with my finger tip


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Apr 10, 2017)

Abhorsen said:


> Basically, you need to combined them first before adding water?


Yea I mix it dry then add water . Once you add the water it will all turn brown . When it dries it starts to look like mine


----------



## Abhorsen (Apr 10, 2017)

A


ArachnoDrew said:


> Yea I mix it dry then add water . Once you add the water it will all turn brown . When it dries it starts to look like mine


And the cocofiber that you mention, that's the long brown threadlike hair? Or something. . . 

For measuring it, 1 cup of clay and 3 cups of sand?


----------



## Abhorsen (Apr 10, 2017)

soldierof4cheese said:


> I used 3/4 sand to 1/4 clay or for harder mixture use 2/3rds sand to 1/3 clay.


1 cup of clay and 3 cups of sand?


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Apr 10, 2017)

1 sec I Will post pics of exactly what  I used


----------



## Abhorsen (Apr 10, 2017)

ArachnoDrew said:


> 1 sec I Will post pics of exactly what  I used


Thanks, i really appreciate it


----------



## Red Eunice (Apr 10, 2017)

Abhorsen said:


> Is zoomed excavator clay good for hot/dessert scorpion?


 Yes!
 It's what most people use, mixed w/h sand, makes an ideal substrate for them to tunnel in.
 I've read people using different % of clay/sand mixtures, 25/75 to 50/50, all work. I keep mine simple, 40/60, nothing else added. 
 Take the DRY sand and clay, mixed well in a bucket, add water until you can form a ball, lightly rolled in your hands. Place the mix into the enclosure and lightly pack it down. Allow it to dry completely, mine took 2 days using a small fan to speed drying time. You can start a hole for them or place a hide along one side, they'll take it from there. DO give them a water dish, I've watched mine drink occassionly.


----------



## Abhorsen (Apr 10, 2017)

Red Eunice said:


> Yes!
> It's what most people use, mixed w/h sand, makes an ideal substrate for them to tunnel in.
> I've read people using different % of clay/sand mixtures, 25/75 to 50/50, all work. I keep mine simple, 40/60, nothing else added.
> Take the DRY sand and clay, mixed well in a bucket, add water until you can form a ball, lightly rolled in your hands. Place the mix into the enclosure and lightly pack it down. Allow it to dry completely, mine took 2 days using a small fan to speed drying time. You can start a hole for them or place a hide along one side, they'll take it from there. DO give them a water dish, I've watched mine drink occassionly.


Thanks, i was planning on rehousing my p.villosus, p.trans and a. mauri to a new enclosure with new setup. THey've been with sand for a very long time, so i was just wondering if zoomed will work out, and based from all the replies here, i think it's a good substrate.

Will it be faster if you let the substrate dry under the sun? it's hot in my country right now.


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Apr 10, 2017)

It works great just don't add too much.  Sun dry will work good


----------



## Red Eunice (Apr 10, 2017)

Abhorsen said:


> Will it be faster if you let the substrate dry under the sun? it's hot in my country right now.


 Maybe???? Still going to take longer than 24 hours, even w/h temps in upper 80°F and low humidity. Dried mine @76°-78°F humidity was around 50%, bottom 1" still wasn't totally dry. Even in slightly moist sub they'll still dig.


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Apr 11, 2017)

Abhorsen said:


> 1 cup of clay and 3 cups of sand?


Sorry on late reply. These are the materials I use for my substrates
White reptisand  excavator clay and eco earth cocofiber


----------



## Red Eunice (Apr 11, 2017)

ArachnoDrew said:


> Sorry on late reply. These are the materials I use for my substrates
> White reptisand  excavator clay and eco earth cocofiber


 Expensive concoction for substrate. LMAO!


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Apr 11, 2017)

Around $20ish lol not terrible. And I have a lot left over lol 
My enclosures are small so I don't use it all on one  big tank


----------



## Abhorsen (Apr 11, 2017)

ArachnoDrew said:


> Sorry on late reply. These are the materials I use for my substrates
> White reptisand  excavator clay and eco earth cocofiber


Coco fiber is like coco peat? the one where you need to water in order to expand?


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Apr 11, 2017)

Yea cocopeat will work fine too. But you're going to add and mix it with the other materials dry. Then add water and mix it all together .


----------



## Alexw (Apr 13, 2017)

Abhorsen said:


> If no zoomed excavator clay, can you use the clay like soil from the mountains?


Technically yes, but it could have animal feces, nematode parasites, mites, or other nasty stuff in it. I wouldn't recommend it. If you really want to use it, at least bake it or microwave it first to kill off whatever might be living in it. I bake the stuff I buy at the store at 250F for an hour just to be safe.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## ScorpSarah (Apr 13, 2017)

Yes, I mixed mine with 50/50 excavator clay and reptile sand.  Before you add the scorpion wet it well and pack it down into the tank in layers, about 5-6 inches of substrate is ideal. Let it dry out for a day or two before putting your little guy in there and he will have tunnels dug out within a day


----------



## Abhorsen (Mar 21, 2018)

Hello, i have a question, what's the ratio of mixture for excavator clay and coco peat? And excavator clay/cocopeat/sand,

Can't seem to see the picture s attached here


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Mar 21, 2018)

I use 60% sand  20 - 30% coco and 10-20% e clay.


----------



## Abhorsen (Mar 21, 2018)

ArachnoDrew said:


> I use 60% sand  20 - 30% coco and 10-20% e clay.


That will hold for burrowers?


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Mar 21, 2018)

Abhorsen said:


> That will hold for burrowers?


100%
u can go with a tiny bit more clay but too much clay if compacted too much will turn rock solid..


----------



## Abhorsen (Mar 21, 2018)

ArachnoDrew said:


> 100%
> u can go with a tiny bit more clay but too much clay if compacted too much will turn rock solid..


For the ratio, will this work

6 cup sand 2 cups cocopeat and 2 cups eclay?


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Mar 21, 2018)

Depends on the size of the enclosure and how deep of substrate you want


----------



## Abhorsen (Mar 21, 2018)

ArachnoDrew said:


> Depends on the size of the enclosure and how deep of substrate you want


8x8x8 inch, but that ratio should be fine right? I have different sizes of enclosure and this is the first time I'll be mixing with cocopeat,


----------



## ArachnoDrew (Mar 22, 2018)

Yea it should work fine. Just make sure its not too solid when it drys


----------



## Abhorsen (Mar 22, 2018)

Got it, thanks for the help


----------



## Greenjewls (Mar 25, 2018)

C'mon guys, just link my video on these threads.


----------



## Malystryx (Jul 6, 2018)

Red Eunice said:


> Yes!
> It's what most people use, mixed w/h sand, makes an ideal substrate for them to tunnel in.
> I've read people using different % of clay/sand mixtures, 25/75 to 50/50, all work. I keep mine simple, 40/60, nothing else added.
> Take the DRY sand and clay, mixed well in a bucket, add water until you can form a ball, lightly rolled in your hands. Place the mix into the enclosure and lightly pack it down. Allow it to dry completely, mine took 2 days using a small fan to speed drying time. You can start a hole for them or place a hide along one side, they'll take it from there. DO give them a water dish, I've watched mine drink occassionly.


Okay so I may have got the wrong sand. I got all purpose sand, and it seems sort of wet to me, not desert like sand at all. They had washed play sand or something but it seemed like white and not very deserty looking I didn't know which one to get or if either of them were the right type of sand for the mixture. Could I maybe find sand at a lumberjack


----------

