# Excavator Clay Burrowing Substrate..



## hail-mike (Aug 9, 2007)

ok, so i'm aware that everyone.. well mostly everyone is anti-sand for leos but what about excavator clay burrowing substrate? has anyone used it or have any info on it?


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## AneesasMuse (Aug 9, 2007)

Funny you should mention this... cuz I was eye'balling it the other day for my little Leo baby. I think it would be interesting once she's old enough to come off paper roll/towel. 

If you try it before I do, post pics   I'll do the same


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## hail-mike (Aug 9, 2007)

will do  
i was actually doing the same. i like paper towels because of how easy it is to clean but i'm not really for how it looks. i haven't heard anything about it at all though so i was curious to see if any one had any feed back.


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## AneesasMuse (Aug 9, 2007)

A friend of mine did it for some scorpions and it looks really cool, but I am skeptical about it for lizards of any size... I don't know exactly why yet.     I guess, I like being able to see the food disappear and the poop appear, for one... I also like to be able to peek into a hide and see my gecko at any given time of day or night. My biggest concern is that it will not be structurally sound and cave in or something.

The friend used full balloons to sculpt and shape out the tunnels and caves for his enclosure... which was very clever... but I think I'd feel safer using pvc or similar for structural support.

Dang it! You're going to cause me to go out and purchase some of this stuff tomorrow, just so I can play around with it.


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## hail-mike (Aug 10, 2007)

hahahahaha well if you do make sure you post your results


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## skinheaddave (Aug 10, 2007)

Unless you cut it with sand or something, you don't have to worry about cave-ins.  It is very durable when set.  In fact, you may want to mix it with some sand or something to make it actually digable.  Overall, I quite like it -- looks nice, really easy to spot clean and potentially even more useful for inverts than it is for herps.

Cheers,
Dave


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## hail-mike (Aug 10, 2007)

how does it set? does it air dry or do you have to add water or something? 
i wasn't really worried about cave-ins because leos don't burrow.. or do they :?


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## K-TRAIN (Aug 10, 2007)

i looked at that substrate when it first came out, for my uromastyx. the only thing i can think of that could be a problem is if heat mats are used. i dont think it would heat the substrate if you use too much. but im sure that can be solved.


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## skinheaddave (Aug 10, 2007)

You mix it with water, put it into shape and then let it set.  And no, I don't imagine the leopard gecko will do too much burrowing if given a proper hide.  

I believe it says somewhere on the package not to use it with a heat mat -- though I imagine it would eventually climb to temperature.

Cheers,
Dave


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## AneesasMuse (Aug 11, 2007)

So, don't use it with a heat mat... but what about a basking lamp? 

I knew I should've just bought the small bag of it when I was in the "petdumb" today. I got sidetracked on the zoo's chow list and figuring out which of the apple snails were which gender... man, it takes a long time to wait them out to see who's got what


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## skinheaddave (Aug 11, 2007)

Works wonderfully with a basking light.  The clay soaks up the heat and keeps a bit of warmth after lights out -- just like in the wild.  

Cheers,
Dave


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## hail-mike (Aug 11, 2007)

so would it be ok to not use a heat mat with a leo? i know they need belly heat and what not and would a basking lamp be enough?
i'm really starting to consider getting this stuff to try out..


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## K-TRAIN (Aug 12, 2007)

hail-mike said:


> so would it be ok to not use a heat mat with a leo? i know they need belly heat and what not and would a basking lamp be enough?
> i'm really starting to consider getting this stuff to try out..


i wouldnt suggest it. i was told before that basking lamps dont really do anything for them besides heat the air, so heatmats are probably better for them, since you know the temps are warm enough for them.


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## hail-mike (Aug 12, 2007)

hm.. well what about putting the heat mat on the side, would that suffice?


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## K-TRAIN (Aug 12, 2007)

hail-mike said:


> hm.. well what about putting the heat mat on the side, would that suffice?


it might, but im not sure. if you put something up against it that would heat up with it it might, just so that the leo can lay on the heat. i say use heat mats though because i used both basking lamps and heat mats, and they seem to be more active with the mats.


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## hail-mike (Aug 12, 2007)

so what do you think? try the stuff with a heat mat on the bottom, try and conceive a way to position something so it's on the side like you said or just not try the burrowing substrate at all?


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## K-TRAIN (Aug 12, 2007)

hail-mike said:


> so what do you think? try the stuff with a heat mat on the bottom, try and conceive a way to position something so it's on the side like you said or just not try the burrowing substrate at all?


i wouldnt use the substrate, but if you have extra supplies you could set up a extra tank and see if you can get what i said to work. 

now that i think about it, i think you could use a heat mat if you set it up right. 
just make a tunnel in it, that reaches the bottom of the enclosure, and put the heat mat there. if it seems to hot then you could always get a cage liner and cut it to fit into the tunnel.


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## hail-mike (Aug 13, 2007)

i think i might give it a try. if it says not to use a heat mat perhaps i could put cage carpet under it or something. it'll take some thinking to try and get it work correctly i think..


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## K-TRAIN (Aug 13, 2007)

hail-mike said:


> i think i might give it a try. if it says not to use a heat mat perhaps i could put cage carpet under it or something. it'll take some thinking to try and get it work correctly i think..


let me know how it works. now i want to experiment with it myself.


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## hail-mike (Aug 25, 2007)

any one try it yet? i still have yet to. i not completely sold on it yet and after searching around the internet, i'm still where i am with no real information at all on it. you're telling me no one has really tried this stuff for leos at all? haha.


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## arachnocat (Aug 28, 2007)

Interesting. I've never heard of it before. I wonder if it would work for burrowing roaches? I might have to get some to play with.


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## K-TRAIN (Aug 28, 2007)

arachnocat said:


> Interesting. I've never heard of it before. I wonder if it would work for burrowing roaches?


im not sure about caring for roaches, but i did read somewhere that some require humidity, and since the substrate has to dry to harden i dont know if it would work. if you use a it with a dry climate species it probably would though. 

i just got some extra money so im gonna buy a bag and use it in an old tank i have laying around to see how it works.


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## hail-mike (Sep 2, 2007)

yeah i just got paid the other day so i'm going to pick some up and play around with it. i was thinking of using paper towel rolls for tunnels but then i thought that it would possibly get moldy, so maybe hamster tube? i also was contemplating a way to cover the humid hide but still have the lid be removable but i'm not sure has to how the stuff works so i don't know..


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