Help needed

[siucfi]

I was at my local pet store the other day and a person there told me that cypress mulch is the same thing as jungle earth, therefore I could get a ton more substrate from walmart then pay ten bucks for the jungle earth stuff at the pet store. Well I made the switch two days ago and I was just curious to know whether anyone else had done this and to make sure that it would be ok health wise for my snakes. My second question is that now that I have switched to the cypress mulch I have seen one or two of these little tiny flys in their housing, what are these, how do I get rid of them and do they pose a threat to the snake. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[scorpio]

Before using substrates intended for outdoor usage, I reccoment microwaving it or putting it in the oven

Id replace the substrate.

 

[siucfi]

Do you mean re-replace it? In other words put new cypress mulch in that has been microwaved?

 

[Punisher]

i have used commercial substrate (cypress mulch) for years for my herps with no problem. it saves tons of money when you aquire a large collection. plus the low cost enables you to properly change the bedding frequently. on a side note, many stores will print up their own bags of "reptile bedding" and fill it with the same commercial stuff you would buy at a garden shop. If you fear parasites (wich i have never encountered) go ahead and bake it.....just dont set your house ablaze! good luck

 

[skinheaddave]

I have used cypress mulch for the past four or five years or so with absolutely no problems with many of my herps. Before that I briefly used some other mulch -- can't remember now, but it started with an m. I think it was marginally nicer, but not enough that I've bothered to track it down again.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[siucfi]

Thanks for the help on that note i will continue using the cypress and save money.