- Joined
- Aug 15, 2002
- Messages
- 4,341
I just made a new enclosure and in doing so, I tried out two new techniques.
The first was that I finaly went and bought a bag of bentonite and so tried what is suggested in the Rubio book. Although many people recommend these substrate mixes, I have yet to speak with anyone who has actualy done it. I mixed in 1:15 bentonite to playground sand and put in a bit of gravel for good measure. You can definitely tell the difference -- even when only slightly damp, the sand can be easily moulded. You can pack it down substantialy by hand and a test burrow I made with my fingers held nicely. I will post results once burrowing has actualy begun, but so far I'm liking it.
The second technique was inspired by p48 of the Rubio book, though it is not specificaly mentioned. If you look at the upper limit of the Opistophthalmus burrow, it is very neat and looks quite nice. I figure it is substrate which has been glued onto a pot. So I took a small plastic garden pot, cut it in half and then cut out the bottom except for a small ridge for structure. I then used hot glue to glue some of my substrate mix along what used to be the rim of the pot and now becomes the entrance to the burrow. I then burried the pot so that the front was sticking out as part of a little mini sand bank type of thing. It looks quite nice and the scorpion has already found it and made it home.
Anyhow, pics will be coming as soon as I get the roll developed. Kudos to John for getting me off my lazy ass and experimenting with substrate.
Cheers,
Dave
The first was that I finaly went and bought a bag of bentonite and so tried what is suggested in the Rubio book. Although many people recommend these substrate mixes, I have yet to speak with anyone who has actualy done it. I mixed in 1:15 bentonite to playground sand and put in a bit of gravel for good measure. You can definitely tell the difference -- even when only slightly damp, the sand can be easily moulded. You can pack it down substantialy by hand and a test burrow I made with my fingers held nicely. I will post results once burrowing has actualy begun, but so far I'm liking it.
The second technique was inspired by p48 of the Rubio book, though it is not specificaly mentioned. If you look at the upper limit of the Opistophthalmus burrow, it is very neat and looks quite nice. I figure it is substrate which has been glued onto a pot. So I took a small plastic garden pot, cut it in half and then cut out the bottom except for a small ridge for structure. I then used hot glue to glue some of my substrate mix along what used to be the rim of the pot and now becomes the entrance to the burrow. I then burried the pot so that the front was sticking out as part of a little mini sand bank type of thing. It looks quite nice and the scorpion has already found it and made it home.
Anyhow, pics will be coming as soon as I get the roll developed. Kudos to John for getting me off my lazy ass and experimenting with substrate.
Cheers,
Dave