Best substrate for gravid females

[AO111]

What would be the best substrate for Sammy to lay unfertilized eggs in? She layed one today right on the living room floor but I'm thinking she has more but no "appropriate" place to put them. Yesterday before she layed the egg she was exhibiting digging in my bed room. I'm thinking she wants to lay her eggs in what she feels as a proper place. Any ideas?

 

[zebraflavencs]

You can use sifted, washed play sand. Just mound that up (and prepare for the mess...) twice her length if you can, on one side of her enclosure, or in a storage bin. If you go the bin route, place a bell shop lamp and light onto the side further away from where you mounded the sand. Turn that on, aim at the mound, place her in, and you may have to start her 'egg tunnel', then she should get down to the business of laying those.

Hope this helps out !
Janie

 

[missnikki]

I have a female that is going to lay eggs soon too just started to show the signs of digging. i thought i would have more time than this. But besides the point I do not have any play sand left over from last time and i was wondering can you use clumping kitty litter for her to dig into. If you get it moist enough she will be able to form a tunnel. If this is a way that i could possibly do it that would be great i have lots of kitty litter on hand and then i could set up her lay box today. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

[AO111]

I thought about kitty litter too but I'm sure it could have stuff in it not good for them.

 

[missnikki]

but there is stuff that you can buy for sensitive cats and thats what i have.

 

[AO111]

but there is stuff that you can buy for sensitive cats and thats what i have.

hmm well i'm pretty new at this stuff too so I don't want to tell you it's okay because I don't know for sure.

 

[Twobeardieguy]

No kitty litter! As suggested you can use sifted play sand or even top soil like eco earth.

 

[missnikki]

i know there was suggestions i was wondering if there was a kind that you could buy. i was not trying to be rude two beardie guy i simply wanted to know.

 

[fresnowitte]

Eco-earth which is a coconut fiber is what I use....I wouldn't use kitty litter I just can't imagine that any litter would/could be safe to use for this. I'd be afraid it would injure my female if she ingested some which they often do or get it in their eyes and litter would scratch/cut their eyes. Besides that you can not pack the litter even clumped so that she can burrow into it without collapsing. The coconut fiber works really good as it doesn't mold an is easy to work with. Packs down firmly without collapsing and won't hurt them if they ingest some of it.

 

[missnikki]

Okay thank you very much. problem solved. i picked up some of the eco earth and i am going to make her a box tonight beacuse she is digging profusely lately. and being really restless too. thank you again.
Nikki