bedding/ substrate?

[Pablothecow]

Is it required to have bedding on the bottom of the cage? i have bark in their now, and sometimes when shes hunting the crickets, she will shoot for one on the ground and get a bunch of bark in her mouth. plus the bark gets really wet and starts to stink and it never dries out.

so... is it necessary to have bark down there? or can i just put like a towel that will help soak up water or something?

 

[camimom]

We actually recommend you put nothing on the bottom of the cage.

for that exact reason of ingestion.

 

[Pablothecow]

We actually recommend you put nothing on the bottom of the cage.

for that exact reason of ingestion.

ok thanks. so just putting something on the bottom of the cage that will keep the water from seeping thru to the shelf underneath and getting everything all wet would b ok?

 

[lysinlight87]

a towel would be best, I personally use kitchen paper- it's absorbant & easy to change. With any substrate, there's the risk your cham will accidently eat it when trying to catch prey & become impacted. I get the impression it's hard to treat an impacted cham. I live by "Prevention is better than cure"

 

[RealIzeRecognIze]

Paper towels or a drainage system would be best. The substrate can get moldy from the water and is breeding grounds for bacteria.

 

[Pablothecow]

a towel would be best, I personally use kitchen paper- it's absorbant & easy to change. With any substrate, there's the risk your cham will accidently eat it when trying to catch prey & become impacted. I get the impression it's hard to treat an impacted cham. I live by "Prevention is better than cure"

yeah whenever she gets bark in her mouth i have to try and go in and pull it out. ill try a towel or paper towels the next time i clean out her cage in the next week or so. thanks.

 

[RealIzeRecognIze]

How is he eating the bark? Do you free range feeders? I would remove it ASAP if its already getting in his mouth. There may not be a week to give. Not trying to be mean and I've never had it happen but can be very risky.

 

[Pablothecow]

How is he eating the bark? Do you free range feeders? I would remove it ASAP if its already getting in his mouth. There may not be a week to give. Not trying to be mean and I've never had it happen but can be very risky.

yeah i do free range the crickets. she wont eat them any other way. it hasnt been happening lately because the crickets are being stupid and hide behind the backing i have on the cage. so they eventually go on to the top of the cage and out of the bark.

 

[Kamillion]

I wanted to remove the bedding from my cage as well because the dripper was making puddles in the bedding. I cleaned out the bedding last night and put in new bedding.( not fun).. I had to take out my jungle vines and plants and I had it set up perfect.. BUT.... doesn't the bedding provide lots of humidy in the cage??

 

[Pablothecow]

I wanted to remove the bedding from my cage as well because the dripper was making puddles in the bedding. I cleaned out the bedding last night and put in new bedding.( not fun).. I had to take out my jungle vines and plants and I had it set up perfect.. BUT.... doesn't the bedding provide lots of humidy in the cage??

thats what i thought too. like it would hold in some of the moisture. but another member had informed me that too much moisture being stagnant in the cage could lead to a respiratory infection... so im confused on what to do...