Today i collected a juvenile CB male, i think he's around 5 months old. Was looking for anyone that keeps them on a substrate? Have mine on a bio substrate of leaf mould/natural soil, with a drainage layer beneath. Added to this is the usual clean up crew of tropical woodlice, spring tails etc. I already use this in all my pygmy tanks, so know the substrate itself is safe. Just a little concerned regards them accidentally ingesting some substrate? Whats peoples experience regards using substrate for this or any other montane species?
Triceros honhelli substrate advice.
- Thread starter johnnyev
- Start date
Chase
Chameleon Enthusiast
The risks that it has are the same risks that pygmies have.
Many people do not suggest having any kind of substrate but before I say that, is the enclosure you're using similar to an Exo-Terra? I've used organic soil is my Exo-Terra and have housed a couple of species in an Exo-Terra and had no problems with the substrate causing an issue of impaction.
Chase
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
You could put a loose layer of dry leaves (leaves such as magnolia that are large enough he can't pick them up) on top of the substrate so the chances of accidental ingestion are lower. If you have experience with pygmies you should know about monitoring for fungi and molds already.
Thanks Chase. Yes i have him housed in a 18x18x24 high exo terra.
I do already have a layer of oak & magnolia leaves on top of the substrate. Same as all my enclosures. Tank doesn't really suffer with mould/fungi problems, as the clean up crew take care of that. Any branches, twigs that i find have gone mouldy, i remove & replace. Cheers Carlton.
At the end of the day i could just remove it & have a bare tank bottom. But tbh, really like the natural look much better. Also keeps humidity where it should be, requiring only a couple of short daily mistings. Though the enclosure does dry out between mistings.
I do already have a layer of oak & magnolia leaves on top of the substrate. Same as all my enclosures. Tank doesn't really suffer with mould/fungi problems, as the clean up crew take care of that. Any branches, twigs that i find have gone mouldy, i remove & replace. Cheers Carlton.
At the end of the day i could just remove it & have a bare tank bottom. But tbh, really like the natural look much better. Also keeps humidity where it should be, requiring only a couple of short daily mistings. Though the enclosure does dry out between mistings.
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