Beginner herper

[Eirhead007]

Pros and cons of Carefresh Vs. Repti bark as substrate?
Pros/con of a terrarium that is low and opens up in the front Vs. a tank that was made for aquatics that is larger in gallons?

[Merriann]

I haven't used reptibark before but when I tried mixing care fresh in with aspen shavings I observed Twinkie eating it on a couple occasions-- I figured that can't be a good thing so now just use plain aspen shavings. I started my first skink off in a 40 gallon breeder tank with a screen lid and was thoroughly sick of removing the lights to open the lid after only 1 week! Ran out and bought the same size exo-terra front opening tank and was much happier. For me the aquarium ended up being a waste of money but at least I got it on sale and maybe one day I'll put fish in it.

[Fatal_S]

Personally, I hate carefresh. It's designed as a substrate that absorbs any urine, and it does it's job fantastically - it absorbs everything. Unless you live in a place like the tropics where the air is so humid you need a towel 24/7, I'd say go with a substrate like aspen or bark.

I prefer front-opening tanks. Skinks tend to be happier being approached from the front than overhead (birds come from above). Plus, I like being able to open the door and let my skinks walk out on their own. They learn very quickly, and soon start 'begging' for attention by scratching at the front door whenever they see me in the room.

[Noah H.]

Repti-bark is more expensive and looks like oak bark shavings. Carefresh is cheap, and it absorbs a lot (which could be good or bad) and also kinda looks like cotton candy, which throws me off whenever I see it in a terrarium. Between Carefresh and Repti-bark, I'd pick Repti-bark; however, it is pretty expensive in comparison to aspen shavings, so I still use aspen shavings instead.

I think in the long run, front opening terrariums are better than larger, top-opening aquatic tanks. If you pick the a front opening terrarium, you'll have a tank that is more suited to the needs of a reptile such as a bluey (abundant floor space, approach from in front of the lizard rather than above, etc.) than an aquarium that was designed for fish. Also, just because a tank has more gallonage doesn't mean that it has more space; aquatic tanks tend to be thin and tall rather than low and wide, which actually means less space for your bluey. If you want a front opening terrarium that is customized to your needs, you might consider building your own! It could be a fun pet project and could be less expensive than a store bought tank in some cases. If you are interested, I can provide you with some links to websites

[Eirhead007]

Thanks for all the advice everyone

[Ophidiophile]

I'll agree with Repti-Bark over Carefresh but I use 100% Cypress mulch. It's available at Garden Centers and large bags are much cheaper than a small bag of Repti-Bark. With a large bag, you can put down a deep enough layer of substrate that your skink can burrow in it to its heart's content. I started out using aspen for my skinks but switched to cypress mulch a few years ago and haven't looked back!

[Fatal_S]

I like coco-husk substrates. Similar to cypress for humidity & price from garden centers, with none of the nasty environmental impact. If I could get it I'd use melaleuca mulch - it actually helps the environment to remove those trees.

[Eirhead007]

O.k. Out of these 3, pros/cons. Also which substrates would be better for Northern's Vs. Irian Jayas?
Thank you!

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/substra ... 3Dcategory

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/substra ... 3Dcategory

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/substra ... 3Dcategory

[DianaBlueTongue]

Yeah, I agree with the coco husk and cypress suggestions. I actually mix both together in a 50/50 mix, it looks great, hold humidity really well, and all my skinks love burrowing in it. I don't like carefresh either, just too hard to keep the humidity up and my skinks flat refuse to burrow in the reptibark

[Fatal_S]

O.k. Out of these 3, pros/cons. Also which substrates would be better for Northern's Vs. Irian Jayas?
Thank you!

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/substra ... 3Dcategory

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/substra ... 3Dcategory

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/substra ... 3Dcategory

The first two are basically the same thing. Powdery when dry, they make a big mess and stick to everything. Best used either mixed into another substrate, or in a tank that stays constantly moist (frogs/tropical geckos for example). The bark is less messy (though some barks do come with a lot of dirt on them), they hold humidity relatively well. They work decently for burrowing and are a fairly decent substrate for a skink.

[donkeybuff]

The third one is cypress mulch. Highly recommended for humidity loving species like Irian Jayas, but great for Northerns as well.

[Eirhead007]

Thank you

[Eirhead007]

One other question! My math is failing me horribly today... How many quarts of substrate (cypress/coco husk) would I need to fill a 50 gallon terrarium 2"-3" deep??

[Lauriek]

I can't advise you on substrate as I use an Australian made one, Oz Pet, which I find very good.
As to front or top opening tanks, I have both. Bliss, one of my blotchies, is in a top opening tank.
She's used to me opening the lid, but I approach her first and occasionally tap on the glass if she's out.
She will automatically look up. I think then it just depends what they're used to.

[Toria Dawn]

I agree with Lauriek that it depends what they're used to. I have a top opening tank mostly because it was within my budget. My skink crawls upwards when he wants out. He is also used to me coming in from above, and as long as he knows I'm there and coming, it doesn't startle him.

However I wish I'd saved up more and got front opening, as it is a pain in the butt to move the lights every time it want to visit with my skink. I think cleaning tanks with front opening would be easier too.

For substrate I use a jungle soil/bark mix. It holds humidity well for my Irian jaya and is easy to spot clean. I probably wouldn't use carefresh as I prefer a more natural look to the tank. He also does enjoy digging in the soil, though not as much as when I used aspen shavings. I have lots of hides for him as a compromise though, as I found aspen to be super dry and hard to keep humidity levels up.