• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
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    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Substrate question

mxracer4life

mxracer4life

"Daniel Boone"
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Hey guys. I have been trying different types of substrate for years now, and I have stuck to old fashion newspaper for a while now. Whats new out there? What is the BEST, cheap substrate? Any ideas? I know the toxic ones, like pine, cedar etc, but what about aspen, cypress etc?

Jeremy
 
I use bath towels.

They hold moisture well, but don't retain it for so long that it grows things. They're washable. They come in a million different colors.

The only thing you have to watch out for is the detergent you use to wash them. You must use a hypo-allergenic no dyes, no perfumes detergent. I also use a cup of bleach, even though they're darks, I'll still use the bleach to make sure any unwanted bugs are dead.
 
I like using the newspaper. For the species that like to bury themselves I use the aspen.
 
I have used aspen for my BP's untill my mom started working at a printing comp. She gets dibbs on the rolls of paper that are to small to leave in the printer. I have access to several sizes as well as grades. Since I now get the paper for free I will be getting less aspen as i am switching my animals over to a rack and I have rolls of paper that hit like a glove. I had no problem with the aspen however.
 
Over the past 20 years, I've used several different types of materials and have found the following results:

•Carefresh - tends to mold and have too much dust for my liking and cost is much higher than most other substrates.
•Carpets - way too much time and effort in cleaning and difficult to properly disinfect to prevent the spread of diseases.
•Newspaper or paper products – this is the best alternative as far as cost and maintaining a disease free environment but more time intensive with larger snakes since you often have to remove the snake to clean the cage.
•Aspen chips - very effective and can be cleaned in clumps but I’ve had issues in the past with items being stuck between the lips and the boas teeth when feeding. Since I breeder many boas, it’s not possible to feed outside the cage and therefore, I’ve stopped using this product. Others have claimed good success and may be a good alternative.
•Pellet pine shavings – This is used by horse breeders and appear to be a good cheap solution but it’s heavy and as it breaks down tends to have a lot of dust. I used it for approximately a year.

So what do I use now?
•For large Boas – I use shredded aspen and look for the ones with larger 1/2 in particles which have less amounts of dust and stay away from the fine shredded aspen like Harlan. This is also the preferred choice of many of the larger Boa breeders.
•For babies and snakes kept in anything in containers up to a CB70, I use Chipboard pads cut to the appropriate size. I purchase mine from ULINE.com but I’m sure it can be purchased from many other places. This product is a great liner that maintains its form and provides quick and easy cleanup. Most of the time, the urine doesn’t pass thru to the container. I don’t prefer it with larger Boas as I prefer to leave my breeders undisturbed and especially pregnant females and why I prefer the shredded aspen on them.

One final note, regardless of substrate used, I disinfect cages with Par-volan 128 according to directions to ensure that pathogens are destroyed. This stuff is great and used by many vets. For most applications it can be wiped off without rinsing. For previously used tubs and cages that are going to have a new occupant, I use Tek-Trol 256. The Tek-Trol requires a ten minute application and thorough rinsing but is much more effective at penetrating crevices for disinfecting pathogens. There’s another disinfectant called F-10 which is as effective as the other two items but safe enough that it can be inhaled. In fact, it’s used with a nebulizer to treat respiratory infections in reptiles and birds. Very expensive, otherwise, I’d use it exclusively.
All three items destroy pathogen common to reptile keeping including Salmonella. Since its effective against the AIDS retrovirus, its assumed that this would be effective against IBD.
Hope that helps.
 
Aspen is what I have been considering, I used it a long time ago but I can't remember quite how it worked. I thank you all for your advise. I am going to give aspen a try since I have mostly larger boas anyway. It is hard to remove the snake completey each time to clean its enclosure.

Jeremy
 
Aspen is working great so far. A little messy when pulling out the snake(s), but I am customizing my cages to better suite the aspen.

thanks!

Jeremy
 
I use cypress mulch for the retics and ball pythons, aspen for my milksnake when not in shed but a small layer of cypress mulch when in shed. Cypress mulch works great, especially for sheds.
 
I am thinking of chipping my own aspen here. Aspen are very common and basically not to desirable. My brother has plenty of land and a chipper using the power take off on the tractor. It wouldn't be quite shredded though even if I ran it through several times but it would be fairly small. The problem is that right now the trees would be fresh with the bark on. Can any one see any problems with this?
 
ladies&Gentelmen Go Green recycle those old magazines your wife or company buys.Well think about it guys who better to let you snake snuggle with then playmate of the month
 
Oh I forgot I also like to use bills that I get in the mail that I cant afford to pay it seems more satisfying that way. peace out the TINMAN
 
kmurphy said:
I am thinking of chipping my own aspen here. Aspen are very common and basically not to desirable. My brother has plenty of land and a chipper using the power take off on the tractor. It wouldn't be quite shredded though even if I ran it through several times but it would be fairly small. The problem is that right now the trees would be fresh with the bark on. Can any one see any problems with this?
Click to expand...

Shredding when fresh will result in decomposition. Short of having a way to dry it out either before (suggested) or after you'll only accomplish compost.
 
Shredding when fresh will result in decomposition. Short of having a way to dry it out either before (suggested) or after you'll only accomplish compost.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I was thinking when I wrote my post that I probably should be thinking of next year. Cut the trees this year and chip them next fall. Probably not worth it but I like being in the woods and I really just want to see if it will work.
 
Just to add in a note in case there is anyone else looking at this thread wondering what kind of substrate to use, make sure and feed the animal outside the enclosure, like in a plastic rubbermaid, when using aspen or something related (loose substrate). I have only had an impacted snake once from this, but it was a hard lesson to learn. I have acutally modified my substrate to newspaper, with just a little aspen sprinkled on top. Seems to cut down on waste, absorb better than just newspaper and help keep humidity up.

Jeremy
 
mxracer4life said:
Just to add in a note in case there is anyone else looking at this thread wondering what kind of substrate to use, make sure and feed the animal outside the enclosure, like in a plastic rubbermaid, when using aspen or something related (loose substrate). I have only had an impacted snake once from this, but it was a hard lesson to learn. I have acutally modified my substrate to newspaper, with just a little aspen sprinkled on top. Seems to cut down on waste, absorb better than just newspaper and help keep humidity up.

Jeremy
Click to expand...

:iagree: Never feed on any substrate.
 
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