Coco coir reply ASAP

[LoutheRussian]

I'm at the store right now and found this coco coir blend. Can I use this for substrate. Need a reply asap as I'm at store and would like to gen it if it's good. Thank you. Now I see that there is perlite in it. That's bad right?

 

[LoutheRussian]

Or how about this stuff

 

[wellington]

Perlite is bad. The second bag looks fine

 

[LoutheRussian]

Perlite is bad. The second bag looks fine

Thank you very much, I thought that perlite was a bad thing just couldn't remember. Again thank you very much.

 

[Tom]

I wouldn't use either. Soil in a bag is not good because it turns to mud when you dampen it, and because you can't know what composted material it is made of.

 

[LoutheRussian]

I went with the orange bag for now, I just got them a couple days ago and the previous people had them in sand, which I wanted them out of asap so until I can either dig up some dirt in the sun baked Texas ground or find a better soil this will have to do I guess. Thank you Tom for your response, I can see the wisdom in what you posted.

 

[wellington]

I went with the orange bag for now, I just got them a couple days ago and the previous people had them in sand, which I wanted them out of asap so until I can either dig up some dirt in the sun baked Texas ground or find a better soil this will have to do I guess. Thank you Tom for your response, I can see the wisdom in what you posted.

It does turn to mud like Tom meantioned. If you mix some coconut coir with it it's not bad. You can also use it only where it's going to stay dry. If your like me, with not a lot of choices for dirt, you make do with what's available and safe. I have used the bag stuff for a few years now with no problems at all. It's the only way I can get dirt.

 

[zovick]

Thank you very much, I thought that perlite was a bad thing just couldn't remember. Again thank you very much.

You can buy compressed bricks of coco coir at Petco and Petsmart. It is called Eco earth. They also sell it in bags, but it is much cheaper to buy the bricks and reconstitute them with water yourself. You put a gallon of water in a pail, toss in the brick and wait about 15 minutes. You can then wring out as much water as you want and use the product in your enclosure. One brick will make as much as 3-4 small bags of the stuff.

You can also buy it online (and more inexpensively than at one of the above stores) at LLL Reptile. Single bricks are $2.49. A three pack of the bricks is only $4.49 and will make about 24 liters of coco coir substrate:

http://www.lllreptile.com/catalog/151-moss-coco-and-other-substrates

 

[LoutheRussian]

You can buy compressed bricks of coco coir at Petco and Petsmart. It is called Eco earth. They also sell it in bags, but it is much cheaper to buy the bricks and reconstitute them with water yourself. You put a gallon of water in a pail, toss in the brick and wait about 15 minutes. You can then wring out as much water as you want and use the product in your enclosure. One brick will make as much as 3-4 small bags of the stuff.

You can also buy it online (and more inexpensively than at one of the above stores) at LLL Reptile. Single bricks are $2.49. A three pack of the bricks is only $4.49 and will make about 24 liters of coco coir substrate:

http://www.lllreptile.com/catalog/151-moss-coco-and-other-substrates

I have one brick of that left over from when I had Lou but needed more than it would produce. I hadn't thought about buying it online though, that might be what I do in the future. Thank you for the idea

 

[JoesMum]

I have one brick of that left over from when I had Lou but needed more than it would produce. I hadn't thought about buying it online though, that might be what I do in the future. Thank you for the idea

You can buy packs of 5 coco coir bricks cheaply from Amazon