# arid bullsnake enclosure



## solidsnake (Jun 3, 2014)

I'm looking to build a vivarium for my north Mexican bullsnake. I'd like to get a recipe/suggestions for arid bioactive substrate that would be able to grow some succulents, creeping fig, non spiny cacti and some mondo grass near the water dish. I really need plants that will survive the possibility of him monster trucking them. Any suggestions? Is what I've listed looking feasible?


If anyone has experience with arid vivs, please chime in! 



I have a jungle viv going right now, but never did a arid viv before


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/lounge/35591-desert-vivariums.html

Desert vivariums have been done before.

For the bioactive substrate, I would do a mosaic of rocks and substrate on the bottom, so that the majority of the waste is on the rocks and easily removed. What is left over can be flushed into the substrate, but I wouldn't rely on bioactive substrate to take care of 100% of the waste from an animal as big as a bull snake. The rocks can be used as hides, basking spots, feeding spots, and will generate microclimates that are more humid for your clean up crew to live.

The other idea would be a well blended substrate that is mostly clay, with some sand, and with a little organics mixed in. I would still recommend frequent spot removal of large waste.

No matter what you do, id also make sure that the snake is parasite free. Worms will readily reinfect the snake over and over in a soil environment until its overloaded.

Dont forget to seed the tank with a clean up crew as well.


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## Halter (Jul 28, 2012)

what types of clean up crew would you recommend. Most springs and isos that i know of wont stand for that arid temperature.


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

I believe Dendro dave did isopods and springtails. As long as there are some areas with humidity they survive. I'm assuming that there will also be mistings and the watering of plants. Those times will be when the clean up crew comes out of hiding and gets to work.

Ive done a few quick searches and found this:
Desert Cleanup Crew?

Apparently people use firebrats, beetles, and roaches. The firebrats are not common in the US, but the beetles can be mealworms and superworms. 

Im sure that some of the invert, scorpion, and tarantula sellers and forums will also have suggestions. And with it being a bioactive substrate, some nitrogen loving bacteria will find their way in there on their own.



I also just thought of a dry grass idea I've seen in taxidermy. A foam base with dried grass inserted in tufts to look like dried grasses that have died back after going to seed.

Think this: BROODING 

It can be made of real dried or artificial grass depending on how it holds up to bulldozing.


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

Also, the OP could include a refugium in the build for the clean up crew. It could be something as simple as a plastic tupperware container without a lid buried in the substrate with the lip at the same level as the substrate and capped with a large flat rock. If it is placed on the cold side on the tank, and kept filled with a moisture retaining substrate it would act as a humid microclimate for the clean up crew to seek refuge in. Then, when the plants are watered, or the snake's waste matter is washed into the substrate with a mister right before the lights are turned off, the clean up crew can come out and do their thing.


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

After some more digging:
Natural Vivarium Substrate Recipes
Living Vivarium For Rosehair Tarantula
Pix For > Desert Vivarium
Field Herp Forum • View topic - Naturalistic Sonoran Desert Toad Vivarium
Vivariums
Geckos-Leopard - Live Plants! And New Vivarium!
custom vivarium includes heat mats, lights etc and 3 leopard geckos | United Kingdom | Gumtree
Planted Natural Leo Viv - Page 2 - Reptile Forums

Some are for inspiration, some have information


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## JPP (Mar 25, 2015)

Halter said:


> what types of clean up crew would you recommend. Most springs and isos that i know of wont stand for that arid temperature.


Some people have kept Blue Death Feigning beetles (Asbolus verrucosus) in desert scorpion enclosures as a clean-up crew.


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

Interesting beetles:
Blue Death Feigning Beetle - The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

I quick search yielded some sellers. They are not cheap, but i'm sure they can be bred in the display or in a smaller tank, then added to the display as needed.
Blue Death feigning beetle Asbolus verrucosus
Beetles - Ken The Bug Guy


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## solidsnake (Jun 3, 2014)

Y'all are amazing! Thanks so much for the constructive posts. I'm going to start working on this thing. I may be back soon to pick your brains again.

Thanks!!!


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Mealworms or darkling beetles wouldbe other possibilities...tho death feigners would be my pick.

I think if you do high light sedum and echeveria will work...they can be placec in the crevices in your rock background.


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## solidsnake (Jun 3, 2014)

Do y'all think that I'd need a layer of hydro balls as a bottom layer in this enclosure? 

In my GTP viv I have a layer of hydro balls, then a screen, a layer of small rocks, then ABG capped with leaf litter.

For this arid enclosure should I do a similar layering set up? I think I'm going to go with decomposed granite, organic topsoil and maybe some clay. Do you think this will drain quickly enough and not hold too much water?


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

I would go with an egg crate false bottom that is securely sealed. The burrowing of a bullsnake will tear up your layering otherwisem


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

Some how while looking for paludarium pictures I came across this build:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/tree-frogs/89047-phyllomedusa-sauvagei-naturalistic-vivaria.html


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## harrisbt (Feb 19, 2013)

I'm regretting how much research I did by myself in undergrad knowing now that Okapi would have gladly helped with whatever I was doing.

I'm interested to see what this project ends up looking like and whether or not some microfauna are able to effectively survive and partially clean whatever enclosure comes to fruition. Maybe you'll get lucky and your snake will only shit in its water dish.


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## solidsnake (Jun 3, 2014)

I'm about to start putting things together....I'll post some pictures when it's done. I'm still tossing the idea around with my substrate components. I think I'll do mainly decomposed granite, some organic potting soil and some hummus/worm castings. Layering the substrate I doubt will work since he likes to burrow.

Suggestions on substrate?

Do you guys think I should make a false bottom? The enclosure is going to be arid and not heavily watered ever. I don't intend on directly watering the entire enclose...just the plants. That being said, should I still make a false bottom?

Thanks!


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