# Zoo Med Excavator Clay Substrate



## andy_gg (Feb 11, 2008)

has any1 had any experiance with this stuff?

i was planning to use this for my beardies viv, i was also wondering if i could use this for my leos but i am just concerned if the heating would go through the clay from the mat?


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## TerrorTortoise (Apr 18, 2009)

andy_gg said:


> has any1 had any experiance with this stuff?
> 
> i was planning to use this for my beardies viv, i was also wondering if i could use this for my leos but i am just concerned if the heating would go through the clay from the mat?


hey I just used it for a leopard gecko and I think it is perfect. I was going to use it for my future beardie but I am changing my mind, this is because when the clay dries it is very set (meaning that you mold it when its wet and let it dry but you can mold it when it is dry) and I also found that a beardie would be ripping it up and it would turn into a mess (unlike a small leopard gecko) but I would highly recommend it for leo's. and the heat does go through it very well.


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## andy_gg (Feb 11, 2008)

thx for the tip
lookin forward to playin aroumd with this stuff


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## dazathon (Aug 1, 2009)

does anybody know how much of this i would need to kit out a 4ft viv?


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## skin77 (Sep 19, 2008)

this stuff is great, it goes off like concrete ! beware, the drying time will be 2-3 times longer than what it says on the pack ! 
4 foot viv i used 2 large packs, that gave a covering of about 4 square feet, the rest i tiled with slate tiles from b&q


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## GothGirl (Apr 9, 2008)

I love it, but wouldn't use a heatmat with it : victory:


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## andy_gg (Feb 11, 2008)

has any1 got any examples/pics of this stuff in the viv?


i was planning to use it for my leos ( with a heat mat) but not as substrate, just make burrows and small caves.


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## Spider Call (Mar 23, 2007)

I love this stuff and yeah it can be used with a mat. It gets nice and warm in my snakes vivs.
One issue I have with it.... It dyes the snake... I now have a milk snake with pale pink where she should be white...


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## TerrorTortoise (Apr 18, 2009)

GothGirl said:


> I love it, but wouldn't use a heatmat with it : victory:


I use a heat mat for leopard gecko's and it works very well.


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## TerrorTortoise (Apr 18, 2009)

In a Leopard gecko tank:


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## xtexterx (Aug 15, 2010)

is there any risk of impaction with this? im thinking of using it with my leopard geckos.


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## yellrat (Jun 13, 2008)

xtexterx said:


> is there any risk of impaction with this? im thinking of using it with my leopard geckos.


There is risk of impaction with any loose substrate just have weigh up the risks and make a decision obviously its a lower risk than calci sand.


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## balmybaldwin (Mar 17, 2010)

I've used 3 bags of the stuff to create a burrow area at the back of my BD Oscar's viv.

This really only covers just over 1 square foot, but it is probably a foot tall right in the corner.

As others have said it does set very hard, but what I did was to give oscar a lamp and UV outside the viv for the day, (and do his forntightly bath etc) whilst it was setting.

To reduce the amount needed, I used loose wood off cuts to add volume, and a couple of empty wine bottles to create starter burrows, and then covered the lot in the clay, and waited 24hrs before removing the wine bottles. 

I allowed oscar in the viv after about 6 hours drying (had the viv door open, and several additional heat lamps to get it to go off a bit quicker.)

The next morning I stuffed the holes left from the wine bottles so oscar couldn't get in straight away until it was fully set, and then went off to work.

When I came home I found that oscar had dug a new way in. :devil:

At least it's a sign he liked it as he normally just freaks out if I change the viv. After removing the stufifng from the holes, he's been in and out ever since and seems to really like it (although he rarely sleeps in there).

I have been keeping a close eye on whether he is eating any and haven't spotted anything yet.

I did also find the first few days that oscar was getting a bit stained, but after a week I gave him a bath, and he's back to normal now, I think this is only really a problem while the clay is wet.

Overall, I'm pleased with the stuff, but I have made sure I layed it onto loose tiles so it shouldn't be too much of an issue to get rid of.

Will try to post some pictures later...

There is no denying it tho, this is expensive stuff and would be a nightmare to clean if pood on (fortunately Oscar always poos in the bath or my living room floor)

HTH


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## balmybaldwin (Mar 17, 2010)

Finally a pic of oscar's hillock:

Oscar on his new Excavator hill | Flickr - Photo Sharing!


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## Kole (Mar 3, 2013)

*Excavator for reps*

I've been playing around with this stuff today for my young bosc monitor, I'm slightly worried he will destroy it, and if he does I'm planning on re-doing it flat but deep so he can burrow his own tunnels :lol2: The biggest issue with this stuff is that there isn't much of it. 2.25kg of the mixture only does half of my 2ft vivarium! It's great fun to play around with, especially when you see your reptile takes a liking to what you've made for him/her.


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## GeorgiaAndJayFuzz (Jan 27, 2013)

Kole said:


> I've been playing around with this stuff today for my young bosc monitor, I'm slightly worried he will destroy it, and if he does I'm planning on re-doing it flat but deep so he can burrow his own tunnels :lol2: The biggest issue with this stuff is that there isn't much of it. 2.25kg of the mixture only does half of my 2ft vivarium! It's great fun to play around with, especially when you see your reptile takes a liking to what you've made for him/her.


 
uve got a bosc in a 2ft Viv?


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

GeorgiaAndJayFuzz said:


> uve got a bosc in a 2ft Viv?


yes, unfortunately! read their care sheet that they wrote! 
its horrible!


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

Kole said:


> I've been playing around with this stuff today for my young bosc monitor, I'm slightly worried he will destroy it, and if he does I'm planning on re-doing it flat but deep so he can burrow his own tunnels :lol2: The biggest issue with this stuff is that there isn't much of it. 2.25kg of the mixture only does half of my 2ft vivarium! It's great fun to play around with, especially when you see your reptile takes a liking to what you've made for him/her.


change your husbandry NOW! you will kill the bosc. the clay will not really increase humidity enough either


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## varanus87 (Jan 30, 2012)

tremerz97 said:


> change your husbandry NOW! you will kill the bosc. the clay will not really increase humidity enough either


Dude ..... Give the guy a guide not a hammering ... U think he will ask another question wen ur hammering him .... Slowly slowly and u may have a chance to change his husbandry and ultimately hrlp his animal but hammer him and he won't ask again ...:bash:


Just chill and guide


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

varanus87 said:


> Dude ..... Give the guy a guide not a hammering ... U think he will ask another question wen ur hammering him .... Slowly slowly and u may have a chance to change his husbandry and ultimately hrlp his animal but hammer him and he won't ask again ...:bash:
> 
> 
> Just chill and guide


im just a little pissed off at the moment lol!
especially after reading the care sheet that he wrote. if people read that and think its ok then their bosc will suffer too! i just wish that people would research before giving advice!


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## varanus87 (Jan 30, 2012)

tremerz97 said:


> im just a little pissed off at the moment lol!
> especially after reading the care sheet that he wrote. if people read that and think its ok then their bosc will suffer too! i just wish that people would research before giving advice!


That's cool I'm sure we are all a lil concerned dude ....

But ur goal is to help his moni ... Smashing him will only drive him away ... As soon as the caresheet went up it was doomed ... U knw the moni gang will b hot on it and guide him to Wayne's website or FAQ .... I knw I am no angel at loosing my cool but u got b tactful in order to help his captive ... Breath and count to ten : victory:


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

varanus87 said:


> That's cool I'm sure we are all a lil concerned dude ....
> 
> But ur goal is to help his moni ... Smashing him will only drive him away ... As soon as the caresheet went up it was doomed ... U knw the moni gang will b hot on it and guide him to Wayne's website or FAQ .... I knw I am no angel at loosing my cool but u got b tactful in order to help his captive ... Breath and count to ten : victory:


im hopping that wayne will see it and give a good guidance. the other moni lot have gave him a link to the FAQ. 
im just gunna try to stay out of it, else this happens lol!


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## varanus87 (Jan 30, 2012)

tremerz97 said:


> im hopping that wayne will see it and give a good guidance. the other moni lot have gave him a link to the FAQ.
> im just gunna try to stay out of it, else this happens lol!


Get some gold tegu pics up ....:whistling2::whistling2:


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

varanus87 said:


> Get some gold tegu pics up ....:whistling2::whistling2:


later!! :Na_Na_Na_Na: 
next tuesday (hopefully) something else to go on the thread :mf_dribble::mf_dribble:


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## varanus87 (Jan 30, 2012)

tremerz97 said:


> later!! :Na_Na_Na_Na:
> next tuesday (hopefully) something else to go on the thread :mf_dribble::mf_dribble:


Do go on :whistling2:


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

varanus87 said:


> Do go on :whistling2:


nope! not yet. 
pm me if you want, i'll tell you then :2thumb:


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## Jaymz (Mar 21, 2010)

tremerz97 said:


> change your husbandry NOW! you will kill the bosc. the clay will not really increase humidity enough either


This rarely helps :devil:



varanus87 said:


> Dude ..... Give the guy a guide not a hammering ... U think he will ask another question wen ur hammering him .... Slowly slowly and u may have a chance to change his husbandry and ultimately hrlp his animal but hammer him and he won't ask again ...:bash:
> 
> 
> Just chill and guide


This does :no1:

There seems to be an influx of newbies that I like to call "the substrate police" Due to inexperiance or having never kept the animal in question jump on people shouting "substrate depths" whilst missing a dozen other glaringly obvious mistakes. Spose the moral is think before you post :2thumb: as shouting people down makes you look like a plum


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## varanus87 (Jan 30, 2012)

Jaymz said:


> This rarely helps :devil:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Agreed .... Tbh I am usually guilty of going all guns blazing but I've turned a corner now :whistling2::lol2:


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

Jaymz said:


> This rarely helps :devil:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


they must think that theyre experienced if they have wrote a care sheet? (bad one but still) 
and yeah reading back on it, it wont help. sorry guys


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## varanus87 (Jan 30, 2012)

tremerz97 said:


> they must think that theyre experienced if they have wrote a care sheet? (bad one but still)
> and yeah reading back on it, it wont help. sorry guys


Don't say sorry just don't do it again ...:Na_Na_Na_Na::lol2:


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

varanus87 said:


> Don't say sorry just don't do it again ...:Na_Na_Na_Na::lol2:


i'll try my best!


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## Jaymz (Mar 21, 2010)

varanus87 said:


> Agreed .... Tbh I am usually guilty of going all guns blazing but I've turned a corner now :whistling2::lol2:


Keep taking the tablets :2thumb:



tremerz97 said:


> they must think that theyre experienced if they have wrote a care sheet? (bad one but still)
> and yeah reading back on it, it wont help. sorry guys


No worries :2thumb:

I almost never post negative posts. Plenty of others get there kicks on here doing that. I'm way to happy/busy with my lot to worry about what other peeps are doing. :2thumb:


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## GeorgiaAndJayFuzz (Jan 27, 2013)

tremerz97 said:


> yes, unfortunately! read their care sheet that they wrote!
> its horrible!


 
don't think i want too.....


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## Kole (Mar 3, 2013)

GeorgiaAndJayFuzz said:


> uve got a bosc in a 2ft Viv?


My bosc i am keeping in a 2ft vivarium is probably smaller than leopard gecko size.


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

Kole said:


> My bosc i am keeping in a 2ft vivarium is probably smaller than leopard gecko size.


doesnt matter. do you have a high basking spot? cool cool end? probably not


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## hornet2k8 (May 4, 2014)

Am gettin 2 new vivs on friday so mite get some make it up put in then put the beardies in seen it in the local pet store they used a baloon to build a burrow so wonder if i could do that ... how do you prepare it water then add it or something


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