Criptic's Page On Herps - Enclosures - Desert

is appropriate for most desert and savanna enclosures.

Use this to simulate the high mineral, low-organic-material soils found in such areas. Like natural desert soil, a properly prepared desert enclosure soil should be dense, but drain well. The soil should be able to dry out at the surface. It should form a crust that will enable burrowing animals to dig holes, and remain slight moist under the surface. This will help keep burrowing animals, plants, and incubating eggs properly humidified.

contents:

2 parts natural sand
1 part ground coconut husk fiber
1/2 part fully composted leaves

You should use a sand that occurs naturally in the environment. This should have been made by degraded rock. You can use a commercial sand as long as it was made from pulverized rock. Such sands are typically made from ground sandstone and granit. The sand should be composed of rough, irregular particles of various sizes, from fine powder to typical grains to pea gravel sized grains. To see if you have a proper sand, moisten some of it, squeeze it firmly, and open your hand. It should stay together in a clump. Lightly poke it with your finger, and it should crumble immediately. If it does so, you have a proper sand. Try to avoid sands that are too acidic or to alkaline. To figure out the pH of the sand, take some of the sand, and mix it with distilled water to make a thin mud. Let it sit for 24 hours. Dip a strip of litmus paper into the mud, or pour of some of the top water layer and test it with an aquarium pH test kit. Some nurseries sell soil test kits that can be used as well. The addition of the coconut husk fiber and composted leaves will help if the sand is slightly alkaline, but if it is highly alkaline, do not use it.

Soak the coconut husk until it falls apart and appears fluffy. Rinse it. Squeeze it out leaving it moist, but not wet. Mix all the components together. Allow it to sit for a couple of weeks in an open container, keeping it barely moist, and stirring it once a day.

Use this mix above the drainage layer in an enclosure. You may put a thin layer of sand on top if you wish.

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