Question: Substrate Change

[allegoriest]

Okay. I have a relatively new-ish tiger salamander. He's the only salamander and terrarium pet I've had. He's been doing pretty well, eating worms and crickets, exploring, digging, being adorable. (And he JUMPS. Oh its adorable.) He has several inches of coco husk / jungle mix to crawl around in, rocky caves, drift wood, terracotta pots to chill in, and a tiny pond with plants coming out of it. (Wow, it sounds huge when you say it like that.) The glass is bit opaque on top half because my water is probably liquid calcium and it used to be a fish tank, and its normally around 69 degrees or so. He's active, just a little fat, and currently pressing his face against the glass, watching me type.


Anyway.


Everyday I stir his soil up a bit, then I really mess it around maybe once a week. I change his water, and spray everything a couple times a day.

But, I can't figure out, when do I change the substrate? I keep hearing different things from days to months. Most the time it never even comes up.

It looks clean, it still smells like when I made his tank up. (He's not in his first one, he's been in this one a few weeks.) He doesn't seem to really be making a mess (I think he uses his little pond as a toilet...) and I hand feed him, so there isn't leftover food in there.

I mean... do I just wait until its unpleasant and I don't really want to touch it? Cause... I don't think I want to do that.

How often do you guys generally change the substrate?

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Depending on how moist it stays, you'd wanna change it about every 6 months. Just remember that the wetter it remains, the quicker it rots. If it starts to smell sour then it is also time to change it.

 

[allegoriest]

Thanks~

In his last home, I think I had a thicker top, and water was kinda pooled on the very bottom, but I don't seem to have that problem with this one. (I think the mesh is letting the water evaporate faster.) So I have to spray more, but its not hoarding the water anymore. So I will just wait until I get a slight funky smell, and, I'll want to change it out anyway by then.

 

[Opacum]

I used to put a layer of bulk aquarium carbon/charcoal on the bottom of my enclosure to keep it fresher. Just rinse it in cold water and put it at the bottom of the tank's land area and put a nylon screen over it. Then cover it with your substrate. It worked great and helped absorb any toxins for quite awhile.