Tiger possibly hates cocofiber?

[Jackulwulf]

I was wondering if anyone has ever had their tiger or salamander in general, not like cocofiber as a substrate? If you've read my other post about my tiger you'll know that I have been having problems with my tiger being an active feeder and its been ongoing for the three years that I've had him. And the three years that he's been with me I've generally kept him on cocofiber. So I'm wondering if he doesn't like the cocofiber much. Could that be possible? I've thinking of taking it out and putting him on paper towels for a while to see how things go with that since he has a hide that he hides under and he almost never buries himself in the cocofiber anyway which also kinda leads me to think that maybe he doesn't like it.

 

[SludgeMunkey]

Is it damp or dry? Does he have other places to hide that do not require him to dig?

 

[KingCam]

Both of my tiger salamanders love their cocofiber. I don't even mix it with anything. They are always making burrows and tunnels in it. It stays quite damp 100% of the time. They also have a hollow log they could hide in, but they almost never do. They'd rather be uprooting plants and making messes XD

 

[Jackulwulf]

I always keep it moist but not sopping wet and he does have a hide which is why I usually am not concerned if he doesn't burrow as he stays in his hide most of the time. But the cocofiber sticks to him all the time and sometimes it seems like its irritating to his eyes.
In any case I have him on paper towels right now to try and see if the cocofiber is the issue, if he starts eating normally again then I guess he'll be on PT for the rest of his life but if not then the next thing to try is mixing some top soil in it. Perhaps he just doesn't like straight cocofiber.

 

[grius]

I use plantation soil/playsand 80/20 for all my salamanders which works great(Tigers also then) Holds burrows and dosen't dry out so fast. But if using just coco I have noticed that it either get to wet or dry fast or sticks to the salamanders, but try this blend and maybe you will notice some difference. I would personally never keep tigers on paper towel except for sickness or similar, when really needed so to speak. For my adults i have between 10-20cm deep substrate that still after 6months have a fresh earthy smell.

 

[Jackulwulf]

Yea, I don't really want to keep him on paper towels because it just looks so dirty and gross since it has to be kept moist. In a few days if he still isn't eating then I'll just put the soil back in, mixed with top soil or sand.

One thing that concerns me though is he seems to have interest in eating as he comes out of his hide and comes towards me when I get ready to tong feed him, but he doesn't try to bite anything I put in there, and he acts like he doesn't really know that I'm holding anything..as if he's looking for it but doesn't see or smell it. I seen him strike at the dirt once as well as if there was a worm there and there wasn't.