ReptiChip in a rack? How?

[cchardwick]

I use Reptichip in my 20 tubs. I spray it down with water twice a week, usually the day after I feed. I go through and check to see if there are any uneaten rodents, then use a 2 gallon pump sprayer I got from Home Depot to spray it down real good. The pump sprayer seems to not frighten the snakes like a hand sprayer that you have to constantly pump. Here in Colorado we have desert like humidity, basically none at all. It dries out almost completely after three days. I used to get it really soaking wet but found that I had problems with mold, it's better to keep it on the dryer side, just wet it down real good but don't soak it too much.

I don't have anything to measure humidity, I let it naturally go up and down. Never had a problem. If I see a snake about to shed I mark that tub and spray it more often until they shed out. Once you get into a routine you'll figure it out. I wouldn't be to concerned with getting the humidity just perfect, just don't let it get too low for too long. I actually think my snakes like to see the jumps up and down in humidity.

I actually put Reptichip in the whole tub all except a small area in the back over the hot spot just big enough for the snake, then put the snake on the hotspot directly on the tub bottom with no substrate under him. When they go to the bathroom they crawl out of that hole, then I just spot clean with a dilute solution of Chlorhexidine and water (about 20 mL per quart) and wipe dry with paper towels, then put the snake back. Chlorhexidine is safe to use directly on snakes and is a great disinfectant. I bought it on Amazon, and since it's concentrated it goes a long way. Spot cleaning like that keeps my Reptichip in good shape for at least 2 months. After 2 months I replace it all. Used Reptichip is great for putting over the soil in house plants. I also use it in my mice tanks mixed in with the regular bedding, cuts way down on the mouse smells.

One tip on getting that block to expand, you can put it in a tub with several gallons of warm water and let it soak for about an hour, it will expand and is really easy to break apart. I used to wait five or ten minutes but it's difficult to break apart. However, if you only want to use some of the block and not all don't soak it that long and just break off what you need. You'll want to have some of it dry to mix in with the wet when you prepare it, otherwise it will be too wet and may mold. Seems like the mold is just on the surface and seems to go away after first mixing it up, not sure what it's from, but I seem to only have the mold issue when I first mix it up from a new block. After that I don't see the mold at all... Maybe it's my water since I'm on a well? Still not sure, just a little annoying when making it up from a new block. (I've been buying those blocks on Amazon). I was thinking maybe it's something actually in the block, like some kind of organic compound other than the coconut husk itself. And it seems like just a very light powder, just mixing up the substrate makes it go away. Or maybe it's from my rodent food dust in the room? But it's odd that I only see it at first...