Noah's Ark Exotics Adrenal - The adrenal glands have a significant influence on immunity. They produce hormones that are vital to several metabolic functions, including DHEA, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, and epinephrine. Specifically, the adrenal gland’s production of cortisol is essential to maintain immunity. However, the overproduction of cortisol weakens the immune system by suppressing neutrophil function. (Neutrophil’s - white blood cells critical for immune response.) Thyroid - A strong immune system needs an active production of Natural Killer Cells (NK or NKCs - part of the immune system’s first line of defense) to fight off foreign intruders. Researchers found that NK cells were more active among individuals with optimal levels of thyroid hormones. If you are concerned about your hormone levels being balanced, see your health care provider for their professional advice concerning your individual needs. Hormone balance is something you don’t want to try to fix on your own. Low thyroid levels can hamper the body’s response to viruses, and also cause a sluggish response to inflammation. Estrogen - Extremely high or low estrogen levels affect the immunity. Excessive production of estrogen can suppress the thyroid, as well as reduce the activity levels of NK cells and interleukin 2. Interleukin 2 is produced by T-cells (a type of white blood cell) to stimulate the immune system. Furthermore, high levels of estrogen decrease the size of the thymus gland, which depresses immune activity by causing a reduction in thymus hormone levels in the blood. In contrast, postmenopausal women that are estrogen-deprived also have weakened immunity. Low estrogen levels decrease NK cell, B lymphocyte, and T helper cell activity (all essential for proper immune response), while increasing the body’s inflammatory response. Progesterone - Low levels of progesterone has been linked to some autoimmune diseases. Correct progesterone balance affects proper T-cell and NK cell activity. It has also been observed that progesterone aids immune system development in the fetus, during pregnancy. Testosterone - When testosterone levels are low, T-cell production multiplies. T-cells fight against infections, but overproduction can lead to autoimmune diseases. In contrast, testosterone levels that become too high significantly increase corticosterone levels, which suppress immune activity. Testosterone also regulates production of monocytes and lymphocytes - white blood cells that are essential to immunity.
cool! it's what we're learning in school right now, so I just wanted to know :) my original point, however, was that traditionally it's thought that your immune system does all the heavy lifting, but it is helped by other systems
i cant fukin handle how super serious you always act in your videos but then your editing is Memetastic like the contrast is so hilarious and tbh sometimes i just watch ur videos to see what kind of editing hijinks ur gonna pull off
Thanks for doing this video young man. My son bought a Rosy Boa today and Petco sold me birdseed/ walnut substrate. Taking it out in the morning and replacing it ASAP.
Ever since I got my bearded dragon I’ve had him in repti carpet because I had done my research and everyone said sand was bad. Kept him like that for 2 years and he would ALWAYS try and dig the carpet plus I was tired of how even after I would clean his tank and carpet it would still smell. So I finally decided to switch to sand and my beardie loves it. My beardie loves it BUT if your going to use sand you have to be smart about it. My dragon has bricks above the sand which he uses as his basking spot and whenever I feed him I never let the crickets run wild for him to try and catch and possibly get sand in his mouth. I always feed him live crickets but I kill them but pinching them with feeder Tonga that way they don’t run away and I leave them in his bowl. He has a huge water dish and a basking spot with the right temperature in case he ever does get impaction he’ll be able to pass it through with a healthy digestive system.
Walnut shell is very abrasive, it's actually used in ammunition reloading case cleaners, you fill the bowl of your tumbler, drop in the brass to be cleaned, turn on the tumbler and in a couple days the cases come out gleaming and spotless
You are the only serious kid I found on YT that's keeping reptiles. You have great knowledge and the way you share it is brilliant and I think a lot of much older people will watch your videos and treat you seriously because of that. Most young people on YT just looking for attention and are showing their parents reptiles often handling them in a rough way and stressing them out. I watched several of your videos and you are completely different, I can see reptiles are your passion and you take real interest in them. No fooling around, always very good advices and very good presence in front of camera. Let me tell you, you are one very impressive young man and you have great future ahead of you. Follow your dream and I'm sure you will become a really big personality in reptile keepers world one day because your dedication, knowledge and love for animals is clearly obvious and worth admiring.
'Breeders put their snakes on pine and leos on sand, it's okay!' Number one most breeders shove their animals in tiny ass bins to live out their lives to breed them, so I wouldn't even listen to a big breeder who does this. Reptile care has evolved and I don't understand why someone wouldn't want the best for their animal?? If we were talking about dog care and rawhides being dangerous, people would be throwing out their chews. But because they're reptiles, most people don't seem to give a shit and its wrong. You are the owner, you took this animal, it's YOUR responsibility to make sure they have the best care. Being ignorant and ignoring better options just makes you seem stupid and it harms the animal. 'But in the wild-' Beardies are native to Australia and live on hard packed dirt. They might get into some sand or smaller fine crushed medium but they do not live on 100% sand. Snakes that do live near pine are just near or on the trees, not shredded pine that is more of an irritant than a solid log. It's inhaling the shredded material that makes them sick. They're forced to be on it 24/7 unlike wild snakes who just keep moving.
But at the same time, reptiles are NOT like dogs or rodents. They have less awareness. One of the main problems in reptile hobby, is that people are starting to treat reptiles like they are full of feelings. I prefer to house reptiles in terrariums myself, but that is something which is ONLY for our viewing pleasure! If you look at all those rack systems, the floorspace in these boxes are as big as a 10 gallon terrarium, which is minimum for Leopard Geckos. In the wild, snakes prefer to stay inside caves or branches for their entire lives. The only times where they leave, is when they need to find food. But since this is being provided for them in captivity, they thrive in a rack system as well. I understand that some do not follow all the guidelines, but people in the other end of the spectrum are part of the problem also...
@@MichaelHolmgaard Super late reply. Not dissing good sized rack systems. My geckos are in bins but have more than enough room to move around. Just give the snakes plenty of space. Snakes don't just chill in burrows. Ive seen plenty of snakes who love to move and explore their enclosure. But if you don't give them enough room or enrichment, of course they aren't going to do much. And yes I agree, people do humanize reptiles and that is bad. I'm not gonna say any are sad, but some do perk up when given better options.
i agree i keep my leopard gecko on sand for 3 reasons 1. its soft and doesnt make the leopard gecko constantly pulls their toes. 2. its soft and doesnt cause irritation so it falls through their toes. and 3.its a great excellent conductor so it conducts and is safe for the the leopard gecko. and my gecko is just fine on sand he seems for most part fairly healthy
for some reason since you mention that your turtle's name is Franklin that for some reason reminds me of the kids TV show cause I think when were kids we used to watch it
I got rid of my calcium sand a few months ago and I think that was the best decision I’ve made (When we got my lizards I forgot to tell my dad not to get calcium sand so he accidentally got it and I wasn’t able to get another substrate so I had to wait a while to get a different one but now I use coconut fiber) (They are geckos)
The best idea for substrates is to offer a variety of textures so your animal can move around based on what it wants at moment. My Bearded Dragon loves resting on his driftwood and on basking rocks. But he sleeps on the floor of his vivarium and that's a rubber mat. He has the ability to move to whatever he's feeling like. I also have a small area with crushed walnut shells and he will rub himself in them during a shed.
Great video , Little suggest maybe for a up coming video now that winter months are effecting most people and their reptiles due to home heat drying out the air , this can lead to humidity issues and cause the start of R.I . maybe a video on tips and tricks to help with humidity , and or what bedding would be best to use for say a boa vs ball python during winter months . like Eco earth is great for animals that call for a 65% or higher humidity ( like a boa ) , where cypress or fir bark is great for things that need a 45-55% humidity . ( then there is even a little sub topic off this , things like aspen and sandi-chips are not the best to use for a high humidity animal , because these when they get wet tend to mold very fast and easy ) Just some idea if you have not covered some of this stuff yet .
Nice ideas, I do have a video on increasing and decreasing humidity but I don't talk about substrate at all so I may do that sometime. ua-cam.com/video/UsIHV6CnEnE/v-deo.html
I use the excavator clay and have made tunnels and hides for my lizard, and then the rest of the substrate that wasn’t molded is loose at the bottom and he burrows deep inside it. It’s the closest to his natural environment and it’s just all around a money saver imo
Cali Sand is probably what we call Agri sand in the horse industry. It's crushed limestone (limestone is a natural source of calcium). Didn't realize it's so dangerous for reptiles! It's absolutely perfect for arena footing (what we use it for). If I ever get a reptile, I'll keep the danger in mind. Thanks for the information!
Never used walnut substrate, but I do use walnut heavy duty hand cleaner. It is extremely abrasive, great for cleaning oily hands, but it's no surprise to me that it's bad for reptiles
I know this video is a little older but i will put my 2 cents in. I had a lot of reptiles growing up and also live in NC. It gets warm but one particular iguana i had outside swimming and he ate a pebble that people use in flower beds, it was good size and it impacted him. He survived but cost a pretty penny in surgery. So even if you think the gravel or pebbles are too big, nope. If it fits in their mouth they can eat it like kids.
Coco fibre depending on reptile, if you have a young crested gecko for example, it may ingest some substrate, but the husk of the coconut is so fibrous and tuff it can be very difficult for them to digest, and even cause impaction, pains, lack of appetite, and stress. But it’s perfectly fine for many other species (reptiles and other)
In the wild, the animals aren’t living in shredded trees and bark, especially freshly chopped up living tree. That chemical is also the reason those woods tend to burn very quick, easy, and hot. Loose substrates are highly debated but it’s purely dependent on the specific animal, not the species but the individual animal. Some animals have bad aim and may miss live food constantly, but an otherwise average individual may only miss once or twice and is apt to spitting the substrate out. Calcium carbonate sand can still be used with many reptiles and invertebrates when mixed into other substrates, as a supplement. Calcium carbonate is not a good additive to moist substrate as per its qualities it will clump together, likewise when used as a pure substrate when an animal ingests even dry “Calci sand” will cause it to glue together to one large rock inside the animal. Natural loose substrates like shredded wood, but shells, gravel, etc. are safe because they don’t cement to themselves when introduced to water. It should be noted that many species of animals purposefully ingest rocks or other small things such as bark chips to help break down food in their digestive systems in the wild. (Waste clumps would simply break down as well). Again, it’s all dependent on the animal. Walnut shell is not good for a soft skinned lizard like a gecko, however it’s perfect substrate for an avian Breeder or a sandfish (although I’d recommend just using sand); gravel may be great for many amphibians but not so much for hermit crabs. The same idea coincides with other substrates like textile carpet. Not one particular substrate is necessarily horrendous, but they certainly aren’t universal across all animal husbandry. Note: my channel doesn’t reflect my experience on animals because I don’t care to make videos; so take my advice for what it’s worth or a grain of salt, but it comes from 12 years of experience with many, many exotics.
You're providing a great public service. While I agree that sand should be avoided with any reptile, when it comes to the crushed walnut shells my 3 foot Madagascar Plated lizards do great with it. I've never had a bag with hard granules, but it could have something to do with how it was stored before they bought it. If they were any smaller I wouldn't use it, but they were miserable when I took their sand away and added ecoearth. I sprayed it down daily but it would still dry out to the point to where they couldn't open their eyes, they would be stuck together. They are noticeably more active with the walnut shells, although I'm not sure any of the actual hard shell makes it into the bag, in my experience it has been the soft inside under the shell. My leopard gecko will be on reptile carpet his entire life though.
Totally agree with what e said about calci-sand, and sand made with calcium carbonate. I recently bought a Nigerian uromastyx from a pet store that kept him on the sand. They didn't use a feeding dish and he ate WAY too much sand. The day after we bought he he just died. Our setup was perfect. MVB, ceramic heat emmiter, extra light bulbs for heating, so I didn't know how I could have killed it, so we had an expert look at the corpse. Turns out, the sand had built up over time and blocked his digestive track. The poor lizard was a ticking time bomb, and the stress of the move triggered his demise. Never EVER use calcium sand.
I love your videos! I have a few reptiles and arachnids myself and am always educating people on substrates for reptiles. Mainly, impaction is what I run across but i have removed several seminal plugs from gecko hemipenes cause by sand too. If only they all knew :-( anyways great video and thanks for the info.
I use crushed walnuts for my adult leopard geckos and their almost 16 years old so and I never had any issues they dedicate regularly and have never shown any impaction induced symptoms. I do agree that you shouldn't use it with babies or adolescents as they tend to miss when they are catching their pray.
Although all animals can live near pine and cedar, even humans get irritated by the oils and chemicals they produce. My dad broke out in hives while making my bunk bed out of pine as a kid.
Something I think is worth noting about sand substrates is that with the exception of true dune dwelling reptiles, they don't really live on loose sand in the wild. If you go to the desert and wander around, it's mostly packed sand/clay/gravel material that's not going to get into their mouths as they dive for prey items. Dune dwelling species probably could be kept on loose sand, but most of the species kept as pets aren't dune dwelling reptiles, and even if they were it'd be tough to know if the sand you're using is the same type of sand they're living on in the wild.
Paper towels gave both my leopard geckos a skin condition which made their tails all scaly, as if they had to shed but it was 24/7 and even immediately after shedding. It became so bad that one of my geckos had their tail amputated and after switching to mats they both recovered very fast
I will never use calcium substrate again. During our 5 month old bearded dragon's shedding, he rubbed his nose in his calcium substrate, which quickly clogged his nostrils. Calcium substrate creates a very fine powder and when wet it becomes cement like. Leaving him to only be able to get air through his mouth. Giving him his soaks, he will dip his head down and blow bubbles out his nostrils. I can see the white powder work its way out, but now his nasal tissue is inflamed which is further blocking his airway. Try handling calci-sand for a few minutes, it's like holding a mixture of salt and talc powder for days. Your hands dry up. This is what is happening if they get it into their nose..
Respiratory system is the system you use to breathe, for example your lungs are a huge part of your respiratory system. Immune system is the one you are looking for :). The video was very helpful though!
A word on gravel: I highly recommend not using it at all unless you're using larger stones. For turtles I would go bare bottom, or with sand. I recently lost a turtle because he wasn't the brightest, and thought that the gravel was food. Also, going bare bottom makes water and tank/enclosure maintenance so much easier.
I actually recorded a video a while ago on gravel but never got around to posting it. Maybe I should finish it up, because I do think this is important! and sorry to hear about your turt
Calcium sand also is not recommended for hermit crabs because they come from a tropical environment and they need moist substrate. They're also burrowers. This sand is also considered dangerous by serious crabbers. A lot of people who own hermit crabs recommend play sand and eco earth.
do you have any opinions on coco (ground coconut husk) for bedding? we used to use it at my old job for animals that needed extra humidity or were egg bound but ive never actually bothered trying it outside of that. i know our burber skinks loved it for burrowing
any recommendations for a young bearded dragon? a friend was asking me last night and all i could really think of was coco since i never personally owned one and my work only used walnut for them
+Francisco Garcia90 I've never used them. I heard they're very hard to clean but other than that, as long as chunks or grains aren't coming off, I think they're fine!
GoHerping ya it is kinda hard to clean but my dragon usualy goes to the bathroom at the same time of day (morning) so i use newspaper to avoid having to ckean the actual sandmat. and then i just take it out after he poops and ya i just repeat evry day. so most of the day he has his actual mat only in the morning he has newspaper .
I've used walnut shells for 2 Desert Rain Frogs ( BTW They R So Cute :3 ) before, what I have noticed is that they would eat some of it each time when they ate but it passed just like normal and there where no signs of damage to the insides. They lived a long life. (They lived for 13 years, i'm 15 but my friend that i got them from had them for 9 years so I had them for 4 years.) Just my point of view and opinion. If you do or don't want to for any animal, its that is up to the owner.
Hi! I wanna know if the terrarium liners are resistant to heat. Because I'm not sure if I have to put the heat mat right under the terrarium liner or outside the terrarium glass. If you could respond me it would be so helpful. Thanks! (sorry if something doesn't make sense or it's wrong spelled, I'm Spanish. Hope you understand me😊)
We finally got the walnut shell out of our bearded dragon's tank and replaced it with a coconut husk Mat. I hated the walnut shell because it was so dusty, and after a while it starts to stink really bad, even with good husbandry. The coconut husk is really hard to clean, that's why I'm here lol
So, I've seen this in one setup, but... What if you have a tank and it has one area with sand, and one without? Now I understand why this may not be the greatest for leopard geckos, but there are some snakes that I believe do well with some sand, and even enjoy digging around in it. Is this okay to do in those cases?
Wild salamanders rarely hide under cedar in my experience, likely due to their high chemical content. I wouldn't use it as a substrate or even a piece of cedar tree as a hide. They just don't seem to like it
Another tip for those in need...if your looking for proper husbandry education on a reptile never ask a retail store employee. Go online, find a reputable breeder with at least 7 yrs experience and ask them. Then after that find 3 more and get their answers as well. Then make an educated decision based on that.
I use sand for my Beardie and he's never had impaction and he's never had problems getting to his food and water bowls, but the sand that we use is very fine so he can just poo it out if he ingests it, but he barely licks his substrate and as being a person living in the uk it's whats recommend over here
Abigail the little Squirtle I doubt you’re a vet so how could you possibly know if your dragon is impacted or not? Do you have an x-ray machine in your house? Who’s recommendation was it that you should use sand? The newly employed minimum wage worker at petco? If your dragon is shitting sand, there’s probably a lot backed up too. It doesn’t matter how fine the sand it. Please just think before you defend bad pet husbandry, thanks.
As our understanding and knowledge grows it's important to correct or past advice. I'd suggest editing your description or removing the video you previously made two years ago recommending calcium sand as your preferred option.
I initially used sand only when I first got my leopard geckos, and then switched to using a reptile mat. My geckos like to dig around, so I started putting some sand under their hide so I could dig to their content. What's your opinion on having a partly sand and mostly reptile mat/carpet enclosure? Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH for covering calcium sand. I had no idea about the danger it could bring to my babies. Not going to be buying those again! Thankfully, somehow, they haven't gotten impaction ;3;
@@nightinggale6470 what about Lucky Reptile desert bedding (20liter as example) as substrate for leopard gecko's? Or do you prefer a bio active one as Earth Mix Arid as example?
@Nighting Gale, i ordered Earth Mix Arid and would like to buy also Lucky Reptile Desert bedding(black) for use the combination of the two.Think it's better for moistening the plants. Don't you think? I also ordered ThermoControl II Pro thermostat for controlling the heat of the basking spot as well as the ExoTerra Heatmat. I want to create 3 zones for the gecko's; upper heat from the basking spot on the left, bottom heat from the headmat in the middle and a cool zone as well. (have a terratlantis tank 51inch).
Nighting Gale ok, thanks, but I was wondering why is forest bark a bad option. The pet shop keeps them in forest bark and says it’s a very good option. Why?
Excavator, Eco earth, Reptile Life, or a combination of (eco earth/reptile life in the humid hide area, the clay elsewhere.) Don't use dry loose sand. They do not live on dry loose sand anywhere. They may encounter areas of it, but it is not where they do most of their life tasks.
I bought 250 wax worms online for my beardie, he tried a few but spit them out quickly, when i looked at shipping statement it stated the extra bedding i ordered was listed as pine, i didnt have any other type of bedding so i crushed up some bran flakes from raisn bran (yes i removed the raisins) and put them in it, its been 3 days so will be trying them on him again
I wish companies like Zilla would find a safe alternative for Desert reptiles instead of advertising how great crushed walnut shell is for Desert terrariums claiming that it does not cause impaction but you don't want to injure their digestive tract. Apparently, these retail pet supply companies just want to make a fast buck through their marketing.
Hey, when I fed my snake today, a piece of bedding went on the food and the snake swallowed it. is that bad? can it kill my snake? the bedding I use is repti bark made by zoo-med.
I have a video on removing stuck shed here ua-cam.com/video/cbjhj_4Hw7Y/v-deo.html and avoiding stuck shed here :) ua-cam.com/video/DjoA7fe1p94/v-deo.html
I highly recommend avoiding shards of glass as substrate for your pet iguana
who would even- what-
personally i RECOMMEND glass shards, keeps their nails filed 😍😍
@@jobuggies ikr, 10/10 would recommend
I highly recommend fire ants as a substrate for any gecko species. It’s free food on the floor!
@@genesisrail I'll have to try it 😍
Respiratory system isn't what fights of germs, that's your immune system :)
Noah's Ark Exotics which is in the endocrine system (;
uhhh... i'm pretty sure there is no systems in systems buddy, but if you have more info pls share it
Noah's Ark Exotics Adrenal - The adrenal glands have a significant influence on immunity. They produce hormones that are vital to several metabolic functions, including DHEA, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, and epinephrine.
Specifically, the adrenal gland’s production of cortisol is essential to maintain immunity. However, the overproduction of cortisol weakens the immune system by suppressing neutrophil function. (Neutrophil’s - white blood cells critical for immune response.)
Thyroid - A strong immune system needs an active production of Natural Killer Cells (NK or NKCs - part of the immune system’s first line of defense) to fight off foreign intruders. Researchers found that NK cells were more active among individuals with optimal levels of thyroid hormones.
If you are concerned about your hormone levels being balanced, see your health care provider for their professional advice concerning your individual needs. Hormone balance is something you don’t want to try to fix on your own.
Low thyroid levels can hamper the body’s response to viruses, and also cause a sluggish response to inflammation.
Estrogen - Extremely high or low estrogen levels affect the immunity. Excessive production of estrogen can suppress the thyroid, as well as reduce the activity levels of NK cells and interleukin 2. Interleukin 2 is produced by T-cells (a type of white blood cell) to stimulate the immune system.
Furthermore, high levels of estrogen decrease the size of the thymus gland, which depresses immune activity by causing a reduction in thymus hormone levels in the blood.
In contrast, postmenopausal women that are estrogen-deprived also have weakened immunity. Low estrogen levels decrease NK cell, B lymphocyte, and T helper cell activity (all essential for proper immune response), while increasing the body’s inflammatory response.
Progesterone - Low levels of progesterone has been linked to some autoimmune diseases. Correct progesterone balance affects proper T-cell and NK cell activity.
It has also been observed that progesterone aids immune system development in the fetus, during pregnancy.
Testosterone - When testosterone levels are low, T-cell production multiplies. T-cells fight against infections, but overproduction can lead to autoimmune diseases.
In contrast, testosterone levels that become too high significantly increase corticosterone levels, which suppress immune activity. Testosterone also regulates production of monocytes and lymphocytes - white blood cells that are essential to immunity.
cool! it's what we're learning in school right now, so I just wanted to know :) my original point, however, was that traditionally it's thought that your immune system does all the heavy lifting, but it is helped by other systems
Noah's Ark Exotics Oh wow, mixed that up, thanks haha
i cant fukin handle how super serious you always act in your videos but then your editing is Memetastic like the contrast is so hilarious and tbh sometimes i just watch ur videos to see what kind of editing hijinks ur gonna pull off
Avery Ajisai you need to get a life mate your worrieing about something that's irrelevant. Let's see your video?
I really don't understand why you would go on his channel to just talk garbage like geez get a life
I think she was giving him a compliment... she said it’s hilarious..... 😐 so chill
Can’t take a joke or a compliment 🤦🏾♂️
Angelica M Did you mean to @ someone? OP isn’t taking ‘garbage’.
I showed a guy I met on Amino this video (he uses calcium sand), and he got so mad at me. He even banned me from his community...
Rest easy. Lmao that’s how you know you’re right.
He’s salty u called him out
Your immune system is what fights off germs. Not your respitory system. Nevertheless, nice video 😄
Paty Romero I completely missed that while editing, thanks! I added it to the description.
Thanks for doing this video young man. My son bought a Rosy Boa today and Petco sold me birdseed/ walnut substrate. Taking it out in the morning and replacing it ASAP.
Anyone else come her to find Andrew?
TheDerpyMinecrafters I'll find you
Ry u scared me my name is Andrew
yes
Yeah
yes where is he
Ever since I got my bearded dragon I’ve had him in repti carpet because I had done my research and everyone said sand was bad. Kept him like that for 2 years and he would ALWAYS try and dig the carpet plus I was tired of how even after I would clean his tank and carpet it would still smell. So I finally decided to switch to sand and my beardie loves it. My beardie loves it BUT if your going to use sand you have to be smart about it. My dragon has bricks above the sand which he uses as his basking spot and whenever I feed him I never let the crickets run wild for him to try and catch and possibly get sand in his mouth. I always feed him live crickets but I kill them but pinching them with feeder Tonga that way they don’t run away and I leave them in his bowl. He has a huge water dish and a basking spot with the right temperature in case he ever does get impaction he’ll be able to pass it through with a healthy digestive system.
I've been exposed
lol
xD
Arizona Vivariums hahaha
Arizona Vivariums XD
Arizona Vivariums shut up my lizard can only use sand and coconut shavings
Walnut shell is very abrasive, it's actually used in ammunition reloading case cleaners, you fill the bowl of your tumbler, drop in the brass to be cleaned, turn on the tumbler and in a couple days the cases come out gleaming and spotless
You are the only serious kid I found on YT that's keeping reptiles. You have great knowledge and the way you share it is brilliant and I think a lot of much older people will watch your videos and treat you seriously because of that. Most young people on YT just looking for attention and are showing their parents reptiles often handling them in a rough way and stressing them out. I watched several of your videos and you are completely different, I can see reptiles are your passion and you take real interest in them. No fooling around, always very good advices and very good presence in front of camera. Let me tell you, you are one very impressive young man and you have great future ahead of you. Follow your dream and I'm sure you will become a really big personality in reptile keepers world one day because your dedication, knowledge and love for animals is clearly obvious and worth admiring.
Great video! Your voice is really calm and nice to listen to.
Agreed
GEORGE RANGO haha. I love Nirvana ❤️
Creepy but ok 😂
'Breeders put their snakes on pine and leos on sand, it's okay!'
Number one most breeders shove their animals in tiny ass bins to live out their lives to breed them, so I wouldn't even listen to a big breeder who does this.
Reptile care has evolved and I don't understand why someone wouldn't want the best for their animal?? If we were talking about dog care and rawhides being dangerous, people would be throwing out their chews.
But because they're reptiles, most people don't seem to give a shit and its wrong. You are the owner, you took this animal, it's YOUR responsibility to make sure they have the best care. Being ignorant and ignoring better options just makes you seem stupid and it harms the animal.
'But in the wild-'
Beardies are native to Australia and live on hard packed dirt. They might get into some sand or smaller fine crushed medium but they do not live on 100% sand.
Snakes that do live near pine are just near or on the trees, not shredded pine that is more of an irritant than a solid log. It's inhaling the shredded material that makes them sick. They're forced to be on it 24/7 unlike wild snakes who just keep moving.
But at the same time, reptiles are NOT like dogs or rodents. They have less awareness. One of the main problems in reptile hobby, is that people are starting to treat reptiles like they are full of feelings. I prefer to house reptiles in terrariums myself, but that is something which is ONLY for our viewing pleasure! If you look at all those rack systems, the floorspace in these boxes are as big as a 10 gallon terrarium, which is minimum for Leopard Geckos. In the wild, snakes prefer to stay inside caves or branches for their entire lives. The only times where they leave, is when they need to find food. But since this is being provided for them in captivity, they thrive in a rack system as well. I understand that some do not follow all the guidelines, but people in the other end of the spectrum are part of the problem also...
Wait rawhide is dangerous???
@@MichaelHolmgaard Super late reply. Not dissing good sized rack systems. My geckos are in bins but have more than enough room to move around. Just give the snakes plenty of space. Snakes don't just chill in burrows. Ive seen plenty of snakes who love to move and explore their enclosure. But if you don't give them enough room or enrichment, of course they aren't going to do much.
And yes I agree, people do humanize reptiles and that is bad. I'm not gonna say any are sad, but some do perk up when given better options.
@@AW-qz4kk Dogs can chew off chunks and they can cause a huge blockage. Sometimes they don't fully digest.
i agree i keep my leopard gecko on sand for 3 reasons 1. its soft and doesnt make the leopard gecko constantly pulls their toes. 2. its soft and doesnt cause irritation so it falls through their toes. and 3.its a great excellent conductor so it conducts and is safe for the the leopard gecko. and my gecko is just fine on sand he seems for most part fairly healthy
Top 6 great substrates for reptiles??
I talked about some of my favorites here ua-cam.com/video/VLc59mS3Ia8/v-deo.html
i use a mixture of coconut fibre and gunpowder
@@hardflip what lol
for some reason since you mention that your turtle's name is Franklin that for some reason reminds me of the kids TV show cause I think when were kids we used to watch it
SEAN's GAMING CHANNEL that’s who his turtle is named after. He mentions it in one of his other videos
6:08 i love how he tried to feed his turtle gravel🤣
Alex: Cedar and Pine
Me, a hamster owner: ahh yes I know this drill
I also have hamster. At least we can use aspen :)
I have guinea pigs and its the exact same, best to stick to aspen
Thank you, just got a ball python today, you were big help leading up to her arrival👌🏼🙏🏻🐍
Awesome, good to hear!
Ryan Witney same
Walnut shells were used in pin cushions (sometimes still are) to keep pins sharp each time they're stuck back in the pin cushion or by twisting.
Very educational to a fairly new reptile owner (got my little leo almost 3 months ago, and getting a beardy in a few days)
Great video, could you do more videos on ball pythons? Thanks.
Go ball pythons! Good job keep up the good work!
Lol Andrew I knew where going to show him lol I was totally expecting that lol and great video alex👍🏼😊
I got rid of my calcium sand a few months ago and I think that was the best decision I’ve made
(When we got my lizards I forgot to tell my dad not to get calcium sand so he accidentally got it and I wasn’t able to get another substrate so I had to wait a while to get a different one but now I use coconut fiber)
(They are geckos)
Coconut fiber is good but should be mixed with other subtrares
The best idea for substrates is to offer a variety of textures so your animal can move around based on what it wants at moment. My Bearded Dragon loves resting on his driftwood and on basking rocks. But he sleeps on the floor of his vivarium and that's a rubber mat. He has the ability to move to whatever he's feeling like.
I also have a small area with crushed walnut shells and he will rub himself in them during a shed.
Hi, nice video. You should really do a series on Kenyan sand boas
I keep most of my reptiles on reptile carpet and I get so much hate for it. I’m so glad to be a part of this community 😃
@@nightinggale6470 like what
Great video , Little suggest maybe for a up coming video now that winter months are effecting most people and their reptiles due to home heat drying out the air , this can lead to humidity issues and cause the start of R.I . maybe a video on tips and tricks to help with humidity , and or what bedding would be best to use for say a boa vs ball python during winter months . like Eco earth is great for animals that call for a 65% or higher humidity ( like a boa ) , where cypress or fir bark is great for things that need a 45-55% humidity . ( then there is even a little sub topic off this , things like aspen and sandi-chips are not the best to use for a high humidity animal , because these when they get wet tend to mold very fast and easy ) Just some idea if you have not covered some of this stuff yet .
Nice ideas, I do have a video on increasing and decreasing humidity but I don't talk about substrate at all so I may do that sometime. ua-cam.com/video/UsIHV6CnEnE/v-deo.html
I love your channel it is awesome. You great advise and you deserve way more subs than you have.
Keira Robinson Thanks!
Keira Robinson He doesn't deserve any subs
I use the excavator clay and have made tunnels and hides for my lizard, and then the rest of the substrate that wasn’t molded is loose at the bottom and he burrows deep inside it.
It’s the closest to his natural environment and it’s just all around a money saver imo
I want to do this actually thanks for the feedback!!!
Cali Sand is probably what we call Agri sand in the horse industry. It's crushed limestone (limestone is a natural source of calcium). Didn't realize it's so dangerous for reptiles! It's absolutely perfect for arena footing (what we use it for). If I ever get a reptile, I'll keep the danger in mind. Thanks for the information!
also i don't use sand because it can't harbor plants in it and now because you said that it's a dangerous substrate
I use eco earth. It’s a coconut husk substrate. No mold, and great for reptiles that need for high humidity.
Never used walnut substrate, but I do use walnut heavy duty hand cleaner. It is extremely abrasive, great for cleaning oily hands, but it's no surprise to me that it's bad for reptiles
I know this video is a little older but i will put my 2 cents in. I had a lot of reptiles growing up and also live in NC. It gets warm but one particular iguana i had outside swimming and he ate a pebble that people use in flower beds, it was good size and it impacted him. He survived but cost a pretty penny in surgery. So even if you think the gravel or pebbles are too big, nope. If it fits in their mouth they can eat it like kids.
Coco fibre depending on reptile, if you have a young crested gecko for example, it may ingest some substrate, but the husk of the coconut is so fibrous and tuff it can be very difficult for them to digest, and even cause impaction, pains, lack of appetite, and stress. But it’s perfectly fine for many other species (reptiles and other)
In the wild, the animals aren’t living in shredded trees and bark, especially freshly chopped up living tree. That chemical is also the reason those woods tend to burn very quick, easy, and hot. Loose substrates are highly debated but it’s purely dependent on the specific animal, not the species but the individual animal. Some animals have bad aim and may miss live food constantly, but an otherwise average individual may only miss once or twice and is apt to spitting the substrate out. Calcium carbonate sand can still be used with many reptiles and invertebrates when mixed into other substrates, as a supplement. Calcium carbonate is not a good additive to moist substrate as per its qualities it will clump together, likewise when used as a pure substrate when an animal ingests even dry “Calci sand” will cause it to glue together to one large rock inside the animal. Natural loose substrates like shredded wood, but shells, gravel, etc. are safe because they don’t cement to themselves when introduced to water. It should be noted that many species of animals purposefully ingest rocks or other small things such as bark chips to help break down food in their digestive systems in the wild. (Waste clumps would simply break down as well). Again, it’s all dependent on the animal. Walnut shell is not good for a soft skinned lizard like a gecko, however it’s perfect substrate for an avian Breeder or a sandfish (although I’d recommend just using sand); gravel may be great for many amphibians but not so much for hermit crabs. The same idea coincides with other substrates like textile carpet. Not one particular substrate is necessarily horrendous, but they certainly aren’t universal across all animal husbandry.
Note: my channel doesn’t reflect my experience on animals because I don’t care to make videos; so take my advice for what it’s worth or a grain of salt, but it comes from 12 years of experience with many, many exotics.
You're providing a great public service. While I agree that sand should be avoided with any reptile, when it comes to the crushed walnut shells my 3 foot Madagascar Plated lizards do great with it. I've never had a bag with hard granules, but it could have something to do with how it was stored before they bought it. If they were any smaller I wouldn't use it, but they were miserable when I took their sand away and added ecoearth. I sprayed it down daily but it would still dry out to the point to where they couldn't open their eyes, they would be stuck together. They are noticeably more active with the walnut shells, although I'm not sure any of the actual hard shell makes it into the bag, in my experience it has been the soft inside under the shell. My leopard gecko will be on reptile carpet his entire life though.
I decided to use Aspen Bedding for my stimmy(stimson python) even though people recomended sand, and after watching this I'm glad I fid...
I absolutely love your videos.they are really informative and extremely helpful.
Totally agree with what e said about calci-sand, and sand made with calcium carbonate. I recently bought a Nigerian uromastyx from a pet store that kept him on the sand. They didn't use a feeding dish and he ate WAY too much sand. The day after we bought he he just died. Our setup was perfect. MVB, ceramic heat emmiter, extra light bulbs for heating, so I didn't know how I could have killed it, so we had an expert look at the corpse. Turns out, the sand had built up over time and blocked his digestive track. The poor lizard was a ticking time bomb, and the stress of the move triggered his demise. Never EVER use calcium sand.
Respiratory system lol YOUR CONTENT is amazing
Love the editing in this one! Very nice :D
I love your videos! I have a few reptiles and arachnids myself and am always educating people on substrates for reptiles. Mainly, impaction is what I run across but i have removed several seminal plugs from gecko hemipenes cause by sand too. If only they all knew :-( anyways great video and thanks for the info.
I use crushed walnuts for my adult leopard geckos and their almost 16 years old so and I never had any issues they dedicate regularly and have never shown any impaction induced symptoms. I do agree that you shouldn't use it with babies or adolescents as they tend to miss when they are catching their pray.
Although all animals can live near pine and cedar, even humans get irritated by the oils and chemicals they produce. My dad broke out in hives while making my bunk bed out of pine as a kid.
What’s your thoughts on the new exo terra desert excavator clay as substrate I’m about to look into?
Something I think is worth noting about sand substrates is that with the exception of true dune dwelling reptiles, they don't really live on loose sand in the wild. If you go to the desert and wander around, it's mostly packed sand/clay/gravel material that's not going to get into their mouths as they dive for prey items. Dune dwelling species probably could be kept on loose sand, but most of the species kept as pets aren't dune dwelling reptiles, and even if they were it'd be tough to know if the sand you're using is the same type of sand they're living on in the wild.
Paper towels gave both my leopard geckos a skin condition which made their tails all scaly, as if they had to shed but it was 24/7 and even immediately after shedding. It became so bad that one of my geckos had their tail amputated and after switching to mats they both recovered very fast
thanks for the info with will help me avoiding certain substrates
I will never use calcium substrate again. During our 5 month old bearded dragon's shedding, he rubbed his nose in his calcium substrate, which quickly clogged his nostrils. Calcium substrate creates a very fine powder and when wet it becomes cement like. Leaving him to only be able to get air through his mouth. Giving him his soaks, he will dip his head down and blow bubbles out his nostrils. I can see the white powder work its way out, but now his nasal tissue is inflamed which is further blocking his airway. Try handling calci-sand for a few minutes, it's like holding a mixture of salt and talc powder for days. Your hands dry up. This is what is happening if they get it into their nose..
Franklin: "dad omg ur embarrassing me put me down"
Thanks again for the great information!
Respiratory system is the system you use to breathe, for example your lungs are a huge part of your respiratory system. Immune system is the one you are looking for :). The video was very helpful though!
A word on gravel:
I highly recommend not using it at all unless you're using larger stones. For turtles I would go bare bottom, or with sand. I recently lost a turtle because he wasn't the brightest, and thought that the gravel was food.
Also, going bare bottom makes water and tank/enclosure maintenance so much easier.
I actually recorded a video a while ago on gravel but never got around to posting it. Maybe I should finish it up, because I do think this is important! and sorry to hear about your turt
Very informative, thanks
Is Zoo Med Reptisand Reptile Terrarium Sand, Desert White, 10-lb bag safe for them?
It can cause impaction
@@felixadriensfavoritecousin ty also I said this 7 months ago I had tiles now I have coco nut fiber
Calcium sand also is not recommended for hermit crabs because they come from a tropical environment and they need moist substrate. They're also burrowers. This sand is also considered dangerous by serious crabbers. A lot of people who own hermit crabs recommend play sand and eco earth.
Alex, this may sound weird, but how old are you? How old were you when you got your first reptile?
Reptilez 4 Life 16, got Sunny the ball python almost exactly 3 years ago :)
GoHerping my guy you’re 21??????
I definitely subscribed! Thank you so much for the tips! I'm getting new substrate for my bearded dragon tomorrow thanks to this amazing videos. 😄😄
Great video man!!
Thanks!
do you have any opinions on coco (ground coconut husk) for bedding? we used to use it at my old job for animals that needed extra humidity or were egg bound but ive never actually bothered trying it outside of that. i know our burber skinks loved it for burrowing
any recommendations for a young bearded dragon? a friend was asking me last night and all i could really think of was coco since i never personally owned one and my work only used walnut for them
what is your opinion on sand mat bt exo terra? i just got one for my dragon. what do you think?? is it safe?
+Francisco Garcia90 I've never used them. I heard they're very hard to clean but other than that, as long as chunks or grains aren't coming off, I think they're fine!
GoHerping ya it is kinda hard to clean but my dragon usualy goes to the bathroom at the same time of day (morning) so i use newspaper to avoid having to ckean the actual sandmat. and then i just take it out after he poops and ya i just repeat evry day. so most of the day he has his actual mat only in the morning he has newspaper .
Hi Alex, what is your opinion on aspen substrate?
I've used walnut shells for 2 Desert Rain Frogs ( BTW They R So Cute :3 ) before, what I have noticed is that they would eat some of it each time when they ate but it passed just like normal and there where no signs of damage to the insides. They lived a long life. (They lived for 13 years, i'm 15 but my friend that i got them from had them for 9 years so I had them for 4 years.) Just my point of view and opinion. If you do or don't want to for any animal, its that is up to the owner.
Again, just my opinion.
i mean there people who use sand with no issue but that doesnt mean sand is a good substrate
Yea i see what you're sayin'
Hi! I wanna know if the terrarium liners are resistant to heat. Because I'm not sure if I have to put the heat mat right under the terrarium liner or outside the terrarium glass. If you could respond me it would be so helpful. Thanks! (sorry if something doesn't make sense or it's wrong spelled, I'm Spanish. Hope you understand me😊)
Good job , subbed !
We finally got the walnut shell out of our bearded dragon's tank and replaced it with a coconut husk Mat. I hated the walnut shell because it was so dusty, and after a while it starts to stink really bad, even with good husbandry. The coconut husk is really hard to clean, that's why I'm here lol
Unfortunately Cypress is apparently not easily renewable and our use of it drives a market to clear slow growing cypress apparently.. 😞
Just wanted to add that calci sand can cement smaller animals (such as hermit crabs) right in it.
So, I've seen this in one setup, but... What if you have a tank and it has one area with sand, and one without? Now I understand why this may not be the greatest for leopard geckos, but there are some snakes that I believe do well with some sand, and even enjoy digging around in it. Is this okay to do in those cases?
Wild salamanders rarely hide under cedar in my experience, likely due to their high chemical content. I wouldn't use it as a substrate or even a piece of cedar tree as a hide. They just don't seem to like it
Interesting, I never noticed that but it makes sense
Hey, I'm in NC, are you gonna be at the NC state fair reptile expo?
keep up the great vids alex :)
There is a seller on ebay called petbasics that sell a product called orchid reptile substrate. Its pine bark.
Another tip for those in need...if your looking for proper husbandry education on a reptile never ask a retail store employee. Go online, find a reputable breeder with at least 7 yrs experience and ask them. Then after that find 3 more and get their answers as well. Then make an educated decision based on that.
What? Ask a breeder? C'mon now, stop making sense.
I use sand for my Beardie and he's never had impaction and he's never had problems getting to his food and water bowls, but the sand that we use is very fine so he can just poo it out if he ingests it, but he barely licks his substrate and as being a person living in the uk it's whats recommend over here
Abigail the little Squirtle I doubt you’re a vet so how could you possibly know if your dragon is impacted or not? Do you have an x-ray machine in your house? Who’s recommendation was it that you should use sand? The newly employed minimum wage worker at petco? If your dragon is shitting sand, there’s probably a lot backed up too. It doesn’t matter how fine the sand it. Please just think before you defend bad pet husbandry, thanks.
Very informative
What is your opinion on the Exo Terra sand mat?
difficult to clean, but looks cool if kept up well
As our understanding and knowledge grows it's important to correct or past advice. I'd suggest editing your description or removing the video you previously made two years ago recommending calcium sand as your preferred option.
I initially used sand only when I first got my leopard geckos, and then switched to using a reptile mat. My geckos like to dig around, so I started putting some sand under their hide so I could dig to their content. What's your opinion on having a partly sand and mostly reptile mat/carpet enclosure?
Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH for covering calcium sand. I had no idea about the danger it could bring to my babies. Not going to be buying those again! Thankfully, somehow, they haven't gotten impaction ;3;
@@nightinggale6470 what about Lucky Reptile desert bedding (20liter as example) as substrate for leopard gecko's? Or do you prefer a bio active one as Earth Mix Arid as example?
@@nightinggale6470 thx for the advice!😉
@Nighting Gale, i ordered Earth Mix Arid and would like to buy also Lucky Reptile Desert bedding(black) for use the combination of the two.Think it's better for moistening the plants. Don't you think?
I also ordered ThermoControl II Pro thermostat for controlling the heat of the basking spot as well as the ExoTerra Heatmat. I want to create 3 zones for the gecko's; upper heat from the basking spot on the left, bottom heat from the headmat in the middle and a cool zone as well. (have a terratlantis tank 51inch).
that's what I want to do. half and half, maybe our babies get bored and want to dig in sand, plus they get good heat from desert blend.
I have forest bark is it bad?
Nighting Gale leopard gecko
Nighting Gale ok, thanks, but I was wondering why is forest bark a bad option. The pet shop keeps them in forest bark and says it’s a very good option. Why?
Nighting Gale ok, thanks. Could you please give a link to a good substrate? Like amazon?
Any suggestions for an animal that lives on North American plains and arid rocky places like a western hog nose snake?
Hey dude, what bedding is good for western fence lizards?
Excavator, Eco earth, Reptile Life, or a combination of (eco earth/reptile life in the humid hide area, the clay elsewhere.) Don't use dry loose sand. They do not live on dry loose sand anywhere. They may encounter areas of it, but it is not where they do most of their life tasks.
Always loved your videos! Thanks for all your helpful tips, I recommend your channel for a lot of my friends who are beginning to get into reptiles!
Thank you :D
I might be getting a gecko soon and I'm wondering if I use earth arid mix will that give them impaction
@@nightinggale6470 ok
I have a 10in beardie what kind of good substrate should I use for him
+FishDealinFrank I've never kept a beardie, but I usually hear that tile is the best option. I also see repticarpet being used a lot
What do you think about the exo terra sand mat?
Snakes are allergic to cedar and pine. The best wood chips to use for snakes is aspen.
I bought 250 wax worms online for my beardie, he tried a few but spit them out quickly, when i looked at shipping statement it stated the extra bedding i ordered was listed as pine, i didnt have any other type of bedding so i crushed up some bran flakes from raisn bran (yes i removed the raisins) and put them in it, its been 3 days so will be trying them on him again
I wish companies like Zilla would find a safe alternative for Desert reptiles instead of advertising how great crushed walnut shell is for Desert terrariums claiming that it does not cause impaction but you don't want to injure their digestive tract. Apparently, these retail pet supply companies just want to make a fast buck through their marketing.
what is good for bearded dragons? many people use sand but i know its bad so im looking for something else
Respitory systems in all animals refers to airway, breathing and perfusion. Whereas the immune system fights illness in all animals
Coconut fiber. It molds like crazy, regardless of how clean you keep your tank.
I use rabbit pellets for reptile bedding. It looks nice and if they eat it it is very easily digestible
Bearded dragon
What’s your reasoning. My local reptile shop also uses it as a substrate and they are a great shop
QUESTION: What ACTUAL SUBSTRATE would you use for Beardies that look natural then?! Thank you.
YOUNGHEBREW tile or non adhesive shelf liner
YOUNGHEBREW o
Hey, when I fed my snake today, a piece of bedding went on the food and the snake swallowed it. is that bad? can it kill my snake? the bedding I use is repti bark made by zoo-med.
Thanks for the help
I use ground walnut substrate for a couple of my scorpions but never for any reptile.
Hey I was wondering if you could give any advice on dealing with a shedding python?
I have a video on removing stuck shed here ua-cam.com/video/cbjhj_4Hw7Y/v-deo.html
and avoiding stuck shed here :) ua-cam.com/video/DjoA7fe1p94/v-deo.html