tracysimpson
New Member
So I am starting my breeding and have a question on vermiculite I noticed they sale it at walmart but they sale different kinds which kind do I need to get??
vermiculite
- Thread starter tracysimpson
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jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
So I am starting my breeding and have a question on vermiculite I noticed they sale it at walmart but they sale different kinds which kind do I need to get??
I use the course.
fluxlizard
Avid Member
yes try and get course grade. I've had a few chams hatch and gulp down the fine grade and die over the years. When they stretch out of the egg, sometimes they open their mouth- that's when they get a mouthful. The chances are very low - only a few chameleons out of thousands that have hatched here over the years. But the course is still preferable if it is available. Also you get better airflow around the egg- that is thought to be healthier and lessens the chance for too much moisture absorption if your vermiculite is a little on the damp side.
Personally though- I really like perlite. Just don't get the stuff with miracle grow in it if you go that route.
Personally though- I really like perlite. Just don't get the stuff with miracle grow in it if you go that route.
tracysimpson
New Member
thanks everyone we are going to have baby nosy bes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so excited
tracysimpson
New Member
does it have to be organic????
fluxlizard
Avid Member
No, you just don't want fertilizer in it.
Perlite and vermiculite are rock products. Fertilizer is added to help potted plants, but can be bad for lizards. Maybe. Or something.
I actually have a story about miracle grow perlite. I hatched a bunch of bearded dragons on it accidentally when my local big box stores all swapped it out for the old plains stuff and made it the only choice. I didn't notice and thought it was just a brand name, not that it included fertilizer (doh!). By the time I noticed I had many bearded dragon eggs sitting on it at various stages of incubation. I swapped most of the eggs onto plain perlite, but left the clutch that was about to hatch. Every one of those that incubated all the way through on miracle grow hatched out male. That has never happened to me before and I don't know what the odds were that all 20 some would be male, but pretty low. I confirmed sex because I was doing a feeding trial using lots of very small insects fed very often to compare growth rate that summer and I kept back 100 dragons including these males for that trial for 4 months. Subsequent clutches that had spent significant time on the miracle grow hatched male high as well. I think it was the miracle grow.
Perlite and vermiculite are rock products. Fertilizer is added to help potted plants, but can be bad for lizards. Maybe. Or something.
I actually have a story about miracle grow perlite. I hatched a bunch of bearded dragons on it accidentally when my local big box stores all swapped it out for the old plains stuff and made it the only choice. I didn't notice and thought it was just a brand name, not that it included fertilizer (doh!). By the time I noticed I had many bearded dragon eggs sitting on it at various stages of incubation. I swapped most of the eggs onto plain perlite, but left the clutch that was about to hatch. Every one of those that incubated all the way through on miracle grow hatched out male. That has never happened to me before and I don't know what the odds were that all 20 some would be male, but pretty low. I confirmed sex because I was doing a feeding trial using lots of very small insects fed very often to compare growth rate that summer and I kept back 100 dragons including these males for that trial for 4 months. Subsequent clutches that had spent significant time on the miracle grow hatched male high as well. I think it was the miracle grow.
tracysimpson
New Member
wow lol we are human lol...thank you for your help I went to walmart they don't sell it so im going to look online.
fluxlizard
Avid Member
Not arguing, just wondering how you figure that works since with larger particle size you will have less surface contact with the eggs?
junglefries
Avid Member
Lowes has the vermiculite. their perlite has fertilizer. you will have to get your perlite from a local nursery, if not online.
CarlC
Established Member
Surface contact is less but the mass of the vermiculite is greater which allows it to hold more water. Atleast thats how I always thought it was working. I very well could be wrong. I've never compared weights of fine and course with equal amounts of water added.
Carl
tracysimpson
New Member
I found some at ace its plantation professional grade and they aslo have
Pro-Com® Vermiculite would either of them work good?
tracysimpson
New Member
ok ill check that out. Just was kinda wanting to hurry and get it. How long does it take for them to lay eggs after they breed usually??
