# Help with my Scheltopusik



## Zeiss (Sep 16, 2015)

I recently acquired a Russian Legless Lizard. So far I have been keeping it inside of a small container with aspen shavings temporarily while I make its terrarium. This was an impulse buy since I have never seen them available before. I have a 30 gallon tank that I am trying to set up for it, but for every website I go to, I have seen different suggestions to use for substrate and bedding. One said to use 50/50 coco peat and sand. Another said put gravel or small rocks at the bottom and then put so and so on top. I went to my local Prehistoric Pets today and my friends that work there thought maybe zoo med's excavator sand would work mixed almost 50/50 with said sand and coco peat. I just want to get my new and amazing reptile into the proper size tank when I can. It does burrow so the substrate has to be able to accommodate that.


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## Ranitomeya (Sep 16, 2015)

I do not recommend the use of wood shavings of any sort. The gravel at the bottom is for drainage and is unnecessary if you're able to control the moisture levels of the substrate.
Excavator sand is not sand at all, but almost like concrete when you add water and allow it to set. It's designed to be used for animals that are good diggers so that they do not collapse tunnels. A legless lizard will not be able to tunnel through excavator sand easily and may be too hard even with additional additives.

You're best off using just sand or a dry mixture of sand and coconut fiber. They prefer dry substrates that they can dig into with ease.


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