Exo Terra Sub Stratum

The Exo Terra Sub Stratum is collected from the mineral-rich foothills of the Aso Volcano in Japan. The natural volcanic soil, formed from andesitic and rhyolitic tephra, is very nutrient rich, ideal for lush plant growth in bioactive planted terrariums.  The porous surface allows for excellent drainage and aeration, supporting strong root growth. The Sub Stratum’s friable, low density structure promotes a flourishing population of beneficial, nitrifying bacteria, creating a self-sustaining, living terrarium ecosystem. The active beneficial bacteria of the soil will decompose biological waste, keeping the terrarium clean and healthy.

Bioactive Volcanic Substrate

• Natural bioactive soil
• With live beneficial bacteria
• Keeps the terrarium clean & healthy
• Eliminates ammonia & odours
• Great drainage capabilities
• Ideal for bioactive planted terrariums

3 Ways to use Sub Stratum
As a sole substrate
As a drainage layer
Mixed in with other substrates

Sole Substrate
When Exo Terra's Sub Stratum is used as the sole substrate, add a layer of 1-2" (2,5 - 5 cm) to the terrarium. The live bacteria will activate when the substrate comes in contact with water or waste. The organic matter such as left over food and animal waste will decompose over time. The absorbing properties of volcanic ash will eliminate odours by trapping the decomposed materials. Rinse the Sub Stratum and replace partly every 12 months.

Drainage Layer
Add a top layer of biological substrate to the Exo Terra's Sub Stratum layer for optimal bioactivity and drainage. Plants can be secured in the top layer (eg. Exo Terra's Plantation Soil) while their roots will thrive in the sub layer of Sub Stratum - resulting in optimal growth.

Additionally, an inorganic layer can be added first for even better drainage (Exo Terra's BioDrain) to allow excess water to flow through the substrate to avoid saturation and anaerobic bacteria to outcompete the beneficial bacteria in the Sub Stratum substrate. Use the BioDrain Mesh to separate the BioDrain layer from organic matter to penetrate the underlying layer.

Use a top layer of leaf litter to provide dry areas, shelter and dwelling surfaces for all organisms in the terrarium. In the meantime it will prevent evaporation of the underlying layers.

Mixed-in
The secret to growing healthy plants begins with the soil. Naturally, healthy soil contains living microorganisms — from bacteria to fungi, protozoa and arthropods. Together they form a choreographed exchange from the recycling of nutrients to the decomposition of organic materials.

By mixing the Sub Stratum with other organic substrates, you enrich any substrate with the required minerals like calcium, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. It also aids in the water retention capacity and provide adequate air supply to the roots.

Ingredients: Natural Volcanic Soil (Andisol), Active Carbon, Live beneficial bacteria (Bacillus)

Coming soon..

Shipping
You are able to request which day your animal(s) will ship, your package will arrive the following day.
You are able to schedule your animal to ship up to 5-7 days ahead of time. If you do not select a shipping day, we will ship your order on the next open regular shipping day.

Live Arrival Guarantee
100% Live Arrival Guaranteed. We guarantee that our reptiles and amphibians will be alive and healthy upon arrival. Buyer must be home to receive the package.

Regular Shipping Days
We ship orders Monday-Thursday. Orders placed before 12pm EST may be eligible for same day shipping if we have space on our shipping block. Orders placed after 12pm are usually shipped the following day. Orders made after 12pm EST Thursday through Sunday will be shipped on Monday. We monitor weather and flight patterns to guarantee a safe arrival. We reserve the right to hold shipments at our discretion. All shipments are weather and time permitting. If you need to change your arrival day, email info@imperialreptiles.com so we can coordinate with you.
We cannot guarantee any shipment that has an address change or re-rout, make
sure you input the shipping address correctly.
*We are offering Saturday delivery for an additional charge of $29.99

How We Ship
*video coming soon*

Safe Shipping Weather
We will only ship to your home or work when weather in route is 35-90 degrees
Fahrenheit. This temperature range is extended to 25-95 degrees Fahrenheit upon
arrival if you opt to have your live animals held for pickup at a main FedEx Shipping Center. Animals must be picked up within 4 hours of arrival for live arrival guarantee to apply.
Orders generally arrive by 12:00 PM
Typically the delivery time is before 12:00 PM (your local time) in most metro areas, but some remote areas may not be guaranteed to arrive until "end of day", which is usually late afternoon or early evening at the latest (4:30PM).
FedEx Drivers WILL NOT wait for you to come to the door.
Generally speaking, FedEx will quickly knock or ring the doorbell, and leave your
package near your front door. While this sometimes seems crazy to people who are new to having reptiles shipped to them, but this is industry standard. We purposely do not require signature, as we do not want to risk having reptiles go back on a hot (or cold) truck for the rest of the day, in the event you don't make it to the door in time. This is for the safety of the reptiles. Although we don't require a signature for delivery, we can still obtain GPS delivery coordinates and other information when needed, in order to determine where a package was left and verify delivery.

Is there an issue with your order? Email info@imperialreptiles.com
Any issues with your order must be reported within 4 hours of delivery. Animals that are Dead on Arrival (DOA) must be reported within 1 hour of delivery. Photo evidence will be required for all claims. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us first (we are open 7 days a week). Failure to notify us via email within timeframe listed above will void all guarantees.
Please email (info@imperialreptiles.com) to submit an order issue ticket. A photo of the contents of the shipment must be sent to the email above within the given amount of time after arrival or all guarantees are null and void.

 

Feeder Shipping

Feeder Insects Orders paced without a Live Animal will ship on Monday, Tuesday, AND Wednesday! You must order them by Noon eastern time to get them shipped out the same day. If you order AFTER this time on Wednesday, your order will ship on Monday. We ship Feeder Insects Priority Overnight, 2-Day, or 2-5 Day USPS Priority.

Frozen rodent **COMING SOON**

 

Additional Info

Is shipping refundable? Shipping or Freight charges are non-refundable. Imperial
Reptiles & Exotics, LLC is not responsible for freight/shipping charges on the
replacement of animals, and there are no cash refunds of any kind, store credit only. *In some instances, if a refund is granted shipping is nonrefundable.
1. If for any reason you would like to return your animal - you are responsible not
only for shipping, but for the animal to arrive back to us alive and healthy. You
must ship the animal back overnight, and pack it properly just like we did when it arrived to you. 

FAQS
How much is shipping?
- Shipping is $40 for FL Residents. Anywhere else in the US, $55 - $65 depending on state being shipped to. 
When will I receive a tracking Number?
- Tracking numbers are sent by 5pm EST on the day we ship your order.

 

 

Recommended Temps:

Ball Pythons, Leopard Geckos, Skinks, Sand Boas: 95-35

Most Pythons, Most Lizards, Turtles/Tortoises: 90-35

Boas, Arboreal Reptiles, New Caledonia Geckos, Colubrids: 85-35