Just had this discussion on another forum. Seems people use aspen, cypress for shavings.

Many people use newspaper, or blank newsprint (no ink), or indented kraft paper (sold on rolls).

In my smaller boa cages I use CareFresh, a cellulose (paper pulp) product, sold in the rodent/small animal section of pet stores. Fairly inexpensive if you buy it in a large compacted bale (natural color, dyed colors cost a lot). I like it because it's very absorbent and looks nice. When I used aspen, I had a boa get a splinter stuck in his nose, and it swelled up (had to be removed by the vet), and afterwards I started using CareFresh, which is much softer. It's pretty much like "desert snow" sold in the reptile area (but much cheaper). You do need to mist it to increase humidity, because it is so absorbent, but I've had good luck with it. The downside is that it takes a LOT of it to form a nice layer in a large cage, which is why I use paper in the larger cages.
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Lauren Madar
www.ophidiagems.com
1.1 Hog Island Boas
1.1 Hypo BCI
0.1 Sorong-type GTP
1.0 Normal Ball Python
1.1 Surinam BCC

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• Best substrate for boa? - cyn, Thu Oct 26 13:38:26 2006
• Aspen - begunwithaletter, Thu Oct 26 16:19:19 2006
• Some sani chips are aspen but some.... - cyn, Thu Oct 26 16:25:32 2006
• RE: Some sani chips are aspen but some.... - JOEP123, Thu Oct 26 19:01:14 2006
• RE: Best substrate for boa? - liquidleaf, Fri Oct 27 12:02:51 2006