I have always used newspaper for 15 years until fairly recently and I am still in the process of trying it however. Its called Eco Earth Expandable Substrate From Zoo med, I like the fact that its been compressed so no risk of any parasites, in order to use the substrate you need to soak it in water which reduces any dust, I do it in boiling water which should kill anything else compressing did not get. It’s not quick and easy but my herps seem to like it, its look great, does not get moldy, holds the humidity/very absorbent and is fairly easy to clean.. I still like shredded newspaper though so I am on the fence with what I might use.



I have tried different things when it came to feedings and the main reason I like newspaper is NO risk of snakes swallowing the substrate, I have tried feed boxes, moving my snakes to separate feeding cages and it doesn’t always work. My boa refused to eat when I moved him outside of his cage, and with feed boxes for smaller snakes they just removed the prey item and got substrate everywhere. Books that I have read say that snakes will naturally just move the substrate through there bowels and wont have any issues maybe but why worry about it at all? Now I just use newspaper in one area of the cage when I feed seems to work ok. Since I am taking my hobby to the next level and started my breeding project I will probably stick with shredded newspaper for my breeder herps.

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