I posted quite some time ago on what everyone prefers for a substrate. In the past, I have always been a strictly "newspaper" kind of guy (does that mean I'm boring?

So, I decided to try four different substrates on a long term basis: newspaper (already know the pros and cons), aspen, cypress, and a sand/soil/leaf litter mix. So far, I have had the best results with aspen and the sand/soil/leaf litter mix (which we are going to use for our couperi public display). The aspen despite previous comments on it having a terrible ammonia odor has worked quite well and I haven't noticed the noxious odors of previous posters (I tend to spot clean on a daily basis). The bedding packs down very nicely and the indigos will actually create their own tunnels/burrows if given a deep substrate. I haven't had any problems with accidental ingestion but it is still a concern when I see a mouthful go down (I usually have forceps handy to take any off of the prey). Inside the cages the snakes have a humidity box filled with a dampened towel that they use quite often. The only downside is that it does get a little dry but with the humidity box, the problem is solved. It also fosters laziness on my part as I feel like I can wait an extra day or two to get to messes; something I must guard against as I have a feeling that is where the ammonia odor comes into play.



The sand/soil/leaf litter mix has worked wonderfully well and makes for a very nice looking substrate. Easy to spot clean and can be misted down heavily if need be (can't do that too well with aspen). I spot clean, rake the substrate and that's about it. So far, it has worked well.



Despite many others using cypress, I like this the least. One, it condones the destruction of cypress swamp forest regions of the U.S.; something our wildlife center is trying to guard against....of course, if I use aspen, I am condoning the destruction of some sort of forest ecosystem. I haven't found a good cypress mulch that doesn't have large splinters; something I am quite paranoid about when it comes to feeding. THe urates also dissipate much more quickly throughout the bedding which makes cleaning exceptionally difficult with cypress. It does mist down nicely and maintains good humidity levels so that is a big plus.



But, in the end, newspaper is still the best and I am using both paper and aspen at home and the sandy/soil/leaf litter mix at my wildlife center. Any other thoughts out there?

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