Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Went to the store to get aspen and all they had was chips. I normally use shavings, but have used chips in the past. I don't care either way, but know some due and while I was cleaning it made me wonder, what do you prefer and why?

News Paper. I used it a couple times and it was great for humidity however, those things got all over, I still find them when on my floor. Although I use to remove all aspen out after any pee or poop.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
1.0 Amel Retic
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

I use bath towels from Ross. Three bucks each, any color. Soft, very absorbent and looks great! All you have to do is pull a soiled towel out, put a spare in, scrape it and throw in the wash (WHEN YOUR WIFE IS NOT HOME). A one-time perches of 6 bucks is a lot cheaper than a bag of wood chips/shavings. No offence to news print guys, but your snake doesn’t turn black from the ink! Astroturf falls apart in the washer and dryer.

Try it, you’ll like it!

I use newsprint cause its free..........

But I switching to this in the very new future;

www.kingsnake.com/cageliners/

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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.0.16 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
1.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.0.15 Normal Suriname Hybrid's
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6.17 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Child

It’s hard to beat FREE!

I just don’t like reading the funny pages off my snakes butt!

>>I just don’t like reading the funny pages off my snakes butt!

Thats so you pay more attention to your collection!

By the way I havn't noticed ink rubing off on my snakes, perhaps the different printers use different inks and some are more prown to rubbing off.

Also I keep boas, otherwise newspaper makes a horrible substrate to burrow in. LOL
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.0.16 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
1.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.0.15 Normal Suriname Hybrid's
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6.17 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Child

Instead of going with the DCL's, get a roll (or several) of indented craft paper from Uline.com They come in various widths, I use the 24" And you can cut it to whatever length you want. I typically make it oversize so it goes up the sides an inch or two. Keeps you know what off the walls, easier to clean.

I've even made a cutting jig to ride in the slots of my table saw so I can use the fence to set the length of the paper.

So with one roll, I cut several different lengths for the various vcages. I also use a couple of layers of newspaper underneath for added absorbancy. Lastly, my larger cages use two overlapped pieces and quite often only need to change out one side or the other.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
21.29 BRB
19.19 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I suppose you get your insulated boxes from them as well?

Thanks for the tip, same product half the price.
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.0.16 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
1.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.0.15 Normal Suriname Hybrid's
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6.17 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Child

I still get my boxes from superior....may have to check uline out for those as well..

Welcome dude, anything to help
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
21.29 BRB
19.19 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

>>Welcome dude, anything to help

Just give me a call when you get some Motley's!
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.0.16 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
1.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.0.15 Normal Suriname Hybrid's
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6.17 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Child

Next year at the earliest. And they will also be het for something cool
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
21.29 BRB
19.19 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Coral Albino..............
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.0.16 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
1.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.0.15 Normal Suriname Hybrid's
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.6.17 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Child

Great tip. Thanks. The indents make a big difference - gives animals some resistance when crawling.
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Mark

Oh no! If people stopped using the S J Mercury News for Birds and Snakes they would go out of business! If I had an operation like yours I would, with out a doubt, go your rout. My operation isn’t even to be considered an operation; it’s barely an outpatient procedure! I only have 9 at this time, but I am looking for a nice female boa, possibly a circle back pastel.

Is the craft paper very absorbent? I saw where you said you use additional layers of newspaper for extra absorbency but I was just wondering how absorbent the craft paper is.

Thanks!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

It is absorbant, just IMO not enough for all the fluids when the snakes go. With a couple layers of newspaper for additional absorption, it keeps the spread of fluid to a smaller area. I split my larger cages into two smaller pieces and quite often only change one side.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
21.29 BRB
19.19 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Thanks, Dave!

Its been years since I've dealt with regular craft paper and I was thinking it had some resiliency to it.

I use rolls of a similar type of paper in the floorcovering biz to cover & protect hardwood floors. Its a tad bit thicker but I don't think its as absorbent as regular craft paper. I tried using it, once, and saw how worthless it was when my burm crawled into her over-filled water bowl.

Thanks again!

Have a good one!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

I now do pretty much the same thing - it works great. And, you don't need a HUGE collection to make it worthwhile - I only have a few pairs, and one roll of indented kraft is lasting quite a while. I use 24" as well, it's good for my larger cages, and also still fits in my 221 visions. The paper is very absorbent, but not to the extent of paper towels, which is why I also use newsprint underneath. The kraft is stiffer than newspaper, so snakes can't wad it up as easily, it stays in place much better. I'm thinking about ordering a roll of plain newsprint paper from Uline as well since newspapers sometimes leave ink marks on the bottoms of the cages.

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Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com
1.0 Ball Python, 1.0 Hog Island Boa (RIP DeeDee), 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 0.1 Green Tree Python

I've used both and don't see much difference. The shaved aspen tends to end up on my floor more then the splintered type. Also I get the shaved aspen much cheaper. In the pert stores it can be found with the rodent supplies cheaper then the reptile specific splintered kind.

I buy mine in a feed and tack supply and get a compressed 9 cubic foot bag for $10. I dump it into 2 garbage cans (brought just for this) and it almost fills them both when expanded.

Also consider what you are keeping. Most newspaper guys keep boas and pythons, which dont typically burrow. I keep kings and milks which spend about 1/2 the time burried in the shavings.

Theres also the fact that a grown boa or retic is in an enclosure at least 4 ft long. It takes a lot of shavings to give a snake like that a nice soft bed. Its also easier to pick out urates and feces from a 3 ft milksnake that eats mice then a 5 ft retic eating giant rats.

If I kept boas and pythons I'd go with some kind of paper product also.

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.