Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am curious to know what everyone here uses as their substrate for their BP's. I have heard such different answers over the years. I used to use a bark type substrate, which looked pretty nice and held moisture fairly well, but it was sometimes hard to see feces. Lately, I have been using paper towels. Cheap, easy to clean, easy to spot the messes and holds humidity.

So what do you use?

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Use newspaper here. Cheaper than paper towels. Control humidity in the whole room.
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I tried newspaper before I tried paper towels and her skin was always so dry. The humidity levels were kept the same (50-60%) as with all other substrates.

I have heard of respiratory problems from uses drier substrates (as well as many other causes) such as newspaper or aspen. I am cautious of this, as my BP had a RI several years ago, but has been fine since the treatment that I gave her then. Has anyone else heard of or had this problem with these types of substrates?

I haven't found one that I'm in love with. I've been using kinda like astro turf.. but when it starts stinking.. it's hard to get the smell out, so after cleaning the cage today, i've decided to try something else. I was going to try aspen snake bedding.

That reptile stuff is terrible. No idea why they sell it.

I used Aspen bedding. I get it in huge bags from a feed store. So far it has worked very well, been easy to spot clean and is relatively dust free. It is also easy to suck up in a shop vac which makes maintenance very easy. As for humidity, I use a whole room warm mist humidifier. If you go this route, be sure to use RO or distilled water to avoid the dreaded "white dust" they seem to produce. That is if you hard water.

I have tried cypress mulch which was very dusty and still didn't hold the humidity I needed since I live in Arizona where the air is VERY dry.

I also tried Sani-Chips but I found it too light and the snakes basically pushed all of the substrate to the sides and ended up pooping directly on the tub, which meant that I was washing out the tubs more often than I would have liked.
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Ryan Sherman
Scottsdale, Arizona
www.ThePaintedPython.com

Do you find that the aspen holds in moisture well enough? I cannot use a whole room humidifier b/c of the variety of different snakes in the room that all have different needs. I use the aspen for my kingsnake and corn snake, but I have never tried it for my ball python.

moist aspen will get mold and fungus. it should just be used dry.
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

And dry aspen right out of the bag often comes with those nasty little white mites that eat anything with moisture including your snakes. Newspaper is so much easier and cheaper.

I don't have a problem with mold because like Robyn says, I don't get the aspen wet to start with. I would have stuck with the cypress mulch but even misting twice a day didn't get the humidity high enough. I figured if I have to use a humidifier, I might as well switch to the aspen. I do mist the snakes directly when they are in shed.

I don't think I have ever seen mold on ANYTHING in Arizona. Not even bread! This state is just to dry!
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Ryan Sherman
Scottsdale, Arizona
www.ThePaintedPython.com

are both extremely rare (seen them maybe twice in the last decade)and TOTALLY harmless. Whereas newspaper is impossible to spot clean, poorly absorbent, high-maintenance, and unsightly. Other than that, it's fine....

Aspen or cypress are the best choices by far.
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Brad Chambers

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....

I should add that I have never seen mites in the Aspen I use.
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Ryan Sherman
Scottsdale, Arizona
www.ThePaintedPython.com

Here are some pros and cons that I put together a while back on the most popular substrates:

1. newspaper - Pros: cheapest, easiest to see if substrate needs cleaning, easy to replace. Cons: it's ugly, doesn't hold humidity, the minute water is spilled or urine is released the paper must be changed - this can happen daily, sometimes the newsprint rubs off on the snake (not a health problem, just makes the snake dirty looking) and many times the snake gets under the paper (that's OK for hiding purposes) so you can't see him.

2. Mulch - Pros: relatively cheap at your local garden store, holds humidity very well, looks nice, and you may only need to change the part of the substrate that's dirty. Cons: hard to tell if substrate needs cleaning, may have bugs (not harmful to snakes that I've heard), heavy to lift large quantities, and when changing a large # of tubs you have big bags of "trash."

3. Carefresh - Pros: just the ticket if you're going for a different look (it's available in grey, white, pink, blue and purple), usually easy to see if substrate needs changing, only need to change the part of the substrate that's dirty. Cons: Very expensive and can sometimes be difficult to find in large quantities.

4. Sani chips - Pros: very absorbent, need only change the part of the substrate that's dirty, and holds humidity pretty well. Cons: very tiny pieces, pretty expensive but a little does go a long way, hard to find, gets all over the place (the pieces almost seem to float in the air) and hard to vacuum up.

5. Aspen - Pros: very absorbent, need only change the part of the substrate that's dirty, easy to see if substrate needs cleaning, snakes like to burrow in it, relatively inexpensive, easily available at any pet store, and holds humidity well. Cons: pieces stick to socks and towels and are very difficult to remove, wet aspen usually molds, some don't like the idea that some small pieces may be ingested with the prey (I've never had a problem with this), and the size of pieces and the "cut" vary widely.

Hope this helps
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Alice Cobb
Florida Reptile Room

Goog post 'cept you forgot cell-sorb plus. I saw it at Daytona last year. Greg Graziani was using it, so it can't be bad. I've never tried it myself. I see it at PetSmart.Don't how cost effective it may be.

David Perkins

Good point David. Since it is relatively new, I haven't heard much about the pros and cons yet. The few things I have heard from Greg and others is that it is very absorbent and it cuts down on the smell. Disadvantages include difficulty to find and cost. "Yesterday's Newspaper" a brand of a similar product is available in some large pet stores like Pets Mart and it seems to be about the same but I haven't any personal experience with it.
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Alice Cobb
Florida Reptile Room

newspaper all the way... for over 12 years.
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Aspen is the way to go IMHO

David Perkins

if dryness is that much of an issue, use a sphagnum moss hide/tray in your cage. we use 12x12 inch plant seedling trays, the same ones we use as hides (upside down) and fill them with 2 inches of sphagnum moss. keep it misted and clean.

it will raise the humidity of the cage in general, and it will offer the snake a moist place to sit or hide in.

also look to reduce the ventilation in the cage. if you are using a screen top, then you are just evaporating all moisture straight out of the cage immediately. cover the screen, or cover vents. you will get plenty of airflow through gaps in the lid/door, and from going into the cage daily.
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

What a great idea. I was thinking about putting moss in the back half of my tubs but I couldn't think how to keep the water in. The tubs aren't tall enough to put a seperate box in and still allow the snakes to easily get in and out. Brilliant!
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Ryan Sherman
Scottsdale, Arizona
www.ThePaintedPython.com