Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I believe that's what it's called. I need to improve my humidity and placing the water bowl over the heat source is not helping. I've been using aspen chips and recently gave unprinted ewspaper a shot. I've restricted air exchange to a minimum and wanted to try cypress mulch, but no nursery sells it in my area. It's too expensive to ship and the reptile type is too expensive to buy. Any other thoughts or opinions are welcome.

Thanks,
CK

I use the block form of the coconut fibre bedding. the block is cheap,as it makes enough to cover a 40 gallon breeder tank, and it holds humidity well. plus I like the naturalistic cage look. I might add that I don't feed in his cage, so cannot comment on lodging in mouth/digestibility issues,hope this helps, and good luck!

Just curious what your humidity levels are and why you feel you need to raise them. Have you tried just a little light misting of either the aspen or newspaper once or twice a day. Jeff

Several of my balls have incomplete sheds with dried skin stuck, especially around their necks. No retained eyecaps, thank goodness. I have sprayed the aspen and it molds. I get the most mold underneath the water bowls if a spill occurs such as when a snake soaks. I give baths to the ones with stuck skin and can get most of it off, but I'd like to have a more self-sufficient environment if possible.

don't know about orchid

....Lowe's , cypress, cheap enough.......can wet it...actually should wet it from time to time....

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Thats kinda what I figured. Poor sheds are easy enough to deal with before they shed. Spray it down or wet it down while they are still in the blue. Once they shed just clean things up. I agree Jyohe. Cypress is cheap enough at any home store/garden center. And it handles moisture extremely well. I just don't like the huge pieces that some times come in the bag. I use Aspen and love it but I have just recently started using newspaper and Aspen together. Cover the bottom of the tub with paper and then put a thin 3/8 inch layer of Aspen on top. I use less Aspen which is saving me money but it still doesn't have that bare paper look or feel. And as far as the mold. Thats just my indicator thats it time for a complete cleaning. Jeff

P.S. As for Orchid bark. I have never used it nor do I see any reason to start. To many other products out there that are proven to work.

I like the big pieces......I don't care for the dirt that gathers at the bottom......it's actually fine mulch but it looks and feels like dirt......

and a note for "dampening" cypress for eveyone......
I do not spray the tank......I don't own a sprayer anymore.....(no more chondros)....I just dump like 3 water bowls full of warm water into the tank....all over the snake, at both ends usually........if you are gonna wet it....wet it....don't drown it..

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my snakes hated it. They would not eat. I put them back on either aspen or newspaper and they were back in the normal grove. Not sure they ever felt that that bedding was right for them.

ck the package but most times orchid bark is usually duglas fir which works but i think its to dusty if you let it dry out. zoo med sells it as repti bark. i have plenty of friends that use aspen with good success so try using a larger water bowl like a small cat liter pan if you have the room and change it often to prevent the mold build up underneath. also dont fill it up much so you dont spill or make it difficult to pull it out to change.