Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Any suggestions on the best substrate?

I use aspen and I love it.
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Andy Maddox
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Who are you who can say it's ok to live through me? Alice In Chains

any views on Care Fresh Litter? I have read that it tends to dehydrate the snake... is that true?

Carefresh is very absorbent, I use it as bedding for the nest boxes of the birds i breed. Because it is very absorbent in an aquarium it probably lowers the humidity quite a bit. I use fir bark for my western hognose, its in small enough pieces that he can burrow through it

HTH
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Adam
http://anraviary.cjb.net
0.0 African Sidenecked, 0.0 Northern Diamondback Terrapin, 0.1 Redfoot, 0.1 Sulcatta, 1.0 Western Hognose, 1.0 Crested Gecko, 0.1 Mali Uromastyx

Right now I'm using paper towel for my babies/juvies and newspaper for my adults. It's not the most attractive substrate, but there is no risk of impaction, and it's pretty easy to change.

I'm in no way saying aspen is a bad substrate, I just hate the thought of impaction.
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-Ross Payan - www.LeosAnonymous.com

Leos Anonymous

Ball Pythons, Red Striped Leos, W.Hognose and Screaming AFT's

Very true. When I feed my babies I just put something like a piece of papertowels or paper gum wrapper in the tank and put the pink ontop of it. Then the hognose eats it and the risk of impacting is gone. I have used papertowels but I always like to give them the option to burrow. Andy
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Andy Maddox
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Who are you who can say it's ok to live through me? Alice In Chains

The risk of impaction is always there, however, I have never seen impaction reported on this forum. Even if it does occur, I am sure it is not occur with the frequency that leopard geckos and frogs do.

I see no reason not to use aspen for an adult. I do not recommend sand.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes

Like I was saying... nothing at all against aspen, it just scares me.

I keep a large collection of ball pythons and used to keep them on aspen. Well some of them don't have the best aim (even with pk prey) and wind up striking and getting a whole mouth full of the stuff, not a pretty site. Most of the time they get it out on their own (ingesting quite a bit), and sometimes I would have to use tweezers to get the wood out of their teeth. That being said I have never had a python become impacted.

I haven't been keeping hogs for very long at all, but my adult females will slither the entire length of their enclosure with their mouth's open when they get wind of the mouse. Do you guys ever find that they scoop the aspen up in their mouths when doing this?

I would honestly rather keep my hogs on aspen, I think it adds a sense of security for them.
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-Ross Payan - www.LeosAnonymous.com

Leos Anonymous

Ball Pythons, Red Striped Leos, W.Hognose and Screaming AFT's

All of your worries can be eliminated by simply feeding in another container with no substrate.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes