Reptile & Amphibian Forums

In your experience, what's the best substrate for odor absorption and ease of spot cleaning?

Well, you only have so many choices. You should use what works best for you.

here are some typical choices:
Aspen
Pine
newspaper
Graval/sand/ pea gravel/ alfalfa
expensive Pet Smart critter bedding of varoius types

I am sure there are some nusual ones that others can add. It depends on asthetics, price and what is easily avliable near you.
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www.Bluerosy.com

I like cypress. Not available everywhere though.
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We wouldn't have 6 and a half billion people if you had to be beautiful to get laid.
1.3 African House Snakes
3.2 reticulated pythons
1 corn snake
4.3 Florida Kings
2 speckled kings
1.2 ball pythons
1 Argentine boa
1 Texas Rat Snake
1 checkered garter snake

Native Earth Shredded Aspen 4.38 Cu F

I like this shredded aspen because it mats down in a nice way and the snakes can make tunnels through it that hold together. It is easy to spot clean; I have a couple of bull snakes that make big poops and it is easy to just pick up the messy gob and toss it. It is soft and very nice for baby snakes, who can make little nests in it. I put a deep layer in for thermoregulation and for their comfort and security. It is not dusty. The flaked aspen makes me wheeze, but the shredded leaves my respiratory system alone. That has to be better for the snakes, who live in it, too.
This used to be Harlan Shredded aspen but changed names to Native Earth Shredded. It was hard to find, but now I can get this at a great price. Have found a great cheap online source, but don't know if it is against the rules to post the link here, so anybody wants this please email me.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Native Earth Shredded Aspen 4.38 Cu F

I am going to try this stuff. It looks really good. Almost to good for the price. It also has a flat rate for shipping. But i wonder if that is per bail. I would order like 6 ,lol!
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www.Bluerosy.com

I am going to try this stuff. It looks really good. Almost to good for the price. It also has a flat rate for shipping. But i wonder if that is per bail. I would order like 6 ,lol!
I ordered 2 and got the flat rate for both. Then I thought what the heck and ordered 2 more and got the flat rate again. I should have bought 4 from the get go, but still this is a monumental savings.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

I want to compare to the pine shavings I get now. Where are you ordering it from?
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Email sent.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

>>Email sent.
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>>Bob
>>Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
>>Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Bob,...how much was the shipping on a couple bags?

As usual, I see no mention of any shipping prices. they always want you to buy it first, then find out later..LOL!

thanks, ~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I see you just posted it in another reply..LOL!

thanks, ~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Doug,

if you look at the link it says what the shipping is right there in big letters. I don't know how you missed it .

Flat rate ..and then the price .
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www.Bluerosy.com

With Auto Ship! The catch might be, that if the sale price goes up, it's still shipped automatically with the new higher price?
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

$4.95 flat rate whether I order one or 6 bags. You can total up your shopping cart and see what is the shipping before finalizing the transaction. All the online stores I deal with allow you to see your actual total before finalizing.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Thanks Bob!....

Wow!, that just can't be beat!

thanks again!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I was just at pefood direct and it was 7.89 a bag 4.95/bag shipping by ground...
I pay about that to buy similar product at feed store now.
At only 9 lbs per bale, I don't think it's as big as the old Harlan bales I used to buy for $12.
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

I think I pay about 7 bucks for a bale of the pine, no shipping just my gas at almost 4 dollars a gallon!
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

I don't use pine for my snakes but when I raise rodents, I use it for them. Pick it up where I can fill the biggest bags I can handle for a buck....at a lumberyard...
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

Is it thin shaved? I used to get some from a guy that would get it from a lumber yard but it was too thick and not absorbent, and it had a strong smell too.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

It's perfect, Jorge...The people there know what we're (there's a few pro rodent guys who also buy it) using it for and make sure not to mix in any exotics. Sometimes they will plane tons of cypress for cabinitry etc. and will have some of that mixed in but they always tell me and I can tell anyway. It's all good. Cypress is fine.Of course I can't compress it like it is in the commercial bales, but I can stuff a 44 gal bag with enough to last me a while
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

How/where does one go about finding a lumber yard in their area?
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www.Bluerosy.com

I am assuming you are in Florida.
http://www.manta.com/mb_44_E01A5_10/sawmills_and_planing_mills_general/florida

Just Google sawmill your state.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

I googled sawmill. Is this it? It is a gay campground. Is that where Crimsonking gets his?

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www.Bluerosy.com

I knew you would see this. LOL! I immediately thought of several double ententes but do not want to go down that rather raunchy path...oh, the temptation, though!!! LMAO!!
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

methinks you should leave it alone, Rainer....

Now, as for the pine shavings,if you were as big of a cheapskate as me you'd know of several lumberyards in your area by now.
Like I said, I used it for rodents but shut them down last year.
Will likely get them up and running again soon, however...
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

Now, as for the pine shavings,if you were as big of a cheapskate as me you'd know of several lumberyards in your area by now

I'll leave the sawmills and lumberjacks all to you.

I am buying mine at the store. Thanks!
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www.Bluerosy.com

...aspen shavings and sani-chips from Nepco I think. It's only slightly smaller than the bales of Harlan but no dust at all and it's pretty fluffy....about $12. at a feed store..
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

My friend gave me a bag of Harlan Shredded aspen, and I'll tell you,I like it ten times better than the other aspen shavings I've used.

I like it alot too, and is what I use. Other companies buy it from lumber mills as by-products of their factory planed wood. These bigger planed "chips" don't absorb NEARLY as good as the finer shredded type of the former Harlan brand. Many of the larger chip-type shavings are like expecting a 2 x 4 to absorb snake poop and it simply leaks down past it and puddles on the container floor..

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Is the harlan the same as Native Earth?
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www.Bluerosy.com

I did a google search and it says it was formally Harlan. So I guess it's the same.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Yes, the EXACT same shredded stuff, and same exact bag size/weight,...just a different name now I guess. I wasn't even aware of the different name until "pyromaniac" mentioned it earlier. My bags still say "Harlan" on them because I got several big bags a while ago from a girl that came over and bought a bunch of snakes.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I'm going to save my bag and frame it. It might be a collectors item some day. lol

Instead of "sports memorabilia", it will be classic "herpetoculture memorabilia"..HAHA!!..

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Hey I think I have some very old price lists from places like Glades Herp, and HogTown Herps, and probably others. Everytime I go to throw them out, I think how nastalgic they are and end up hanging on to them, lol.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Yeah, don't EVER throw that stuff away Jorge!. I don't know what happened to alot of my old stuff I used to have. I think during the course of a few house moves, alot of it got accidentally tossed unfortunately. I had some very old snake books that are gone forever as well. I do have a few old books and other items left, including some old Ross Allen's Reptile Institute slides from the late 50's early 60's. But alot of the cool stuff I had from the 60's and 70's is gone forever!, including an autographed copy of "Cobras in His Garden" by Bill Haast from my birthday in 1974.I will always be bummed about that big-time!...

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I had quit using Harlan because it was too dusty....usually better than the old ASPENII but still too dusty for me...
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

Yeah, it is pretty darn dusty, and that is the one thing I don't like about it either. There is some "Kaytee" Aspen at a pet store by me that is virtually dust-free, but WAYY more expensive of course and in smaller bags, but sometimes I use it too..*shrug*

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -Serpentine Specialties

I have the Harlan in a bin and I find it pretty dusty.

do you know if the shipping rate is PER BAG or for several?

have you ordered from them yet?
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www.Bluerosy.com

I paid the same flat rate for two bags as if I had only ordered one bag.

Native Earth Shredded Aspen 4.38 Cubic Foot Compressed Bedding
4.38-cu ft., compressed (1006228102)
Update:
Retail Price: $16.49 Sale Price: $8.49 Total: $50.94
Subtotal: $50.94
Shipping 217 lbs: $4.95
Total: $55.89
You Saved: $48.00 today!

Like as with most online stores, you can fiddle around with your shopping cart before finalizing the deal. They also have an 800 number so you can talk to a person.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Please send me a link my Email. I sent you a message yesterday but I guess you didn't get it. Please send it to this Email: ttyson86 (at)aol.com

I have used aspen, pine shavings, and newspaper, and my vote goes to newspaper. Been using it steadily now for over 13 years.
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Genesis 1:1

For kings, it is dry, but if you have a humid hide when needed then dry is OK - it is a paper product much like Care Fresh but with small, round, more compressed granules instead of fluffy shreads. The benefits of newspaper but in particulate form. No strong odor, less dust than aspen. Made by an array of companies. Found in nearly any pet store that has bedding for bunnies.

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Mark

I like the Asoen a lot but I've been using the WalMart pine shavings in the large bale for a very long time. It spot cleans very well, and it's quite a bit cheaper than the Aspen. I use it on my mice also.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

>>In your experience, what's the best substrate for odor absorption and ease of spot cleaning?

Aspen or Carefresh....
They both provide a thermal gradient from the bottom to the top of an enclosure unlike flat newspaper........

Also....
Each one will insulate back heat and isolate a hot spot in the rear of the enclosure......keeping it cool in the front....BTW...I use back heat not belly heat...but Aspen or Carefresh works better than newspaper with each type of heating system.....

And....
Odor absorption and spot cleaning is easier than newspaper.....
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John Lassiter
Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part...

Carefresh works better than newspaper with each type of heating system

Anyone know how Carefresh is made?
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www.Bluerosy.com

1. Shred newspaper in a paper shredder. I collect the shredded paper in an unused litter box.
2. Soak the paper in warm water mixed with a few squirts gentle, biodegradable dish soap (like Ecover). The shredded paper takes on a cooked oatmeal consistency. The paper won’t come completely clean, but the water will turn grey.
3. Drain the water (an old colander works wonders) and repeat the soaking process minus the soap.
4. Sprinkle baking soda liberally on the wet paper. Knead it in to the mixture (you might want to wear gloves to avoid getting ink on your hands).
5. Squeeze the remaining moisture out until it’s as dry as you can get it.
6. Crumble over a screen and leave to dry (it takes a few days).

Once it’s dry, I put about an inch and a half to two inches of the paper crumbles in the litter box, scoop solids daily and change it once a week. It takes about a half an hour to 45 minutes to make a 2-3 week supply of litter, and it’s kind of fun, in an elementary school art project way.
A fun thing to have your kids do.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Carefresh is NOT recycled newspaper....It is made from wood pulp....
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John Lassiter
Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part...

Carefresh is NOT recycled newspaper....It is made from wood pulp....
Oh, I know. I just thought this homemade kitty litter might be fun to do. You've got four kids; why not put them to work! LOL!
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

>>Carefresh is NOT recycled newspaper....It is made from wood pulp....
>>Oh, I know. I just thought this homemade kitty litter might be fun to do. You've got four kids; why not put them to work! LOL!
>>-----

LOL....You remember everything don't you.......hehe
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John Lassiter
Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part...

Can you get it in big bags?
Thanks.

>>Can you get it in big bags?
>>Thanks.

No and Yes....
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John Lassiter
Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part...

nm

I was thinking that i wish some herper would invent a shreeding maching for newspaper and other paper. One that would make it fine enough for snakes.

That would be easy as all we need is the "Reptile shredder" and steel your neihbors newpapers. MNo more bails of shavings
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www.Bluerosy.com

it's too eeery, without anyone fighting, lol.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

it's too eeery, without anyone fighting, lol.

I use mites as substrate. It eats the feces.

Get them here.

www.miterus.com
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www.Bluerosy.com

Cutting edge technology, lol.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

nm

I use Aspen with a thin layer of new paper on the bottom. The news paper help with the extra that mite slip through the aspen. The aspen I use if from Premier Pets. It is very curly and the snakes seam to love it. it makes great tunnels.
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Tom S
1.1 Flame Lampropeltis getla Floridana
1.0 Hypomelanistic Lampropeltis getula Floridana
0.1 Axanthic Lampropeltis getula Floridana
0.1 Hypomelanistic Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis
1.0 Anerythristic Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis

I use aspen sani chips and newspaper on top..... The newspaper is easy to switch out and gives the snakes an extra place to hide...They like to make a nest under the newspaper or curl up in between the pages...It's real easy for feeding F/T with news paper too, just drop it in....Most take to it, some need a little coercing to eat.Don't have to worry about shavings on the food item. Just the way I do it. The sani chips are about $10.95 a bale, and a bale changes roughly 10 sweater boxes with 2-3 inches of shavings.Spot cleaning is pretty easy because the news paper usually cathces all the liquid before it hits the chips.
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Jimmy Tintle