Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Dear all:
Do many people here use cypress mulch for their boa's substrate? I'm going to try it out with my suri and columbian, can anyone give me their results (i.e. pros and cons as compared to paper towel)
thanks,
eliot stone

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0.1 Columbian Boa
0.1 Spotted Python
and always looking for more!

i know someone that uses it for brazilian rainbows but not bci's. it seems like it would hold moisture too long...but i've never used it myself. nice photo.

chris o

if that is the white or light brow colord wood shaving chips then its ok to use i used it for years with my colombiaa boas and my surinam boa, it works quiet well if the boas are babys they lie to hide under it sometimes,
but as far as being a good substrate it works really well

I have used cypress mulch on and off for a few years now. It is a great substrate for my dumeril's boas and various others. However, using/buying cypress mulch is environmentally unfriendly.

It turns out that it isn't just a byproduct of cypress lumber milling, but they are actually grinding up entire trees to make mulch. Most of the industry was in Florida, but they made it illegal or too costly. So, they are moving into Louisiana.

Now, this all occurs on private property. And property owners are entitle to cut down whatever trees they want, but the best stuff comes from old growth trees. Cypress grows pretty slowly. I just can't justify all of that lost habitat so that my snake or my yard can have mulch that is only comprable to other products.

Look for pine bark mulch (bake before using). It's not as stringy, and when mixed with some pine or aspen shavings it has a nice leaf litter look. Pine trees are grown specifically for harvest and they grow quickly.

Thanks for thinking about it,
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Zoodude

"Just because I'm paranoid, it doesn't mean they aren't after me."

thanks man,
its always good to meet someone who is concerned about environmental issues that most people might not think twice about. good job man.
eliot stone
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0.1 Colombian Boa
0.1 Cape York Spotted Python
1.0 Suriname Red Tailed Boa
and always looking for more!

Thanks for the info zoodude. In my part of the country cypress mulch isn't even available, so I have been looking for good alternatives. I was under the impression that pine mulch was bad for reptiles... is this why you bake it? Please explain.

I said to bake the bark or mulch mainly to kill any parasites that could be harbored within, but it will also dry it out. The danger that you are refering to comes from the oils in pine, cedar, fir and other wood. The oil can be toxic (to some herps) in liquid and fumes, but I have never had a problem myself with pine. Baking the bark, I believe, would reduce any liquid by converting it to vapor. Although that's just speculation. For all I know, it could be reconstituted when it got wet again. Like I said, I haven't had any issues with pine, but I've heard plenty of moaning about it. However, DO stay away from cedar which is far more aromatic (due to fumes that can be harmful). This is the age old question restated: What's the best substrate? Listen to advice, and then do what works for you and yours.

Then there is the debate about ingestible particles in any mulch (or shavings etc...). There is some validity to that fear, and care should be exercized when feeding.
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Zoodude

"Just because I'm paranoid, it doesn't mean they aren't after me."

MULCH IS FOR THE LAZY HERPER THAT DOESN'T WANT TO CLEAN THEIR CAGES PROPERLY. THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN NEWSPAPER FOR SUBSTRATE AND IT IS FREE. WHY WOULD ANYONE PAY FOR SUBSTRATE WHEN THEY CAN GET THE BEST SUBSTRATE FOR FREE? MULCH CAN ALSO BE INGESTED, HARBOR MITES AND CAUSE RESPIRATORY INFECTION. WHY WOULD ANYONE USE SUCH A SUBSTRATE?

newspaper will never harm your boa...and it's easy to clean and easy to come by...why would someone not use it? unless your going for a natural display.

chris

Honestly, i can appreciate your opinion on the subject of newspaper as a substrate, but those of us that only have a few snakes to deal with, Newspaper looks a little tacky, and not at all appealing on the eyes. I myself like the look of something more natural than newspaper, and I am sure there are alot of us out there that dont have mass amounts of snakes, and can take the time to clean the cage properly. SO... in closing, I will just say that Actual NATURAL bedding isnt for "lazy herpers" as you put it, its all just a preference thing. Kind of like how you prefer to use newspaper.