Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Currently my kings are on paper towels in racks. Once they get a a bit bigger I plan to move to cages with a different substrate. As much as I like the look of carpet, it doesn't seem practical based on the frequency these guys defecate (compared to my ball python who is on carpet). So I'm looking for an alternative to carpet/paper towels.

I want something that looks a bit natural and can be feed on. I've been looking at some options and since I've not seen these substrates in person I was looking for opinions on them. My main concerns are smell, ease of spot cleaning and being able to feed on them. The substrates are:

Jungle Mix Lizard Litter by ESU: "...blend of sterilized virgin organic soil, fine grain sand, vermiculite, peat moss, orchid bark and green tree moss. Jungle Mix is organic, natural and perfect for burrowing reptiles and plants."

or any of the various compressed coconut fiber bricks (by ESU, Zoomed, etc)

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

>>Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

CareFresh. It's not natural looking, but it meets all your other criteria.

terry

I have considered carefresh, but don't care for the look - I haven't totally ruled it out yet, but am considering the other 2 choices more. So you can feed on carefresh?
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

Why not consider aspen? Been using it atleast 10yrs. I think its the best substrate on the market right now. Easy to spot clean, great odor control my snakes feed off it, never had a problem.

I'd use aspen in a heartbeat if I wasn't too chicken. I know there are many who've feed on it for years, but I still worry about it. However, I'm now wondering if the aspen chips are any safer than the usual aspen with the toothpick like slivers? I use the aspen chips for 2 of my sand boas right now. Do you use the chips or shredded kind?
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

The bag I have now is labled aspen bedding, it's the same as shavings. Thats all I can get where I am. The shreddered is better because it's bigger. Still using the shavings I have had no problems feeding on it.

Is the shreeded the kind with the toothpick like peices?

Thanks!
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

The shredded aspen that I used to get at a local store was maybe 1/4" wide and 1-3" long. I would pack down tight just like it was a mat, nothing stuck to it. The shavings is more like the pine bedding, don't pack down as good. Still works great for me.

>>I have considered carefresh, but don't care for the look - I haven't totally ruled it out yet, but am considering the other 2 choices more. So you can feed on carefresh?

I've kept all my subadult and adult pyros and hondurans on it for several years, never a problem. Consider: grade school kids chew up paper all the time to make spitballs and ingest some of them, and they're not keeling over. (I keep my hatchlings on aspen bedding or wood chips just because the carefresh pieces are large enough that the babies immediately burrow beneath it; i want them on top of the substrate, so they defecate where it can be seen and easily removed).

terry

The problem I have found with carefresh is that it is dusty. The dustb seemed to clog their noses up, and started open mouth breathing, switched back to aspen and everything cleared up. Anyone else had this problem with carefresh? It seems that this topic will be debated fo ever. To each his own, I quess.

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Krazy-K
1.0 Gray Banded Kingsnake
0.2 Thayeri Kingsnakes
1 B. Rainbow Boa
1.0 Bearded Dragon
2.0 Leopard Geckos

i like aspen,but about a month ago i noticed my male 98 honduran started sneezing.i thought of upper respitory infection and rushed him to the vet,she found no signs but treated him with antibotics.i got to thinking that he spends most of his active time burrowing in the aspen so i changed his tub to newspapers.after 3 days he stopped sneezing.now when i put him with a female for breeding and leave him in for over a hour he starts sneezing again.like i said he is a 98 animal and this just started this year,go figure.