Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have seen alot of people using news papper as a substrate. I have always used pine shavings with no problems other then some of the shavings getting in the snakes moulth when feeding. I dont like that! so I am thinking about using news papper insted. so can the ink bother them. or are there any other reasons that I should or should not use news papper? any help would be great thanks !!

JIM

It sucks bad. Time to pick up a book. A recent book.

np
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0.0.1 Eastern Painted Turtle
0.0.1 Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink
0.2.0 Leopard Geckos

how about I dont pick up a book because they all say something different and I ask people on here that know, and hopefully I get some help and not smart ass remarks from you? thanks for nothing !!

I believe pine shavings (as well as cedar) is toxic to snakes. If you want to use wood shavings, you should probably use aspen. Newspaper is good because it is really easy to clean up (just throw it out) and cheap. Negatives...it is not as "pretty."

I knew about cedar being toxic, as for pine, heck I move my entire bp setup into a different room when I put up the christmas tree! I'm paranoid like that.

As for substrate, I've always used fir bark and haven't had any problems. I like it because it's 'prettier' than the newspaper. I usually do a layer or so of newspaper under it as well so my bp can't get in direct contact with the glass over his heat mat.

As a side note, I'd like to add that being rude when giving advice, even if you *are* right, is really petty and non-productive.

I agree with the rude comment...it's just not necessary
I have heard bad things about fir bark too...how long have you been using it and do you cook it first? I am using aspen right now but I am always interested in "the best" for my babies

I used pine for about 6 months with my BP's and never had a problem. I do not feed on it though so they do not ingest it. I have switched to aspen though recently. I was asking over and over WHY NOT PINE and no one would answer except to say it was BAD. I finally was told they make turpentine out of the oil in pine. That made me switch! I love my animals and would never want to hurt them. I know people have used pine for years without issues. You should weigh the good and bad and make your own decision. Constructive criticism can be helpful if you don't take it as just criticism. =-)

use paper towels. just put in fresh paper towels every day or every other day an itl work fine
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sincerely,
Jonathan D. de Kluyver
JDDK Reptiles
Quality Reptiles and Amphibianswww.jddkreptiles.com

Newspaper is often alot cheaper but with many drawbacks. I have tried all of the above. Newspaper is work for multiple snakes. it usually has to be changed every day or two or else they sit in thier own urine which also mixes with the ink. You know there are going to be times when your too busy to do it, especially if your power feeding. Aspen works great. It clumps up so all you have to do is take a couple of minutes and spot clean. The snakes don't seem to get it in thier mouths too often and it is usually so small it falls right out. this route is a little bit more expensive (go to a local feed store). Mulch is very cheap at home depot. Works alot like Aspen but tends to come with little common bugs. It helps them with shedding alot more than any other substrate. You can also moisten the mulch for extra humidity. Sucks changing it out though.

I have been using paper towels way too time consuming for 70 snakes I clean every day at least 6-10 cages. Smell is a factor How is the aspen, mulch as far as odor?

To me aspen has a sawdust smell. It seems to mask odors from the snake. Never used mulch.

Easy to clean. Soft......very clean in appearance. White, so you could spot a mite from a mile away. Pretty cheap.

Jim

I use newspaper religiously. Pine shavings have oils (phenols) in them that can become harmful if they become wet, as they inevitably will. Also, newspaper is SO MUCH easier to use! I just crinkle it up after a messy snake-mess, and toss it all out in the firepit outside. If you use loose substrates like wood chips, you always run the risk of missing some of the feces and urate during cleaning time, and it's a lot messier when it falls out of the cage onto your floor. Newspaper is the best!
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-Gin

Newspaper ink does not effect reptiles. My opinon is different. I have used aspen and pine shavings for over 30yrs., never had a problem with either. Alot easer and faster to spot clean. They sometimes do get some in thier mouth when eating, but manage to get it out. What little they do swallow, just passes through when they crap. No one will ever convince me pine is toxic. My eastern king is more than 20yrs. old, always been on pine until the last year or so when a local feed store started carrying aspen at a great price. When they are out I willstill pick up a bag of pine.

When I said I haven't had a problem with either, well after thinking, once I went to aspen, my bps have had trouble shedding, must be drier. No shedding problems with pine. May switch balls back over to pine. The one substrate I used one time and never will use again was carefresh. It was really dusty. Alot of my snakes started weezing, sneezing and holding their mouths open. Once substrated was switched back, after a day or two everyone was fine.

Pine is fine, but I prefer aspen. Different cuts of aspen hold humidity better than others. I have heard of people that used pine for 20 plus years also without problems.
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CB

"I'm a truckin bassmole, and proud of it"

I agree pine is not toxic but every now and then I will get a bag that smells stronger than usual and everytime it would kill snakes or give them a stargazing effect. smell the pine first if it smells too strong chuck it.

Once in a great while, I have gotten a bag of pine thats got a strong odor also. I just open it up, let it air out for a couple days, works fine.

Its compressed coconut fiber that is packaged in bricks (roughly 4x8x2). Once you soak a brick in a gallon of water, it expands about 10x. It is excellent for retaining moisture, i.e. humidity. Its very soft for BP's and it looks very, very natural. Every other day or so, I turn it over and mist it down. My humidity levels at always 50-60%. It is eco-friendly and cheap (3 bricks for $10.00). Many retile shops in the Chicago area use them.

Though I don’t have much experience with the product yet, it claims to absorb and break down waste / odors.

I agree. The coconut stuff looks good and every time I see it used the humidty is 50%-70%.
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0.0.2 Bearded Dragons(Ziggy and Stardust)
0.1.0 Royal/Ball Python(Not named yet)

Newspaper certainly works well enough if you only have one or two animals that you're dealing with...

Drawbacks, for me... it looks trashy. I also prefer to give my animals a NICE environment to live in... if I am going to go to the trouble of making sure my BP is humid enough, and my bullsnake dry and cool enough, then I will darn well give them a nice environment to live in, too. LOL

Aside from that, I just don't the way the ink rubs off on the animal's scales. I spot-clean my enclosures once a day, and do a total changeover once a week. Now.. I only have 3 (at the moment), though at the 'peak' about three years ago, I had fifteen total. So, while I acknowledge the extra work that goes into such things as aspen or moss substrate... I don't like the newspaper.

If I absolutely do not want to use a 'normal' substrate (normal for me is aspen, or the Soft'n'Moist that my local shop carries), then I will put them on a reptile carpet. At least that way it looks nice ...

Pine shavings - too much controversy over that for my tastes. Some say it's fine, some report deaths and other problems related to it. I personally will not risk my snake's health on something that is so 'unsure'. I stay away from pine, period. I will not bed my snakes on anything that I am not 100% sure is safe for them.

Put the animal on what you feel is best, or suits your needs. Newspaper is efficient but trashy and ugly looking, 'natural' bedding is more work-involved to keep up, but looks nice, paper towels I use primarily if I suspect mites, but no other time.

(they are a great 'detector' for mites... if i suspect a case of mites, the first thign I do after I check the animal itself is rip out the substrate, throw it out, disinfect the tank and replace it with paper towels. The bright white will show any mite that lands on it.
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1 Ball Python
1 Rock Python
1 Bullsnake
5 Cats

Love 'em all ...

I have also had some questions about what to use.

I have 70 snakes.

In my racks I use nothing but aspen or pine.