Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I asked a while back about bedding for a star tortoise, but after reading responses here and other sites I still am concerned about the type. Id really prefer a non "natural" bedding due to fears of impaction and everything other than sand seems like it could hold humidity well and i need it dry. Has anyone used or recommend/not recommend recycled newspaper type substrates such as carefresh and cellsorb? These are digestable, wouldnt hold humidity and seem rather easy to obtain/use. Sound reasonable?

I've never used paper based substrates but they don't sound like they'll provide good footing. Years ago, I used rabbit pellets which sound similar from a footing standpoint. The rabbit pellets worked but I didn't like how the tortoises had to 'swim' through the stuff. I currently use cypress mixed with sand, peat moss, and dry leaves (ash, mulberry, etc).
My current mix stays bone dry for my desert species, and holds moisture for the more humid loving species for which I pour water on one side weekly.
Where have you heard/read about impaction problems? I'm sure it happens but I just havn't seen a real case diagnoised. My circle of friends don't feed their torts directly on the substrate. Maybe that has something to do with it.
Good luck,
jbly

....
-----
1.0 Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink (Don)
0.1 Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skink (Sausage Girl)
0.0.1 Tanimbar Island Blue Tongue Skink ( Spunky Sebastian)
1.0.1 Green Tree Pythons ( Male=Floyd, Baby= Verdi)
0.1 Western Hognose (Piggy)
0.0.1 Egyptian Tortiose(Tank)
0.0.1 Sonoran Gopher snake ( Toro)
0.1 Albino Leo gecko (Sasha)
1.1 African Greys (Timmy and sis)
1.0 White bellied Caique (Diego)
0.1 Goffin's Cockatoo ( Sydney)
3.1 Ferrets (Chase, Angel, Max, and King)
1.0 Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Moose)