Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been using newspaper for awhile. Is reptibark better? Is there a better bedding available?
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Many people have success with different products. There are problems and advantages to each. Anything that is made up of a particulate matter has the disadvantage of possibly being swallowed along with a prey item if you feed in your enclosure. If the particles are swallowed it then has the potential for causing an impaction in the snakes digestive system which could be fatal. The potential for this is fairly low, many people have used particulate substrates for years or even decades with no harmful effects. However, I myself have lost snakes of other species to fatal impactions so it DOES happen and if it should happen to you it's no consolation that your snake is the unlucky one in a thousand. Advantages of bark substrates are that they look better, are easier to spot clean and are better at holding humidity. So, the choice is yours. I believe that repti-bark is nothing more then finely graded fir bark packaged to be marketed in pet stores. You can probably save money by buying the same product in the landscaping department of your local plant store. Another wood product that is favored by many keepers is cypress mulch, which can be found in the same places.

Mr Helpful

Mr Helpful...Thank You for your excellent feedback!!!
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You're very welcome. It was my pleasure.

Mr Helpful

Go to any gardening store and buy a large bag of Cypress mulch for two dollars (or less). Repti bark will run you about $30.00 and accomplish the same thing.

As the aforementioned post advised: be careful the animal doesn't ingest it. (I use tongs to feed and hold the prey item slightly above the snake so it strikes upwardly)...therefore no foreign items get swallowed.
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