Aspen shavings, feeding on news paper and separate containers because of impaction concerns, I'm going through the same thing. I haven't gone with the chips because I figured it'd make matters worse.
One thing I have done for desert dwellers and a leopard tort I have is to use vitasand. Its said to be impaction resistant and adds calcium to the diet if it is taken in.
Never had a problem with it. The longest with it is the leopard tort that is about 8 years old now. He was the size of a walnut when we got him and is about a foot long now.
He's an eating machine.
The other snakes I have where the aspen becomes a problem are just housed on news paper. If they are ok with it, calm and feeding its alot less hastle.
Some simply went back to paper because I got tired of the shavings constantly getting shoved into the water bowl.
Some snakes won't calm down until they can dig under something like aspen. Aspen also looks more natural and clumps well but can be a pain too with some snakes.
I don't think you'll find an all purpose bedding. You just have to find what what works for a given snake.
Mike.

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