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Member Comment
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7/7/2008 12:54:38 PM
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Kaiyudsai
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I swear by cypress mulch.....I've tried many others but I find cypress has the best qualities,.... They key is to get a good source that is clean... I buy Scotsman's choice that our local Lowe's sells.....the company doesnt use any fungicides or additives...I also did microscopies on two bags from different lots at the lab that I work for and there were no insects present...... Cypress looks good, smells good, stays humid, burrowing snakes love to burrow in it...... no complaints...... I used carfresh once, I believe it's made from recycled paper....it grows mold really quickly, and gets very dusty when dry.... It sucks the humidity out of the cage...the paper is almost too absorbant...
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Member Comment
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7/7/2008 1:11:52 PM
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dalvers63
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The only problem with cyrpress is the environmental one...it is a great drain on the cypress swamps.
I use the shredded aspen (not the chips) with some of my snakes and for the rest I use newspaper mostly because it's free. Both are easy to clean (spot clean the aspen, replace the paper). If you don't like the look of printed paper you can always go to the print shop of your local paper and ask for the roll ends of newsprint. They're free and easy to cut to size for instant changes in cages.
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Member Comment
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7/7/2008 2:38:53 PM
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Ivyna J Spyder
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I'm currently using aspen for my snake but I'm considering switching to something non-particulate at the suggestion of my vet...
And for non-particulate substrate, I freaking love non-adhesive shelf liner. I use it for my lizards and the stuff is great. I tried paper towel, newspaper, astro turf, reptile carpet, but this stuff came out on top.
It's cheap, lasts *forever*, easy to wipe clean, doesn't soak up nasty stuff, thick and textured for traction, and won't slide around like paper can. It comes in a few different colors and patterns. (I use the plain black stuff). Downside is of course it can't hold humidity but the same can be said of newspaper and the like.
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Member Comment
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7/7/2008 2:57:35 PM
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Kaiyudsai
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I know all about the environmental issues regarding cypress...I live in south Louisiana....... alot of the cypress used nowadays if farmed, just like pine plantations., we have lots of cypress plantations here; the mulch is a byproduct of the lumber harvest, The harvest of cypress is most likely governed by the need for the lumber/ ......No more clearcutting goes on in this state..... And the United States has enforced a 0 % net loss policy on wetlands...... It is illegal to destroy wetlands in this country now...... aspen is OK for species that don't require high humidity...... but if you have tropical animals I'd stick with cypress
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Accepted Answer
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7/7/2008 4:47:17 PM
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FyreFocks
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I use paper towels. Its cheap and easy to change. But for something that requires a high humidity I would suggest the cypress mulch.
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Member Comment
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7/7/2008 7:27:34 PM
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Skelegirl
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I like the shredded aspen, myself. Easy to spot-clean, and it looks nice, too.
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Member Comment
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7/7/2008 8:54:28 PM
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supreme serpents
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If you go to a reptile show you might able to save some money because they sometimes sell reptile supplies there for less.
I like to use jungle bed because it has a naturalistic look, and can slowly release humidity after wetting. Only problem is spot cleaning can be difficult as the poo blends in with the substrate.
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Member Comment
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7/7/2008 9:00:53 PM
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MegF
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Depends upon the species. My cornsnakes use shredded aspen. My arboreals are now all on sphagnum moss. I used cypress and liked it, but if they get some moss in their mouths, it won't hurt them. The cypress can catch in the teeth and gums and cause an infection. They also seem to really like crawling thru the moss and will lay in it and burrow in it.
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Member Comment
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7/8/2008 5:42:45 AM
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CHUNK
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I use Paper towels even for my boas But I have a misting system. Before I didnt just checked the herps everyday. And misted them if it need it. I use paper towels for everything its cheap and works well and I have had no problems with it they all shed reall well also. Plus you can feed them in the cage without worrying about anything getting in their mouth.
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Member Comment
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7/8/2008 9:56:04 AM
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Tea
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I use orchid bark. I dunno what you guys would call that over there if it's not known as orchid bark but I started using it on the recommendation of the reptile shop guy here. This stuff is supposedly digestible so any accidental ingestion doesn't pose too much of a problem... now I'll be honest, even if this stuff is digestible which I'm not convinced about, I can't imagine it breaks down very quickly so this is of little consequence to me... but I'm happy to use it because the pieces are nice and big and therefore nigh on impossible for my younger animals to swallow anyway and if it were to get stuck to any prey animals, the weight of it ensures it doesn't stick well enough for it to make it into any mouths. I'm explaining this sooo badly but I'm hoping you understand all the same! It holds humidity very well in the right type of enclosure but also will dry out quickly if required. My corns, royal python, savannah monitor and tree frogs are all kept on this stuff although the sav has calci-sand beneath his layer of bark as well as he likes to dig about in it and I've tried to recreate a bit of a textured savannah terrain for him :)
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Member Comment
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7/8/2008 12:27:49 PM
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taenia
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For animals that are either in quarantine or wouldn't benefit from a burrowing substrate or one that holds in humidity, I use newspaper. Cheap, easy, effective. What more could I want? My bullsnake is on a mix of aspen and cypress mulch, and my savus and basilisks are on cypress only. My ball python is on aspen-only. I tend to choose substrates to suit the animal, and there is no one "magic substrate" that works great for every species of snake.
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Member Comment
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7/8/2008 5:34:23 PM
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RB3067
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Newsprint. It's cheap, easily changed, safe (the inks are soy / vegetable based), does not provide hiding places for parasites and there is no chance of ingestion so there is no possibility of impaction.
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Author Comment
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7/8/2008 6:57:34 PM
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Katie M
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Thanks for all the ideas :) Now that I have my very first rack on the way (from Animal Plastics), I'll probably be going the route of paper towels or newsprint. Thanks again.
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Member Comment
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7/9/2008 3:37:28 PM
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Dave763
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For ball pythons I use newspaper. I have tried aspen and cypress. For display newspaper is ugly. Each has pro and cons. The reptile bark is pine. Pine is not good for pythons. I have used it cuz when I got my first ball, thats what the guy at the pet store sold me. Now it's only newspaper for me. No more wood chips in the carpet or stuck to my socks.lol
I use paper towels for hatchlings.
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Member Comment
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7/9/2008 10:59:03 PM
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tmth
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I just bought a bag of reptibark today actually- I had been getting that shredded coconut fiber but the store was out of it, so I just went with the reptibark. Haven't put any snakes in it... but I do like the look of it. I'm a big fan of the 'natural' looking stuff.. :)
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Member Comment
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7/10/2008 11:20:46 AM
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DrLew
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If you can find that pelletized newspaper bedding (the name escapes me right now) = that truly is the one size fits all bedding material - IMO.
It cleans up nicely, easy to change, holds moisture well, and looks great!
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Member Comment
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7/10/2008 2:21:37 PM
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Ophiuchus
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Paper towels for quarantine, babies and injured animals. Aspen for pretty much everything else and cypress mulch for when humidity is too low.
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Member Comment
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7/10/2008 5:44:41 PM
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Sonja K. Reptiles
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We use aspen in the drawers of all are rack systems - before we feed, we clear an area in the front of the drawer, and offer/dangle the prey item there. In the 4 ft - 8 ft Boaphile cages, we use either newspaper or indoor/outdoor carpet - some are half and half - the carpet gives them something to rub against when they are shedding. The bottom on the GTP's cage has sphagnum moss.
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Member Comment
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7/10/2008 5:52:31 PM
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Sonja K. Reptiles
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Forgot to mention, we have also used Reptibark - and we liked the appearance, too. What we did as we were increasing our collection, was to use the bark on half, and the indoor/outdoor carpet on the other side - used only half as much, then, and still got the benefit of being able to up the humidity, etc. Don't think it looked too bad. ; )
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Member Comment
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7/10/2008 9:14:57 PM
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Chris Behof
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newspaper, newspaper, newspaper, best all around imo......
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Member Comment
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7/12/2008 10:00:40 AM
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rob_carmichael
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Amen to newspaper - there's still no better substrate on earth. Karl Kauffeld preached it and so do I. It's so versatile too - you can use it on desert dwellers and high humid seeking herps as it does have mold inhibiting properties. It also forces you to stay on top of cleaning which is a positive (unlike spot cleaning particulate types of substrates already mentioned).
Another consideration is type of herp if you want something that looks nicer. At the Wildlife Discovery Center, where I serve as Curator, we have to go with a semi naturalistic approach towards public exhibit design. With any of our forest or tropical dwellers, we go with a mix of soil, peat, leaf mulch and forest humus with a nice layer of dead leaves on top - works great, the microbes keep the substrate clean with minimal effort (other than spot cleaning and a weekly aerating of the mix) and it looks fantastic.
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
www.thegrassisrattling.com
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Member Comment
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7/14/2008 8:49:20 AM
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DrLew
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Cellsorb plus - pelletized newspaper - easier to spot clean than sheet newsprint - and does a great job absorbing the liquid matter and keeping it localized!
Try it - you won't go back to sheet newsprint!
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Member Comment
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7/14/2008 12:35:15 PM
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icicle
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I use coconut fiber in all my cages
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Member Comment
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7/16/2008 1:05:25 AM
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Casey Clarke
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Papertowels for juvies....Cypress mulch for adults. That's all nothing else......
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Member Comment
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7/17/2008 7:27:25 AM
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ChrisMontgomery
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same here, papertowels for juvies. cypress for adults. aspen for balls. papertowels for crested geckos of all ages. newspaper is the only thing i'd switch to.
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