Aspen/Cypress mulch from garden store?

[fredanthony]

Hey guys, so obviously there are numerous posts for substrate suggestions etc. I am currently using zoo med aspen for all my snakes, my question is is this any different from aspen that I can get from a local store or online? Further more I know my local Home Depot and even Walmart sell cypress mulch, would this cypress mulch be the same as that sold by companies and marketed for reptiles? The price is significantly less and I do preference having a substrate over newspaper for the moisture, clean up aspects. Thanks!

[MitsuMike]

Homedepot.....comes in a yellow bag called cypress mulch.
Bake in oven, let cool and then use as needed.

I would suggest a blend of aspen and cypress and the cypress might get to humid

[Homegrownscales]

Hmm I don't think it's sterilized or goes through the same process but I'm not sure. I get my Aspen from either walmart pet section or my local farm store. Both cheap for a 25lb block.

[MitsuMike]

Hmm I don't think it's sterilized or goes through the same process but I'm not sure. I get my Aspen from either walmart pet section or my local farm store. Both cheap for a 25lb block.

Numerous breeders use this stuff. Many threads have been on it. Anyways baking it kills the parasites and their eggs if there is any in there.
Very popular among the tegu and burm people as humidity needs to be up and having such big cages it's a cheap substrate.

[Strange_Evil]

Yeah you can use the mulch from home depot but if it is holes in the bag (which there most likely will be from the mulch) or It is kept outside you should bake the mulch to kill anything in it. I use Cypress with My Water Dragon and curly tailed lizard, just make sure your picking up the original all natural stuff not cedar or pine mulch.

The aspen idk i buy mines from petco so i cannot help ya there.