Yesterday's News as BP substrate?

[Xaila]

Has anyone tried using a Yesterday's News-type product as Ball Python substrate? For those unfamiliar with it, it's compressed pellets made of 100% recycled paper. It's marketed a lot as a cat litter substitute but it's also used as small animal bedding sometimes.

Since it's only recycled paper in a pellet form I'm assume it wouldn't be harmful to snakes.. One of the bags of it that I have may contain some baking soda though, I'll have to check. I just really hate this stuff as cat litter (and so do my cats)...it'd be nice to get some kind of use out of it.

[TheSnakeGuy]

Seems like a bad idea to me. I handle a product like this for birds weekly at work. It rapidly absorbs moisture so if you were to use it as a substrate your humidity would drop to near zero. Also whenever it gets wet it will drastically expand into basically sawdust that can be inhaled by your animal. Just not good for sub tropical animals.

[STjepkes]

There's no way I would play that game, personally. I wouldn't stray from what already works without issue..

[satomi325]

Seems like a bad idea to me. I handle a product like this for birds weekly at work. It rapidly absorbs moisture so if you were to use it as a substrate your humidity would drop to near zero. Also whenever it gets wet it will drastically expand into basically sawdust that can be inhaled by your animal. Just not good for sub tropical animals.

It actually doesn't turn to sawdust. It just turns to expanded paper pellet.

OP: I use this product for ferret litter. I think it works great for absorption and odor control. But I do agree with others that it may affect your humidity. And if you feed in the enclosure, this is definitely not a product you want your animal to ingest by accident since it does expand quite a bit. That is a definite impaction, imo.

[Xaila]

Alright, I think I have my answer on that now.. I hadn't really thought about the impaction risks. I guess I'll stick to cypress or see if I can find coco husk chips...

[STjepkes]

Alright, I think I have my answer on that now.. I hadn't really thought about the impaction risks. I guess I'll stick to cypress or see if I can find coco husk chips...

Eco-Earth Coconut Fiber is great. Decent aesthetics, holds humidity really well. If you feed frozen thawed and your method leaves the rodents still damp it will cling to them, but by balls have never had any issues with it.

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Alright, I think I have my answer on that now.. I hadn't really thought about the impaction risks. I guess I'll stick to cypress or see if I can find coco husk chips...

Eco-Earth Coconut Fiber is great. Decent aesthetics, holds humidity really well. If you feed frozen thawed and your method leaves the rodents still damp it will cling to them, but by balls have never had any issues with it.

[Coopers Constrictors]

A double dose of paper towels works great too!