Do you freeze your substrate before using it?

[Hines9905]

As I was shopping in the pet supply store the other day a lady asked if I put my substrate in the freezer before using it. I told her no, I hadn’t thought to do that and she proceeded to tell me how she didn’t until she found millipedes in her enclosure and was sure they came from the substrate and that I should just in case the substrate has mites in it. I need to run back to the store today to get some sphagnum moss (trying to get the humidity to maintain) but I’m wondering if I need to put it in the freezer first and for how long? Right now we have a layer of eco earth loose coconut fiber substrate and then mixed in a little bit of repti bark.

[EL-Ziggy]

I use Reptichip and I don’t freeze it before using it.

[Santiago6621]

I use reptichip and I toss that in the oven before use cause I read reviews of some other people having mites in it

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[bcr229]

You can either freeze or bake natural substrate to kill insect eggs. This time of year putting it into a black plastic trash bag and setting it in the afternoon sun for a few hours may even do it, as our high temp today will be almost 100*F.

[Bogertophis]

Yes! ^ ^ ^ And turning on the oven to bake substrate or wasting space in your freezer (displacing ice cream & ice cubes) for it this time of year makes little sense to me.

Re- setting it in the sun: best way is putting it into or on top of a clean metal trash can in the sun, for maximum heat. Turn it over at least once.

(I don't do either one, since I don't use the same substrates for my snakes that most of you do- & what I use -paper derivatives- does not harbor insects.)